San Ginesio

What to know

Known as the "balcony of the Sibillini", San Ginesio rises on a panoramic hill at over 680 metres in altitude, dominating a vast amphitheatre of hills and mountains that extends to the entire Apennine range. Of medieval origin, it was a flourishing free commune, contested and fortified, protagonist of celebrated struggles such as the battle of the Fornarina, which has remained in the memory and pride of the community. Enclosed within a fourteenth-century circle of walls with towers and gateways, the village preserves a historic centre of rare harmony, dominated by the splendid late-Gothic facade of the Collegiata. Rich in churches, palaces, medieval hospitals and charitable institutions, it was an important centre of culture, trade and spirituality, seat of confraternities and of a lively civic life. Severely struck by the earthquake of 2016, it is today engaged in a careful path of reconstruction that proceeds with care and determination. Recognised among "The most beautiful villages in Italy" and awarded the Orange Flag of the Touring Club, San Ginesio enchants for its panoramic position, for its artistic heritage and for the breathtaking landscape that from its belvederes ranges over the entire chain of the Monti Sibillini. Surrounded by woods, olive groves and cultivated fields, the village lives on its ancient bond with the land and with the mountain, offering those who visit it the intact image of an Apennine centre that has known how to preserve over the centuries its own identity, its own faith and its own extraordinary landscape.

What to see

The symbolic monument is the Collegiata dell'Annunziata, with its scenic late-Gothic facade in terracotta, an artistic masterpiece of the village and one of the most refined examples of religious architecture in the Marche. Worth seeing are the castle walls with the Porta Picena and the towers, the fourteenth-century Ospedale dei Pellegrini, the Leopardi theatre and the numerous churches rich in paintings and works of sacred art, which bear witness to the community's long spiritual vocation. The Pinacoteca preserves panels and canvases of the Marche school, a precious collection that recounts centuries of devotion and artistic mastery. But it is above all its panoramic position that makes San Ginesio unique: from the belvederes and public gardens the gaze embraces the entire chain of the Monti Sibillini, an unforgettable spectacle in every season, from the snow-covered peaks of winter to the green pastures of summer. In the surroundings open itineraries in the Monti Sibillini National Park, among trails, abbeys and other villages of the upper Macerata area immersed in an unspoilt landscape. San Ginesio is an ideal starting point for excursions, cycle-tourism and for discovering a territory of great historical, artistic and naturalistic value. Strolling among the stone alleys, the compact squares and the silent views of the historic centre, the visitor breathes the authentic atmosphere of a village that unites art, memory and nature in a synthesis of rare beauty, where every corner preserves the discreet charm of time.

What to eat

The cuisine of San Ginesio is the hearty fare of the Macerata Apennines, tied to the products of the mountain and to a country and pastoral tradition centuries old. The foremost dish is vincisgrassi, the sumptuous ragù lasagne, together with tagliatelle, passatelli and tagliolini often enriched with truffle, which the surrounding woods yield in several varieties over the course of the year. Not to be missed are the local cured meats, first of all the spreadable ciauscolo IGP, and the sheep's cheeses of the Sibillini, of intense flavour and long maturing. Among the second courses are roast meats, game and dishes based on mushrooms, chestnuts and pulses, among them the mountain lentils grown on the Apennine plateaus. Wood-fired bread, honey, jams and the wild herbs of the meadows complete a genuine, zero-kilometre larder. Giving character to the dishes are the wines of the Colli Maceratesi, which accompany the courses of the table with elegance. Among the desserts one enjoys crostate, ciambelloni and traditional biscuits, simple and fragrant as household custom demands. The village food fairs, tied to seasonal flavours and religious festivals, are the ideal occasion to savour these typical products in the farmhouse restaurants and trattorias of the village, in a welcoming and convivial atmosphere, where the warmth of the people and the sincere hospitality of the mountain transform every meal into a moment of authentic celebration and rediscovered simplicity, among aromas of wood, bold flavours and ancient recipes guarded with pride by the families of the place.