Torre di Palme is a picturesque medieval village located on top of a hill overlooking the sea, at few kilometers from Fermo. The village is well preserved and stands out for the beautiful surrounding landscape, the attention to detail and its buildings of great artistic and architectural value, making it one of the most interesting historical centers of the entire Le Marche region. The best way to visit the village is certainly on foot along the main street, Via Piave. From here you can admire the old streets, the houses with their terracotta flower pots of geraniums and Piazzale Belvedere, a real panoramic terrace whose view over the sea coast is truly amazing! In the vicinity there's Marina Palmense, another seaside resort not to be missed!
The historic centre of Torre di Palme
The visit to the town begins with the Church of San Giovanni, followed by the Palazzo Priorale and the Gothic Church of Sant'Agostino. Inside you can admire a painting by Vincenzo Pagani, one of the leaders of the Le Marche Renaissance and a beautiful altarpiece by Vittore Crivelli. Continuing along the main town street, you'll reach the Church of Santa Maria a Mare, built in the XII century and later modified. It is a simple construction in stone and terracotta, whose bell tower is decorated with entwined arches. The interior has three naves and preserves several frescoes from the Byzantine era. On the left of the church, in the middle of a garden there is a well, once used as a Baptistery. Opposite the church there's the romanesque Oratory of San Rocco from the XII century, whose XVI century gate presents the coat of arms of Torre di Palme.
Cugnolo Grove
The village is surrounded by dense vegetation of about 9 hectares: the Cugnolo Grove, a floral area placed under the protection of Le Marche region and meticulously looked after by volunteers of the CAI. The Cugnolo preserves the typical species of the Mediterranean scrub such as ancient oaks, pines, junipers, oleanders and arbutus. The fauna is very varied and characterised by bee-eaters, orioles, badgers and foxes. This area is ideal for hikers; you can actually take part in many activities, including an excursion of two kilometres lasting around two hours. The path is easy and made easier by fences and installed walkways; just follow the different wooden pallets tracing the path! Families with small children however should organise themselves, as strollers are not very easy to take. Along the trail there are rest stops with tables and benches where you can eat and relax. I recommend you to wear comfortable clothing such as trainers or, even better, walking shoes. The starting point is about 10 minutes walk from the historic centre of Torre di Palme and can be recognised thanks to a notice board which lists all the excursion information.
The Lovers' cave and Villa degli Aranci
During the excursion you could admire the famous Lovers' cave, a natural cavity carved into the sandstone rock and Villa degli Aranci, a charming XVII century villa owned first by the noble Adami counts and then by the Azzolino.
The name comes from the orange trees grown in the surrounding lands and producing delicious citrus fruit.
All you have to do now is discover this beautiful village and enjoy all the flavours of Le Marche cuisine in the great downtown restaurants!
