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THE
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PICENO ACCOMODATION PICTURES Our
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WHY ASCOLI PICENO? A stay in Ascoli Piceno offers the chance of cherishing the «quality of life» of a peaceful Italian provincial town ideally located midway between the sea, rolling hills and awe-inspiring mountains. Learning Italian in an excellent school while enjoying the opportunity to discover the treasures of an ancient town of art that still has its old traditions. You can have the experience of meeting artisans doing pottery, wood and stone works, tasting typical gastronomy and delicious wines, and making “full immersions” into nature. HISTORY AND ART Ascoli Piceno located in a privileged position, midway between the Appennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, surrounded by beautiful olive groves. The town, founded by the Piceni people (an ancient people of Italic origin) in the VI Century B.C., has very old origins, even older than Rome.Walking along the old town streets it is still possible to admire art piecesand monuments belonging to different periods in time: Pre-Roman and Roman Age, Medieval and Renaissance. Ascoli Piceno has had its golden age during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The town has preserved many historical artistic expressions of various periods as witnessed by Piazza del Popolo, with its Palazzo dei Capitani (Palace of the Chiefs) and Piazza Arringo (core of the civil life during the Age of Commons) with the Duomo (the city Cathedral devoted to S. Emidio from Treviri, the town protector).
Inside the Cathedral it is possible to see the Polyptych of the «Madonna col Bambino», masterpiece of Carlo Crivelli, a 15 century Venetian painter.
One of the town's rare beauties is the Roman Bridge built during the Augustinian Age (I century A.C.) and still in use. The bridge can also be visited at its interior in order to observe Roman building techniques, thus offering a unique experience. MUSEUMS The Province of Ascoli Piceno has a great number of important, interesting, even curious museums. One can admire archeological finds of the Paleolithic era and marvelous Roman mosaics, modern works of art, jewels and sacred art, but one can also see the world’s largest collection of seashells and even visit a Museum specialised in North Pole studies. The Art Gallery of Ascoli contains the most important collection of figurative art of the region (second only to Urbino) and displays works of art by Titian, Canaletto, Carlo Crivelli, Guercino and Guido Reni.
ANTIQUES FAIR The third week-end of each month, antiques dealers from every corner of central Italy converge upon Ascoli for the Antiques Fair. Those who enjoy looking and, once in a while, even buying antique objects will have much fun rummaging through the stands. MUSIC There is an intimate link which bonds Ascoli Piceno to music. The region in which Ascoli is a provincial capital, the Marches, is brimming with conservatories theatres and concert halls. Rossini, Spontini and Pergolesi composed their most important works in our territory and the tradition remains alive every time the “Macerata Opera Festival”, the “Rossini Opera Festival” of Pesaro and the “Summer Outdoor Music Festival” of Ascoli, proudly display their programme. FOLKLORE The Carnival (February–March) The Carnival is one of the most picturesque events of the Ascoli winter season. The town welcomes parades of masks of all kinds, from the most classical and elegant, to the amusing and satirical ones, imitating politicians and television characters. The celebrations go on for the whole week through parades and dances in the square. In this occasion nobody can only remain a spectator, as everybody becomes involved in the universal frenzy created by the masks. Night-life pulses and dancing parties go on until sunset in all the town clubs.
The Quintana (July and August) The Quintana tournament is a popular manifestation having medieval origins. More than a thousand people in costume parade along the old town streets, knights wearing armour, while the beautiful ladies wear precious dresses designed according to models derived from XIV century paintings. The festival has its climax once the parade has reached its destination, the tournament between the knights on horseback, from the different city boroughs («sestrieri») starts, and the fight for the Palio begins. The celebrations go on into the evening, with impressive fireworks along the riverbanks and medieval banquets.
HANDICRAFTS In Ascoli Piceno traditions are still alive and it is not rare while walking around town to come across small workshops where experienced hands work wood, iron and stone,
weave straw to produce handbags, baskets and hats, shape and paint pottery, manufacture precious and refined laces through an original local technique called «Tombolo».
FRESCOED CHURCHES AND MEDIEVAL FORTRESSES In the vicinity of Ascoli there are dozens of picturesque towns, each boasting historical, artistic and architectural treasures such as unforgettable folkloristic events, frescoed churches and medieval fortresses.
MILD CLIMATE Spring, Summer and early Autumn offer the delightful possibility of taking the bus after morning lessons, and in less than an hour finding yourself stretched out on a sandy beach or taking a dip in the warm waters of the sea. In wintertime the adjacent snow-capped mountains are yours to conquer for an afternoon of skiing. GASTRONOMY Italy is not just spaghetti, pizza and cappuccino. A delicious cappuccino (made with real italian “espresso” and fresh local milk) will help you to start or to end the day, and a tasty slice of pizza with real “mozzarella” cheese will be a great snack, but savoury filled pasta, home-made «lasagne» and «ravioli», roasted lamb and pork, fresh fish from the Adriatic Sea, typical cheese, fried stuffed olives «all’Ascolana», extra-virgin olive oil and red and white D.O.C. vines (as well as fruit and vegetables cultivated with biological methods), will prove the good fame of Ascoli's gastronomy |
