San Benedetto del Tronto is the queen of the ‘Riviera Picena delle Palme’ which offers holidaymakers a serene and comfortable stay with the chance to spend time on the spacious beaches along the coast. Lovers of history, folklore, nature and archaeology can set off from San Benedetto del Tronto on a discovery of the surrounding towns and villages. Travelling southwards we find the San Benedetto del Tronto Sentina Regional Nature Reserve located between the mouth of the river Tronto and the sea, a place of extraordinary interest from a naturalistic point of view. Staying with the coast, just a few kilometres from San Benedetto a further two important seaside resorts are located, Cupramarittima and Grottammare, both awarded Blue Flags and offering a lovely historic town centre by the sea. 

Continuing inland, a fifteen-minute drive by car brings us to the medieval village of Acquaviva Picena, a masterpiece of Renaissance military architecture. This is a place full of culture and tradition particularly known for its artisan manufacturing of “pajarole”, which are baskets made from wheat straw, wicker and various types of marsh reeds. A short distance away do not miss a visit to Offida, an ancient village enclosed by 15th century castle walls and numbered among Italy’s most beautiful villages. Perched on a rocky outcrop, it is known for the intricate and patient art of bobbin lacemaking, an ancient tradition still very much practised today, to which a museum is dedicated. The most important event on the calendar is Carnevale, with origins that go back a long way, featuring very original festivities that can probably be traced back to Roman saturnalia. 

Just a few kilometres away lies one of the 5 administrative centres of the Marche Region, the city of Ascoli Piceno. The historic centre is built almost entirely in travertine and is one of the most admired in the region and in central Italy because of its rich artistic and architectural character. It has a large number of bell towers and noble towers and for this reason is known as the city of a hundred towers. 

Nearby, continuing towards the Gran Sasso National Park and the Monti della Laga mountain chain we find the thermal Spa water centre of Acquasanta Terme. The town can trace its origins to Roman times and today is a well-known complex equipped for thermal water, physiotherapeutic and rehabilitative treatments using sulphurous water, open from May to October.