Leaving Senigallia towards Fano, we make a deviation to visit one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. So, when we reach Marotta, we leave the A14 motorway or the SS16 national road, turning left towards the inland.
Moving on SP 424 we pass through picturesque villages and green hills and after a while we arrive at San Michele, a typical Central Italian village. There, we turn right to reach our destination for today.
Mondavio is not a common village, Mondavio is a village inside a medieval castle. I know, you may think that you have already seen a lot of them, but I assure you that Mondavio is different.
Built inside La Rocca Roveresca, a15th century castle, it offers 360 degrees breathtaking views and a unique atmosphere due to the tenths of medieval weapons (catapults etc) we can see there.
Get in the Castle and wander in Mondavio´s historic center. Eat a ¨panino¨ with caciotta, the local cheese or even better search for a ¨piadina Marchigiana¨ the gourmet pie made in the region, which is more thin and airy than the well known ¨Romagnola¨ one.
Combine your snack with a glass (or more) of wine, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Colli Pesaresi are the local DOCs. I remind you that in Italy there is no need to spend a lot for wine, Italy (as Spain, as well) produces excellent cheap wines and Sangiovese is one of the most ¨honest¨ varieties.
If you are even more hungry have a supper at one of Mondavio´s restaurants, not forgetting to taste the local dishes, as Cannelloni alla Rossini (stuffed pasta with meat), pasticciata alla Fanese (braised beef with fresh herbs) and Bostrengo (dessert made of dried figs and spices)
Before leaving Mondavio, you must also visit Teatro Apollo, the village´s historic theatre. The Apollo theater is a mirror of how wonderful Italy is and of what an enormous cultural heredity it has. It´s absurd that a village with a population of 3.000 people has monuments and structures like the Apollo theater.
Unique Italy.
If you wanna see more about Mondavio, just watch this magnificent 2 min video.
(to be continued)
