Marche
Go to Marche for walled hill towns, Adriatic beaches and regional food, with Renaissance Urbino as the main draw inland.
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Marche is a region on Italy's Adriatic coast, east of Umbria. Ancona, the regional capital, is a port city built on a rocky promontory. Inland, the land rises from sandy beaches and the Conero coast into the Apennine hills, where many towns sit behind medieval walls among olive groves and vineyards.
Urbino, a hilltop city, is the best-known stop for its Renaissance ducal palace and as the birthplace of the painter Raphael. Food is a draw too: olive all'ascolana, fried stuffed olives from Ascoli Piceno, and Verdicchio, a white wine from the region. Many hill towns can be seen in an afternoon, so a trip by car or train can mix a few towns with a beach stop. Spring and early autumn suit walking between towns, while summer suits the coast. Plan at least five days to cover the coast and two or three hill towns without rushing.
Marche in five
- Hire a car for the hill townsTrains follow the Adriatic coast between Ancona and Pesaro. Urbino, Macerata and the Sibillini villages are mostly reached by bus or car, and bus timetables change by season.Getting around
- Park outside the historic centersMany old towns in Marche use restricted traffic zones (ZTL). Cameras record number plates, so a car driven in by mistake can bring a fine later.
- Carry cash for village trattorieSome village trattorie and farm stays may take cash only. Carry small notes for them, for markets and for buses.Money and costs
- Get an eSIM before the hill roadsMobile signal is weak in the Sibillini mountains and the deeper valleys. Download offline maps before you leave the city.Phones and eSIM
- Validate paper train tickets before boardingValidate paper rail tickets in the yellow machines on the platform before you board. An unvalidated ticket can bring a fine on the train.
Things to do in Marche
See all attractions in Marche
Need to know
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Entry
- Schengen rules; many passports need no visa for a short stay. Check the EU travel site for current entry rules Read more
- Emergency
- 112 general, 113 police, 118 ambulance, 115 fire
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up the bill is common
- Time
- UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer (daylight saving)
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low2°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low4°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 61 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low5°Mild, greenMarchRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 94 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh17°Low8°Spring, mildAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, mild
- MayRain14 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Warm, quietMayRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, quiet
- JuneClear8 rainy daysHigh27°Low17°Warm, beaches openJuneClear
Good
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, beaches open
- JulyClear7 rainy daysHigh31°Low19°Hot, beach crowdsJulyClear
Mixed
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 48 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, beach crowds
- AugustClear8 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh31°Low20°Hot, holiday crowdsAugustClear
Mixed
- High
- 31°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, holiday crowds
- SeptemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh25°Low16°Warm, harvestSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, harvest
- OctoberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Truffle seasonOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 70 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Truffle season
- NovemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Cool, quietNovemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 94 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- DecemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, ChristmasDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, Christmas
Average daily high and low in Marche, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Marche
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
12
- Feels like
- 11°
- Humidity
- 80%
- Wind
- 2 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 5%
Marche
01:04 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today15°8°5%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Wed14°8°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu15°8°3%Thursday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Fri14°8°55%Friday: Rain. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 55%.
- Sat11°10°55%Saturday: Rain. High 11°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 55%.
- Sun15°9°24%Sunday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 24%.
Updated 10:35 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Jun–JulFestival dei Due MondiSpoleto, a day trip
- JulUmbria Jazz FestivalPerugia, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Anconaabout 1 hour by train from PesaroThe regional capital, with the port and the old town on the hill.Read the guide
- Urbinoabout 1 to 2 hours by bus or car from AnconaDucal Palace and Renaissance streets on a hill, best as a full day.
- Loretoabout 30 to 45 min by car from AnconaThe Basilica of the Holy House, a pilgrimage site near Ancona.
Before you go to Marche
Rules for Marche, checked
- Schengen rules apply: many passports need no visa for a short stay, but check entry rules on the EU travel site before you book.Source
- Many historic centers in Marche have restricted traffic zones (ZTL). Park outside them and read the signs before you drive in.
- Cover shoulders and knees to enter churches, including the basilica in Loreto.
- Validate paper train tickets in the yellow machines before boarding, or you may be fined on the train.
Plan around Marche
Regions, entry rules, transport and money for an Italy trip
Read the guideAnconaThe regional capital and the port city
Read the guideGetting aroundTrains, buses and rental cars for the hill towns
Read the guideVisas and entryWho needs a visa, and how Schengen entry works
Read the guideWhere to stayCoast, hill and city bases compared
Read the guideMoney and costsCash, cards and typical prices in Italy
Read the guideMarche FAQ
Is Marche worth visiting?
Yes if you want Renaissance hill towns, a quiet Adriatic coast and mountain walks without big crowds. It suits a trip with a car. Skip it if you only want big-city sightseeing.
How many days do you need in Marche?
Five to seven days covers Ancona, Urbino and the coast, with one or two day trips inland. Two days is enough for Ancona and Loreto alone.
Do you need a car in Marche?
For the hill towns and the mountains, yes. The train covers the coast well but not the inland towns. In Ancona and Pesaro you can manage without one.
Is Ancona worth a stop?
Yes for the old town on the hill, the Arch of Trajan and the port with its ferry links. It is a working city, so one or two nights is enough for most trips.
How do you get from Ancona to Urbino?
By bus, which usually takes longer than the coast trip. A car is quicker and lets you stop at other hill towns on the way.
When is the best time to visit Marche?
April to June and September to October for mild weather and fewer crowds. August is hot and busy on the coast, and winter is quiet, with cold hill towns.