Conero Food and Wine Tour: Unveiling Natural Beauty, Delectable Flavors, and Scenic Vineyards
A natural paradise with enchanting offshoots that extend into the hilly hinterland and give life to one of the Adriatic coast’s naturalistic excellences: the Park and the Riviera del Conero, jewels that open onto the slopes of the homonymous mountain, whose formation dates back 5 million years and on the walls of which the precious local white stone was extracted.
We are in the Marche region, and this is the setting for the next itinerary: the Strada dei Vini di Conero DOCG and DOC, 50 kilometers of beauty and goodness.
The famous red nectar’s vines are grown in seven municipalities: Ancona, Offagna, Camerano, Sirolo, Numana, Castelfidardo, and Osimo.
We will take you here to discover not only the precious wine, which can also boast a controlled and guaranteed designation of origin, but also the territory, which is rich in artistic, historical, and naturalistic wonders, as well as the exquisite flavors that can be found along the way.
The Conero has two designations: DOC and DOCG.
The Conero Promontory, like many other areas of the Belpaese kissed by fortune, is such an enchanting place that it is difficult to describe in words; in fact, to fully appreciate it, you must smell the scents in the air, taste the flavors that come from the land, and admire with your own eyes the breathtaking views that open up everywhere, between the blue and crystalline sea, overbearing woods, and hills covered with orderly vineyards.
Vineyards of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, which have their natural habitat here and are the main ingredients for the production of Vino Conero, which has been recognized as DOCG since 2004, alongside the historic DOC, for the indisputable quality of its aromatic and fruity wine, with a beautiful ruby red color with violet hues when it is younger or orange when it is more “aged”.
The excellence and uniqueness of this wine, which is, for all intents and purposes, the most prestigious red in the region, are due to the low yield per hectare of grapes used and the unique “happy island” microclimate recorded here.
The mandatory percentage for both denominations is 85% Montepulciano, even though for the DOCG, ex Riserva, the blend is completed with 15% Sangiovese without other additions, whereas for the DOC, it is possible to contribute non-aromatic red berried grapes typical of the region.
Younger wines pair well with white meats, less mature cheeses, and more delicate dishes, whereas older wines pair well with braised meats, red meats, and game. The “older” wines are rare and valuable local treasures.
Conero’s Cusine
To be honest, we anticipate that the gastronomic tradition of this region will certainly cause us problems because it offers such a rich and versatile variety of traditional dishes that the wonderful ruby red wine protagonist of our itinerary may not be enough to accompany them all.
In fact, we are faced with a skilful mix of land and sea flavors, and especially for the latter we should perhaps ask for help from another big name in the area, namely Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, which with fish dishes such as Moscioli of Portonovo, the particular wild molluscs that look a lot like mussels but have a unique and inimitable taste and grow only on some rocks that are found in the waters between Portonovo and Sirolo, the Brodetto of Ancona, prepared with as many as 13 different species of fish, molluscs and crustaceans, and the renowned Stoccafisso all’Anconetana, cooked directly in wine, goes perfectly with it.
Instead, we must devote ourselves to specialties such as Ciauscolo, the very tasty spreadable salami, perhaps on the succulent Crescia that we can only find in these parts; Gnocchi with Duck Sauce; Cicerchia Soup; or Vincisgrassi, the very rich local lasagna; or, for those who prefer meat dishes, the Brace Piglet from the Marches; the Rabbit in Potacchio, braised in an earthenware pan; and the Roasted Goose, accompanied by a side dish of Paccasassi, the very special sea fennel that loves saltiness and grows among the rocks.
Among the traditional desserts are Torta di Pane, a true triumph of creativity and taste; Bostrengo, also known as “empty cupboards”; and Lonzino di Fico, the traditional “salami” made with figs, star anise, and dried fruit lined with fig leaves, authentic delicacies of the Marche region’s forward-thinking peasant tradition. A Turchetto, the boiling bitter coffee with lemon zest and copious amounts of black rum, or a small glass of Anice Secco at the end of the meal—we guarantee they go very well together.
The activities on our itinerary
We have chosen the following events from the many available in the Marche to include on your itinerary:
- Ancona Flower Show (March) in Ancona
- Ancona Flower Gardens (April)
- May: Offagna in Fiore of Offagna
- May is the month for the Numana Fish Festival.
- Ancona Blue Typicality (May)
- Osimo’s Vincisgrassi Festival (June)
- Numana Tarta Day (all summer)
- Summer Jazz Festival of Ancona (July)
- Offagna Medieval Festivals (July)
- Numana’s Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption (August)
- August Castellano market in Castelfidardo
- Osimo Covo di Campocavallo Feast (August)
- San Giuseppe da Copertino’s Feast in Osimo (September)
- International Accordion Prize Castelfidardo (September)
- Ancona’s Conero Regatta (September)
- Osimo Flavors Festival (September)
- Ancona Adriatic Mediterranean Festival (October)
First part of the itinerary: from Ancona to Osimo
Let’s start with Ancona, also known as the “Elbow of Italy” because of its protrusion into the Adriatic Sea, and the only city in the boot from which you can watch the sun rise and set in the sea. Ancona, an extremely ancient port city of even Doric origin, offers architectural jewels of rare beauty to visitors; a walk through the historic center is required, during which we will undoubtedly meet the very elegant Piazza del Plebiscito, the city’s living room, and the very popular Cathedral of San Ciriaco, an imposing Romanesque-Byzantine cathedral perched on the hill and perfectly overlooking the sea, from the square of which we will be able
A visit to the Mole Vanvitelliana, the ancient pentagonal-shaped Lazzaretto that stands on an artificial island in the port waters, designed by the great architect Luigi Vanvitelli, one of the fathers of the Italian Baroque, and today a venue for exhibitions, events, and highly original museums, such as the Omero State Tactile Museum, one of the few Italian museums where art can be “touched,” is also recommended.
Offagna
We leave the sea, return in the evening, and travel inland for a few kilometers, just over sixteen in total, towards Offagna, the heart of the Terra dei Castelli.
From afar, the town, one of the most picturesque villages in the Marche region, is distinguished by the enormous medieval fortress that looks over its shoulder and towers ominously on a tuff cliff. The village is delightful and deserves every step we will take walking through the cobblestone streets of the historic center to reach the castle we have seen from afar, inside which we will be able to admire the Rocca Museum, which houses a permanent exhibition of ancient weapons, some of which are even prehistoric.
However, we must exercise caution because the beauty of the small town may cause us to lose sight of our mission, which is to taste the sumptuous Conero wine, a delicious activity that we can carry out on the premises of the historic Malacari farm, just to get our mouths watering before tackling the much more demanding tasting that awaits us in the next stage.
Osimo
Another nine kilometers along roads covered in soft vineyards brings us to Osimo, the ancient Auximum, a flourishing Roman urb with a brilliant past, as can be understood instantly walking among the numerous remains of the time, such as the Roman walls, the Fonte Magna, and the headless statues, a feature that has earned the village the amusing nickname “City of the Headless.”
The elegant city living room, Piazza Boccolino, is also worth a visit, but the unmissable visit is to Osimo Underground, mysterious, silent, and very ancient, with the Grotte del Cantinone and the Grotte di Piazza Dante, a maze of tunnels dug into the crumbly rock on which the city stands. The time has come to face the demanding tasting we mentioned in the previous paragraph, comfortably seated at the long table of the Umani Ronchi farm’s La Bottaia, on an authentic sensory journey to discover the precious wines that this corner of paradise has to offer.
The journey continues, this time from Osimo to Sirolo/Numana
Let us resume our Conero circumnavigation and travel to Castelfidardo, the birthplace of the accordion, a wonderful popular instrument to which the city has dedicated a unique museum. We will undoubtedly come across the Palazzo Comunale with its Bell Tower, Underground Jail, and Torture Room as we walk through the narrow streets of the intriguing historic center.
The monuments and tributes dedicated to the Italian Risorgimento, which saw one of the most significant battles in its history take place here, are also worth seeing. They are concentrated in the Monument Park, which houses the Memorial and an imposing bronze monument made in memory of the fallen by the sculptor Vito Pardo.
Finally, for the more spiritually inclined, we would like to remind you that Loreto, a few kilometers from Castelfidardo, is one of the most popular Italian pilgrimage destinations for pilgrims from all over the world, with its Holy House, the original home of Jesus’ mother, and the Sanctuary of the Black Madonna.
Sirolo & Numana
We spend the last ten kilometers returning to the coast, in the few kilometers between Sirolo, also known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” and Numana, another jewel overlooking the sea that attracts a large number of visitors each year.
The least common denominator that “twins” the two towns, among the most prestigious seaside destinations in the Marche region, is splendor: crystal clear sea, white sand, steep cliffs, breathtaking views, and wild nature where most of the most beautiful del Conero, for what is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Adriatic Sea.
The Antiquarium Statale (Numana), a rich archaeological museum that preserves the important remains found in the area; the Sanctuary of the Crucifix (Numana), where a Byzantine crucifix of very obscure origins is found; the panoramic and romantic Piazzetta of Numana (Sirolo); and the Archaeological Area “I Pini” (Sirolo) are all worth seeing. The fresh fish dinner a stone’s throw from the sea, at the Da Silvio restaurant in Sirolo, or at the La Torre restaurant in Numana, is not to be missed; choose the one that inspires you the most, and you will leave full, satisfied, and cheerful from both. We have no reservations.
