Have you ever been to Offida? Offida is not just any place...it is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy but above all it is the homeland of Piceno wine.It is located in Le Marche region, in the province of Ascoli Piceno a few kilometres from the sea.
The historic centre of Offida is of great artistic and cultural interest and is enclosed within the town walls. The tour begins with the ancient Civil Hospital and then continues down the street that leads to the famous square Piazza del Popolo, with its unusual triangular shape. Here there are several monuments such as the imposing Town Hall, an elegant building dating back to the 11th-12th century, which still represents the heart of the administrative life of Offida. The Town Hall houses the Theater Serpente Aureo of Baroque origin with a horseshoe shape. On the other side of the square there is the eighteenth-century Collegiate Church, where you can admire a wonderful reconstruction of the cave of Lourdes and the Church of Addolorata where the Coffin of the Dead Christ is guarded. Not far away stands the Church of Sant'Agostino with the Chapel of Miracolo Eucaristico. Another must-see building is definitely Palazzo Castellotti; with one ticket you can visit the Museum of Merletto a Tombolo (lace), the Museum of folk traditions, the civic Archaeological Museum and the art gallery. One of the most important monuments in Offida is the Church of Santa Maria della Rocca, a fourteenth-century structure with the peculiarity of rising on the top of a hill overlooking the Picena valley. The panorama is really suggestive here!! Among the places not to be missed, I'd like to mention the former Monastery of San Francesco with Le Marche regional Wine Cellar. Here you will find the best regional products and many organised tastings. End your visit by relaxing while sipping a good glass of wine!
The dishes are those of the typical cuisine of Le Marche region: maccheroncini, tagliatelle, lasagne, beans, cod with potatoes, stockfish, grilled mixed roasts, stuffed olives and cremini. But Offida is famous for some culinary specialities such as 'funghetti' (small mushrooms), a dessert similar to a cupcake made with flour, sugar, egg whites and anise seed; 'chichi ripieno' a thin bread focaccia stuffed with tuna, anchovies, capers and chopped peppers; 'li taccù' noodles cooked with soup or served dry; rabbit in sauce with peppers, anchovies, parsley, capers, olives and artichokes; to end with, the 'ncipp nciapp' chicken which is a kind of stew flavoured with garlic and rosemary. Wine and food excellence are varied but the real protagonist is wine in its two variants: Rosso Piceno and Offida DOC.
In the Piceno area there are many wine cellars.
Within the area of Offida you will find Poderi San Lazzaro, Ciù Ciù, Villa Pigna, Azienda Agricola San Filippo, Cantina d' Angelo Offida, Tenuta Ca' Pia, San Giovanni and Cantina Paolini e Stanford.
In every winery guided tours can be organised with tastings of wines and typical products.
In winter the most significant event is the historical Carnival with music, masks and unique rituals. During the summer season the calendar is really rich. It starts with the Festival of 'Maccheroncino della Trebbiatura e Cinghiale' in the first week of July and ends with 'CIBorghi of Italy', a festival devoted to food specialties and the 'GustandOffida', a travelling dinner through the streets of Offida. Finally, in the last week of the month there is the famous Mangialonga Picena, a walk through the vineyards accompanied by traditional dishes and doc wines and then Le Marche Jazz & Wine Festival. The Festival of 'chichi ripieno' kicks-off August, followed by the Festival of 'Castrato and Strozzapreti' and the festival 'Sagra dei Taccu'. In these months every Friday there are antiques markets and good deals are always around the corner! In September there's 'L' Offida Opera', an event dedicated to opera music.
Offida is famous for the art of 'Merletto a Tombolo', a noble and precious lace seen in the most famous world brands.
Even the model Naomi Campbell enchanted the world with a dress completely made with lace from Offida!!
A special event called 'La settimana del Merletto' (lace week) was dedicated to this particular trade with workshops, guided tours and competitions. There is also a historical street where it's easy to find women of all ages using this process.