Have you ever thought about taking a sustainable holiday in the name of…apitourism? If so, we have great news: the Macerata Honey Roadextraordinary itinerary that includes 5 municipalities in the Marche region that are members of the association The Cities of Honey.
The Honey Road of Macerata: the itineraries
The Macerata Honey Road is a project born on the initiative of Beekeepers Consortium of Macerata and which integrates different itineraries with reception services, accommodation and experiences to be enjoyed in the various stages, all well indicated and described on the Strada del Miele di Macerata website.
The complete itinerary, which can be travelled in its entirety or in part, embraces very varied landscapes, including hills, mountains, natural parks and medieval villages surrounded by vineyards, woods and meadows that stretch as far as the eye can see: an area of excellence for theBeekeepingwhich here find particularly intense biodiversity for the production of excellent honey.
There are many possibilities and above all for everyone, such as themed routes with suggestions on art and culture, history, religion, nature, trekking, but also routes to do by car, camper, motorcycle tourism and cycle tourism, of different duration and difficulty levels. In all this, obviously, there is the possibility of discovering the great variety of honeys of the territory, ranging from wildflower to acacia, from sunflower to chestnut.
There will also be precious moments dedicated to the work of beekeepers, such as visits to the apiaries to learn about the different blooms, watch the honey extraction, be guided in distinguishing the tastes and aromas of the different types of honey, taste them combined with typical local products, discover honey cuisine and much more.
The five magnificent villages involved
One of the villages involved in the Honey Road is Matelica, where Verdicchio di Matelica is produced, one of the most important DOCGs of the Marche region, but also a true cradle of honey: here Melitites was born, the first honey wine also sung by Pliny the Elder in his natural history. Its beautiful ancient nucleus allows you to take a trip back in time and discover rarities such as the Globe, a unique sundial in the world designed over 2000 years ago or admire, in the nearby hamlet of Braccano, the murals created by students of the Accademia di Brera, Urbino and Macerata.
Then there is Monte Cavallowhich is the smallest municipality of the Marche which excites all its visitors due to the extraordinary mountain landscape in which it is immersed. Also very fascinating is the change of season, which offers many colors ranging from autumnal foliage to spontaneous blooms. Those who love walking can go as far as the Bosco delle Pianotte, an ideal point for excursions in the Sibillini Mountains National Park.
Montelupone is another beautiful fortified village in the Marche, which boasts a historic center full of palaces and noble buildings and a maze of narrow streets and alleys that often lead to unexpected little squares. Perched on a sinuous hill, it offers a privileged point of view over the varied landscape of the Marche that, on particularly clear days, reaches all the way to the Adriatic. Here in December the My opinionthe only Christmas market entirely dedicated to honey and its derivatives.
Urbisaglia It is instead the seat of an Archaeological Park of national importance, where you can admire the history and glories of Roman domination in the Marche. The city is dominated by a medieval fortress from which it is possible to admire the ancient village, with its palaces, lodges and churches.
On the border with Umbria, it is located Valfornaceideal gateway for those wishing to explore the very important (and beautiful) Sibillini Mountains National Park. Here everything is still authentic, from the coffee according to the Marche tradition, laced with aniseed liqueur, to the fabrics, worked on the loom according to the ancient liccetti technique.