6 reasons to visit
Mondavio
There are views which, when admired from above, convey a sense of absolute peace. Mondavio offers landscapes that stand the test of time and human events, characterised by the geometric patterns of colourful fields framed by rows of poplars and oaks, in a harmony that revitalises the spirit.
Listed amongst Italy’s most beautiful villages, Mondavio boasts the prestigious ‘Bandiera Arancione’ and ‘Bandiera Gialla’ awards. These accolades certify the excellence of the area and its first-class hospitality, tailored to those seeking attentive service and a high-quality holiday experience.
Nestled amongst the green hills and a short distance from the Adriatic, the town is protected by imposing city walls. Towering above them, with a majesty that seems straight out of a period tale, stands the 15th-century Rocca Roveresca, the undisputed symbol of Renaissance military power and artistry.
In the heart of the town lies a small but precious artistic and cultural ‘gem’. Mondavio is home to treasures that tell the story of a cultured community, capable of preserving its heritage and transforming it into a centre of beauty and learning.
The region is a melting pot of intense and refined flavours: olive oil and local cheeses combine with the sweetness of artisan chocolate and fine honey. A culinary experience of the highest quality that elevates the produce of the land to true works of art for the palate.
A love of the land and respect for the cycles of the seasons give rise to dishes that draw on a tradition stretching back thousands of years. Mondavio is made up of people who are capable of reinventing themselves, creating something rare and precious, whilst keeping alive the spirit of a farming culture that looks to the future.
Discover the charms of Mondavio
The Beauty Trail comes to life
Exploring the beating heart of the Marche region has never been easier with Criluma Viaggi!
Romantic weekends, days spent immersed in nature or cultural tours: we’ve put together itineraries to suit all tastes and time constraints.
Experiencing the fortress today
From Renaissance banquets to historical re-enactments in costume
The history of Mondavio is the history of the Malatesta, the Montefeltro and the Della Rovere families. It is the story of an impregnable town, much like the majestic and evocative Rocca Roveresca, built between 1482 and 1492 at the behest of Giovanni Della Rovere, Duke of Mondavio.
It is the story of a town modelled in the image and likeness of the Vitruvian Man of Vincian origin, whose head is the Rocca, Corso Roma the body, the church of San Francesco the heart, and all the alleys and narrow streets the limbs. Its distinctive shape, with an octagonal base and trapezoidal walls, creates a curious optical effect: it almost seems as though the walls are twisting in on themselves. This was designed to ensure the walls could withstand any gunfire or bombardment.
The structure, built to a design by Francesco Di Giorgio Martini, is an absolute masterpiece of Renaissance military architecture, with its flanking turret, its imposing polygonal keep and its immense five storeys. The fortress was used as a prison for both men and women after the mid-17th century and today houses the Museum of Historical Re-enactment and the Armoury:
Plaster statues of soldiers and war machines such as catapults and mobile towers have been faithfully recreated.
Today, the fortress also comes alive with Renaissance-themed evenings held in the banquet hall or the keep: visitors shed their everyday clothes to don the garb of Renaissance ladies and knights, feast on typical 15th-century dishes featuring game, and eat with their hands.
Torches and candles light up the rooms, whilst dance performances enliven the evenings.
Special mention must be made of the historical re-enactment of the Wild Boar Hunt, in which the fortress serves as a stage for duels, archery competitions and theatrical performances.
The museum celebrates not only the truffle but also the land from which it springs and the hands that seek it out.
It is a tribute to tradition, a window onto a world where the earth speaks and man listens.
Every room, every object, every anecdote tells the story of truffle culture, a heritage that Acqualagna jealously guards.
A sweet shop in the historic centre
A journey through art and culture in Mondavio
A little 17th-century gem, housed within the former church dedicated to St Philip Neri, lies tucked away in Piazza della Rovere, almost as if it were trying to hide from view. But once you’ve found it, you’ll be enchanted by what is, to all intents and purposes, a little gem: it is the Apollo Theatre, which amazes with the natural elegance of its watercolour-like colours.
and the floral motifs that adorn its lace-like ceilings, and for the still-functioning mechanism of the stalls, which rise to align with the stage for the masked balls that were once so fashionable.
The theatre seats no more than 70 people and was very active in the nineteenth century; indeed, the huge influx of spectators who flocked here led to the construction of Piazza della Rovere, which did not exist in the first half of the seventeenth century. Works of inestimable value are also preserved in the Civic Art Gallery, divided into four themed rooms, such as the incunabulum *La Paulina*, a text by Paulus de Middelburg, an astronomer and humanist, in which he discusses the date of Easter,
or the precious 13th-century altarpiece depicting the Madonna Enthroned with the Child and two donors, and the Crucifixion in the spandrel, painted by Olivuccio di Ciccarello da Camerino. A painting of particular iconographic interest, due to the unusual subject matter, is the one depicting the Death of Saint Joseph, recognisable by his attributes as a carpenter.
Minerals and stones in the historic village of Mondavio
Let yourself be captivated by the dazzling sparkle of the stones
Crystalline, natural and authentic forms that radiate beauty and luminosity; stones that enchant and captivate with their vibrant, clear and unique colours. From these minerals, from these precious stones, jewellery with unique hues blossoms, crafted for over twenty years in the Della Rovere artisan jewellery workshop.
Necklaces, bracelets, earrings and pendants reflect the dazzling sparkle of colour combinations that complement the sophistication of the materials, all characterised by the utmost attention to detail and a focus on the latest fashion trends. The showroom, nestled in the historic village of Mondavio, is the ideal place to be enchanted by the beauty of these jewels.
Rumbles in the Silence
The spectacle of motorcycling at the Cavallara Motocross Track
There is a striking contrast at the Cavallara Motocross Track. Situated just 5 km from the centre of Mondavio, this motocross track is completely surrounded by greenery. The earthen track seems to have been carved out of the natural landscape. A brown ribbon winding through a lush meadow that blends seamlessly with the surrounding countryside.
Amidst the rolling hills which, like the bumps on the track, bring the landscape to life, we can see as far as the nearby villages of Orciano and Barchi, as well as catch a glimpse of the imposing figure of Mount Catria. The contrast we were referring to – unobtrusive yet stirring – is precisely that between the ethereal silence of the Mondavio countryside
and the roar of motorbikes hurtling past during the adrenaline-fuelled races. With its ups and downs, hairpin bends and high jumps, the Crossodromo circuit – approximately 1.6 km long – is a highly competitive track, capable of putting even the most experienced riders to the test. This is why the races held here are so spectacular, and it is also the reason why so many top motorcycling champions have tested their skills on this track: the most recent rider to take on the challenge was Dovizioso.
The high level of competition offered by the Cavallara Crossodromo means that two national-level races are held there every year, consistently attracting large crowds of fans. The track, owned by the local council, is managed by the Cross Club Cavallara, a close-knit group of volunteers who share a deep-seated passion for motocross.
Adele’s ‘Tacconi allo sgagg’
A tribute to rural traditions
The tantalising aroma of sautéed vegetables wafting through the air is already preparing your taste buds to savour a dish with the genuine, authentic flavours of rural tradition. Broad bean flour mixed with wheat flour, an egg, minced lard, three cloves of garlic and three slices of browned pancetta: from these simple ingredients, typical of the diet of days gone by, Tacconi allo Sgagg take shape; they are so named because ‘sgagg’ in the local dialect means ‘to shout or scream’, a sound reminiscent of the crackling of the lard as it is fried. Over time, the recipe has evolved, but in the humble diets of farmers it was traditionally made as a soup by adding vegetables and whatever else the fields had to offer.
Lightly fry some lard – the pork fat most commonly used in country cottage kitchens – with a sprinkling of parsley and pecorino to give it that special touch, and the dish is ready to serve. A recipe to enjoy during the cold winter months, but also to savour in the warmer months, served with artichokes or tomato purée.
Tacconi, like all types of egg pasta, are made entirely by hand by Adele Cerisoli, chef at La Palomba restaurant, a Mondavio institution situated on the edge of the historic centre. A hotel-restaurant immersed in the charm of the Renaissance village, dominated by the Rocca Roveresca, which offers a stunning view to those staying there.
Hospitality is second nature here. The menu features traditional dishes from the Marche region, handed down from generation to generation by country cooks – simple recipes that make for a truly flavourful cuisine: capon, cappelletti in broth, ravioli with spinach and ricotta, pumpkin gnocchi, game… authentic, appetising, tempting and refined dishes.
The authentic flavours of Mondavio
Reinventing oneself by returning to the land and to craftsmanship
In Mondavio, the stories of five businesses run in parallel; each has focused on the local area and on the most precious gifts that the land and its produce can offer naturally. These are stories of people who have managed to reinvent themselves with originality and passion. This is how the cheeses of Le Affinità Gustative came into being, born of the creativity and curiosity of a young woman, Claudia Ridolfi, who decided to take the plunge and set up a small workshop for the maturing and refining of pecorino cheeses.
A fresh venture that takes shape in the subterranean depths of Mondavio’s ancient caves, with that damp, musty air that seeps into your muscles and bones, the scent of damp brick permeating the atmosphere and the smell of mould spreading through the air – all essential to the success of the product. Here, eight different types of matured pecorino are produced: the unpasteurised cheeses are placed inside terracotta jars and covered with leaves, hay, bran, and even Piceno red wine – the fruits of the earth that will create new, intoxicating flavours, infusing the cheese wheels with their aroma.
In Mondavio, too, there are endless, vast fields of Raggia or Raggiola olive trees, set amidst an idyllic landscape that invites you to relax and unwind.
Here, at the Casa Merlaro Farm, the olives are pressed immediately after harvesting, using cold-pressing techniques, to produce eight single-variety oils of the very highest quality, ranging from Pendolino to Coroncina to Moraiolo. These oils, with their fruity or piquant flavours, retain the taste of the mill and evoke pastoral memories reminiscent of Virgil’s times, when olive oil was the hallmark of quality and the labour of rural tradition. The philosophy of simplicity and a return to healthy eating – because ‘there is a correlation between what we eat and the state of the world’ – also underpins the business ethos of Fattoria Cuore Capanna, a story that illustrates the passion and dedication with which a family devotes itself to the care of bees.
The farm’s honey production focuses on the quality of its products, ranging from wildflower, acacia and coriander honey to the exquisite and delicious Nocciomiele and Cioccomiele spreads, where the fruit of the bees’ tireless labour is combined with dark chocolate and flower pollen, which is excellent with yoghurt or herbal teas, but also to be savoured as it melts in the mouth.
At Fattoria Cuore Capanna, the bees’ wellbeing is the top priority: the harvested honey is never taken directly from the hive but from the honey super, to leave them with as much nourishment as possible to maintain their health. A sweet aroma wafts through the streets of Mondavio, with fruity notes of raspberry or pistachio and intense hints of truffle.
These are the chocolate bars, hazelnut treats and pralines that come to life in the skilled hands of Davide Marcantognini, Maître Chocolatier, in his chocolate workshop. Anyone tasting these masterpieces of flavour for the first time will never again be satisfied with supermarket chocolate bars. Everything produced here is fresh, preservative-free, of the very highest quality and, as far as possible, made in Italy:
Davide and his wife Daniela are chocolate artisans who source their raw materials by selecting the finest cocoa beans from South American farms, always striving to offer a product that is as natural as possible.
These chocolates, with their thin layers encasing a hazelnut cream centre, melt in the mouth, spreading a unique sense of well-being and satisfaction throughout the body.
Just a few kilometres from Mondavio, in Sant’Andrea di Suasa to be precise, the beauty of the surrounding landscape harmonises with the very soul of the wine produced by Azienda Savelli, which, thanks to its Bellaluce vineyard – ‘organic since the beginning’ – brings a pure, untreated wine to the palates of connoisseurs. For centuries, in fact, wine has been produced here without treating the land with chemical fertilisers or pesticides of any kind.
Discover the charms of Mondavio
The Beauty Trail comes to life
Exploring the beating heart of the Marche region has never been easier. Criluma Viaggi is proud to bring to life Confcommercio Marche Nord’s ‘Itinerario della Bellezza’ project, transforming a guide to excellence into real-life itineraries, ready for you to experience.
Romantic weekends, days spent immersed in nature or cultural tours: we’ve created itineraries to suit all tastes and time constraints. The Criluma experience is the added value that guarantees you first-class treatment, comprising continuous support, personalised attention and immediate responses.