As autumn comes, nature wears new colours. On deciduous plants, peculiar organic pigments override the green chlorophyll and paint the foliage with a wide variety of typical colours: yellow, orange, brown and red alternate in several shades on the leaves of willows, poplars, beeches, oaks, hornbeams, maples and trees of many other species.
This phenomenon, which using a French word is called “foliage”, is an attraction that is growing stronger and stronger, an event which lately changed the habits of many Italians who, joining a custom originating in Northern America, started looking for the most beautiful places, in Italy and elsewhere, to admire the chromatic metamorphosis of nature.
The show of foliage invites to organize long walks in the woods, to enjoy the quiet and the suggestions offered by nature and offers a chance to fix these scenes on photos which, after printing, will look like paintings.
Marche are a privileged region where this phenomenon can be enjoyed from the end of September till the end of November. Our region is indeed rich, in parks and protected reservations, with very large woodland mostly climbing up the mountains which run along its west side, but not just there.
Starting north along an itinerary on the Appennine mountains, which includes all provinces, and moving down south, exciting trekking excursions in the middle of lovely colours can be organized; but it is also possible to enjoy the rare privilege of admiring the foliage by the shores of our splendid Adriatic sea or along the banks of rivers.
The typical flavours of the season add to the charm of the warm Autumn colours: in the middle of the fallen leaves, fine mushrooms grow and tasty chestnuts fall, and such unique specialities ripen as the strawberry tree and the pink apple of the Sibillini mountains.
After leaving the woodland, it will be easy to find one of our typical little hamlets, where these and other delicacies can be tasted, possibly while sipping some good new wine and looking out of a window to keep enjoying the magic colours of foliage.