Travel
02 June 2010
 |
| Le Marche, Italy |
Relax, unwind and let your worries go in the beautiful rolling countryside of Italy's Le Marche region. Darren Rackham takes a peek at one of Europe's best kept secrets
IT's not often you get the privilege of sharing your dining table with royalty while enjoying the wonderful cultural surroundings of a country estate dating back to the 18th century. Flying into Ancona airport near the Adriatic coast will take you directly into the Le Marche region of Italy, north-east of Rome. After a picturesque drive heading south you'll turn inland towards the Tronto valley. After a short distance, like myself, you may find your breath taken away with the sight of your accommodation - the stunning Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi, situated on a hill along the valley of the River Tronto. And if your breath is still with you, then the spectacular views from this historic villa taking in the Sibillini mountains, the retreat's beautiful gardens and views of the Adriatic coast will assure you of the wonderful indulgences ahead.
The Borgo - once a medieval watchtower used to defend the area from invading warlords occupying surrounding areas - is quite simply one of the most elegantly converted buildings I have ever seen. It is owned and privately managed as a guest
house by the artists Princess Giulia Panichi Pignatelli and her daughter Stefania - who not only live at the Borgo (and may join you for dinner with some interesting conversation) but maintain its sumptuous surroundings.
There are six wonderful guest rooms in the main house. I found myself staying in the immaculately decorated room formerly occupied by Beniamino Gigli, a famous opera star who was born in the Le Marche town of Recanati. As a friend of Giulia's parents, he used to stay in the room when visiting. My colleague on this trip was staying in the room formerly used by famous German botanist Ludwig Winter while he was creating the Borgo's historic - and romantic - gardens in the 1870s. Apart from the trees planted 150 years ago, there are rare species of palms and remarkable examples of exotic Asian plants helping to create a 'bioenergetic' garden - the first of its kind in Europe.
Stefania explained on our tour how therapeutic areas had been identified in the garden where guests could enjoy the effects of the plants and the area's natural electro-magnetism. She said: "There are many different places in the garden where plants with known benefits to our health are growing. "The positive boost on specific organs of the body, the immune system and the heart and nervous system are widely recognised and we want people to share this experience."
I certainly did share the experience, and was delighted to be one of the few who do. There are an additional five apartments near the pool for couples, friends or families to stay and these were beautifully furnished making the retreat one of Italy's finest small luxury hotels. There were also several locations for exquisite evening meals (all created with organically grown produce from the local area) and a range of other treatments to help you relax and boost your well-being. Indeed, you may just want to let the world go away and stay put. But, if you wish, trips can be organised to nearby towns including Ascoli Piceno and Offida, where you will be able to sample another Italy - untouched by the hoards of tourists you would find in neighbouring Tuscany.
In Ascoli Piceno you will find the beautiful 'white stone' Cathedral of St Emidio. It was built with a unique type of marble cut from the region and inside you will discover some of Italy's great religious artworks including huge paintings by Carlo Crivelli. You will find more of his work in the town's picture gallery along with many of his contemporaries and sculpture including a beautiful brass depicting the cheating lovers' descent into Hades from Dante's classic tale.
There is also an archeological museum in the town, beautiful renaissance architecture and what is thought to be one of Italy's finest squares, the Piazza del Popolo where
you will find Caffe Meletti - a little place to stop and eat and watch the world go by. The town of Offida offers a lace museum where demonstrations of the area's centuries old industry can be observed, the stunning Santa Maria della Rocca monument and one of the region's 73 theatres, the backbone of Italian culture and entertainment.
But even with all this extra-curricular activity, you'll still be grateful to get back to the beautiful Borgo and that view of those mountains. Culture, relaxation and rejuvenation have surely never been so well combined.
Travel tips
GETTING THERE
Flights to Ancona from Stansted, with Ryanair from £85 return. www.ryanair.com
WHERE TO STAY
Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi, via San Pancrazio, 1-63031 Castel di Lama (Ascoli Piceno). Email: mariarita@seghettipanichi.it
Tel: 0039 736 812 552
FIND OUT MORE
www.seghettipanichi.it/eng/italy_country_resort.htm. Italian tourist board: www.italiantouristboard.co.uk/it/art/a154.html