A hidden gem in the hills on the outskirts of the picturesque ancient town of Sarnarno. We had a very relaxing week there last June with our 16 month old daughter. The views from the spectacular swimming pool are simply stunning and the owners were extremely helpful and accommodating. Comfortable, modern decor too. Highly recommended if you are planning a holiday in this part of Italy. We were sad to leave so soon and would stay longer next time.

www.villasanraffaello.com
Via Case Rosse 278, Sarnano 62028 MC, ITALIA
Ancona & Pescara airports 1.5 hrs away

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In desperate need of a break from the credit crunch doom and winter gloom and conscious of our pledge to pull in our purse strings, with a little organizing and shrewd spending we had a fabulous time in Le Marche, Italy.

We saved loads by booking a weekday flight with Ryan Air to Ancona and heading into the beautiful province of Macerata, just outside the beautiful Sibillini National Park.

To keep costs down we stayed at some excellent self catering apartments that cost under £20pp a night, and shopped locally for food. Prices for some items in the supermarkets are no cheaper than the UK, but if you shop ‘Italian’; wine, parmesan, mascarpone and bread, you get good value and good quality. The weekly markets in most towns are full of fresh, seasonal produce for creating a fantastic meal. If you want cheaper wine, buy it direct from the local cantinas. We found one in Tolentino called Il Pollenza where we bought some lovely Rosso Piceno for €1.40 per litre.

We like to go walking, and this place was ideal for short walks around town or longer, more challenging hiking in the mountains. The owners of the villa where we were staying had walking itineraries and maps we could use. We stayed in the lower snow free foothills as higher up the local ski resort was in full swing, and although we didn’t ski, at our holiday villa they had a few skis and a sledge available for guests.
One thing we did cotton on to was the fabulous bar snacks that are free if you turn up to the bar just before midday and have a small glass of Verdicchio or an aperitivo with the locals. If you drink what the locals are drinking you can save on your bar bill (beers in Italy are not cheap).
We did splash out a couple of nights on dinner. There were plenty of local places to choose from. We had the best pizza ever for €5 and another night we went to a great osteria "Scherzi parte" that served up regional Marche dishes. As we had had our free ‘starter’ at the bar before hand we skipped antipasti and had a two plates of pasta between us, which was just right, and then tucked in to the tasty grilled meats and salad. We drank the house wine at €5 per litre and finished off with a light, creamy, home made pannacotta. The bill was just over €60 for four.

www.villasanraffaello.com
Ancona airport

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The restaurants in the area range from special (grand) to rustic but all are so friendly and reasonable. With the town of Sarnano only 15 minutes' walk from the villa, an evening sampling the fine wines (local) can be undertaken with no drink drive problems.

Damien and Sharon, the hosts, will babysit by arrangement. The villa is in a dreamy setting and another goody is to drive into town and pick up pizzas and eat in the cool cortile of the villa.

One and a half hours' drive from Ancona airport. Villa San Raphaello.278 via case Rosse, Sarnano, Le Marche Italy Tel: 0044 733 657 945, mobile 0044 3402610288. villasanraffaello.com

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We stayed at the Villa San Raffaello for our first family holiday in Italy. The Villa has recently undergone extensive renovation and refurbishment and now has four spacious self-catering apartments. There is still plenty of exposed original stonework and wooden beams and ceilings to remind you of the heritage of the place.

We stayed in apartment Elisa - a first floor apartment comprising double bedroom, twin bedroom, bathroom, lounge and modern kitchen and dining room. Access is via the courtyard with jasmine plants growing up the walls. The great feature of this apartment is the balcony and breakfast area which is accessed from the lounge. We spent most mornings having our breakfast here together (and evenings when the children were asleep!). You look down upon the beautiful courtyard below, but best of all are the stunning views across to the medieval hill-top town of Sarnano a couple of miles away, with the backdrop of the spectacular Sibillini Mountains and National park. The view changed every hour!

The huge swimming pool was a massive hit with the children and came in very handy during the heat of the day to cool down.

We hired a car from Ancona Airport which was an absolute must, but make sure you check the cost of hiring child car seats in advance. We visited the stunning Lake Fiastra, 25 mins away up and over the top of the mountains (remember the roads in the Italian Job?).

Also visited the Roman town and ruins at Urbisaglia, the market at Macerata and fully explored the town of Sarnano. We found we could have a two-course meal with wine for around €15 a head.

We can recommend the 'Osteria scherzi a parte' a great little restaurant 15 mins up the mountain road from Sarnano to Sassotetto, the local ski resort (yes, you can do some skiing here too!).

We will definitely be returning to the Villa San Raffaello some time soon. Damien and Sharon, the owners, were extremely welcoming and invaluable for their local information, suggestions for walks and sightseeing, markets and help with the language, both being fluent in the local lingo!

One and a half hour drive from Ancona Airport (Ryanair fly there from Stansted).

www.villasanraffaello.com

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Amazing views, incredible food and great hospitality - we ate at the villa 5 of the 7 nights we stayed, loved the antipasta and David's deserts were fabulous. In fact my partner is a vegetarian and the menu was better than most restaurants. Had the most relaxing holiday, in fact we were chilled out within half an hour of arriving. This region of the Marche is still relatively undiscovered and long may it stay that way. Prices for eating out are unbelievable - 3 course meals around 35 euro and great local wines as well.

Villa Sibillini's bed and breakfast rates are just 85 euro a night and the breakfasts are a delight, fresh fruits and many home-made jams.

Couldn't praise it enough, Pam and David have just the right touch - friendly and welcoming, it was like staying with friends. Will certainly be back.

Contrada Collalto 10, San Ginesio, Macerata 62026, Le Marche, Italy
nearest station - Tolentino
www.villasibillini.com

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If you want a holiday where you can spend the morning on the beach and then cool off for the afternoon then go to San Benedetto del Tronto and stay up in the local hills in Acquaviva Picena at the Abbadetta Hotel. I have stayed there many times and always in a different room and always with a fantastic view either of the sea or the mountains or the village itself. The welcome is always warm and the hospitality excellent.

www.abbadetta.it

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