This medieval hilltop city in Marche has a Renaissance square, Piazza del Popolo, lined with historic palaces. Its olive groves produce exceptional Italian olive oil.
Ascoli Piceno, a medieval town in Italy's Marche region, sits atop a foundation of travertine stone. In the central Piazza del Popolo, you'll find the 13th-century Palazzo dei Capitani and the historic Caffè Meletti, where locals still gather for afternoon coffee. The town comes alive during the August Quintana festival, when 1,500 participants fill the streets in Renaissance costumes for the traditional jousting tournament.
Walking Through Piazza del Popolo
The main square of Ascoli is paved entirely in travertine stone. The 13th-century Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo rises on one side, its facade decorated with intricate stone carvings. The Gothic church of San Francesco occupies another side, while Caffè Meletti, with its distinctive pink façade and mint green tables, continues to serve customers as it has since 1907. Look for the five-arched Loggia dei Mercanti, built when Ascoli was a major center of wool trade.
The Golden Stone of Ascoli
Nearly every building in Ascoli's historic center is built from local travertine stone. Workers quarry the stone while it's still soft, allowing craftsmen to create detailed carvings on portals and facades. The stone then naturally hardens, creating strong, lasting structures. The uniform use of travertine creates different effects throughout the day - white in bright sunlight, taking on warmer tones at dusk.
Local Food Specialties
Try the olive all'ascolana - large green olives stuffed with seasoned meat, breaded, and fried to a golden brown. Local white wines like Pecorino and Passerina, produced in nearby vineyards, pair well with these olives. You can see the source of these ingredients in the surrounding countryside, where farmers still cultivate wheat fields and tend olive groves.
The Quintana Festival
Each first Sunday of August, 1,500 people in Renaissance costumes parade through Ascoli's streets. Six knights, each representing a different sestiere (neighborhood), compete in a tournament where they attempt to strike an effigy of an Arab warrior with their lances. The competition draws crowds who fill the streets to watch this medieval tradition continue into the present day.
Religious Architecture
You'll find more Romanesque churches in Ascoli's center than in any other Italian city center. Visit the Cathedral of Sant'Emidio, built in the 6th century, to see Carlo Crivelli's polyptych. The Church of San Francesco, which began construction in 1258, demonstrates Gothic architecture at its finest, with its distinctive dome added in 1549.
Getting Around
Trains run between Ascoli and the Adriatic coast, including San Benedetto del Tronto. The historic center is compact - you can walk between major sites in 15-20 minutes. To visit the nearby Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini or Parco Nazionale dei Monti della Laga, rent a car from agencies near the train station.
