Offagna

What to know

Perched on a hill between Ancona, Osimo and the Musone valley, Offagna owes its fame to the powerful 15th-century Rocca, one of the best-preserved fortresses in the Marche, which dominates with its bulk the town and the surrounding countryside. Born as a defensive bulwark to protect Ancona, of which it was long a border castle, the community grew up around the fortress in a strategic position over the territory, controlling the routes that connected the city to its hinterland. The village preserves a compact historic centre, with its square, churches and palazzi that recount its past, among well-kept alleys and silent views. Bound for centuries to the fortunes of the Republic of Ancona and later of the Church State, Offagna has managed to preserve the atmosphere of the medieval castle, suspended between the gentle Ancona hills and the nearby riviera. Awarded the Orange Flag of the Touring Club, the village is today known above all for its spectacular Medieval Festivals, which every summer transform the streets into a great theatre with processions, tournaments, games and challenges between the contrade, bringing back to life the age of knights and making Offagna one of the region's most beloved re-enactments. Away from the festival days, the town returns to a slow and serene rhythm, among panoramic walks, peasant traditions and the charm of a territory that unites history, nature and genuine hospitality just a short distance from the provincial capital and the sea. To stroll among its walls means to immerse oneself in an atmosphere of times gone by, among ancient stone and broad hillside horizons.

What to see

The emblematic monument is the Rocca, an imposing fortress with a keep, walkways and rooms that host the Museum of Ancient Weapons, with bladed and firearms of various eras. From the top one enjoys a broad panorama ranging from the hills to the sea and to Monte Conero, the promontory that closes the Gulf of Ancona to the south. Worth seeing are the village square with its churches and historic palazzi, the Museum of the Liberation of Ancona, dedicated to the events of the last war, and the Sala del Miele, dedicated to one of the typical local products. The streets of the centre, well-kept and flower-filled, invite quiet walks among evocative views, stone portals and small gardens. During the Medieval Festivals the village comes alive with costumed processions, feats of arms, shows and taverns, in an atmosphere that carries one back through the centuries. The proximity to Ancona, Osimo and the Conero riviera makes it easy to combine village, city of art, nature and sea in a single itinerary of history and landscape, among beaches, cliffs and the park's trails. Around the town extend gentle hills cultivated with vineyards and olive groves, dotted with farmhouses and small country churches, ideal for excursions on foot and by bicycle. Every season offers a different suggestion, from the clear colours of autumn to the summer bustle of the re-enactments, making Offagna a destination capable of surprising at every moment of the year. The village, small and welcoming, invites a slow discovery, among pauses in its squares and a gaze that from the fortress embraces land and sea in a single sweep.

What to eat

The cuisine of Offagna recalls the flavours of the Ancona tradition and of the Conero hills, a land of sea and hills. Among the first courses one enjoys vincisgrassi, tagliatelle and cappelletti in broth, pasta made by hand according to ancient family recipes, while among the main courses stand out roast meats, coniglio in porchetta and, thanks to the closeness to the sea, Adriatic fish, from brodetto to fragrant fried dishes. Not to be missed are the local cured meats, first among them ciauscolo, a soft spreadable salami, and the local cheeses with their genuine taste. A product of excellence of the village is honey, celebrated with a dedicated hall and the star of fairs and tastings. Olives, field vegetables and extra-virgin olive oil complete a rich and varied table that follows the rhythm of the seasons. Providing the frame is Rosso Conero wine, a robust red of the nearby hills obtained from the Montepulciano grape, together with the fresh Verdicchio. Among the desserts one enjoys crostate, ciambelloni and the sweets of the festivals, often linked to the occasions of the calendar. The fairs and the Medieval Festivals offer the chance to savour these typical products in taverns set up in costume, in an atmosphere that unites taste, history and conviviality, where the aroma of traditional dishes mingles with the charm of the re-enactments and the warm hospitality of the village's people. Every dish tells the ancient bond between the land and the table, in a meeting of hill and sea flavours that makes the cuisine of Offagna genuine and memorable.