The adjective “tourist” is often used with a negative and derogatory connotation, as if visiting well-known and therefore crowded locations were wrong. The Riviera del Conero is dedicated to hospitality; places like Numana, Marcelli, and Sirolo – to name just a few – are primarily tourist destinations. Despite being lively cities all year round, they come alive with a different vitality precisely in the summer months with the arrival of vacationers. But in the Marche, beyond award-winning Blue Flag beaches and a crystalline sea, there is much more. Hidden places unknown even to those who live in the "plural" region. Off the beaten path, at least 11 unusual treasures are hidden between the sea and the hills, between secret natural sites and ancient villages to visit:

1. Gola del Furlo and Marmitte dei Giganti
   These are the Canyons of the Metauro. The Gola del Furlo Natural Reserve is located between the municipalities of Fermignano and Acqualagna, in the province of Pesaro Urbino. The Canyons were born from the erosive force of the Candigliano river, a tributary of the Metauro, and can be admired while walking along the ancient Via Flaminia or from the Ponte dei Saltelli in Fossombrone. For the more adventurous, a canoe excursion through the Marmitte dei Giganti is a must.
2. Natural Arch of Fondarca
   Hidden and protected by imposing walls, there is a rock arch over 30 meters high. It is a majestic natural amphitheater hidden from those who do not venture on an excursion to Monte Nerone.
3. Temple of Valadier and Grotte di Frasassi
   An octagonal sanctuary built by the architect Giuseppe Valadier, commissioned by Pope Leo XII, located inside the mountain and overlooking a breathtaking natural context. Karst caves, stalactites, and stalagmites created by nature so perfectly they seem the work of an artist. This is what you will find at the Grotte di Frasassi: wonder.
4. Elcito
   The Tibet of the Marche. A remote village nestled in the Macerata hills, where time has stood still, perched at an altitude of 821 meters. The place to find silence.
5. Canfaito Forest
   Here you will find a beech tree that is 500 years old; it is the oldest in the Marche.
6. Li Vurgacci Path
   In Pioraco, there is a nature trail that winds for 500 meters through the gorge carved by the Potenza river. Small bridges, stone ladders, waterfalls, and the suggestive Fossa dei Mostri (Monsters' Pit), a natural clearing where the rocks are sculpted to form faces.
7. Lame Rosse
   The Grand Canyon exists in the Marche too. The Lame Rosse can be reached from Lake Fiastra in just an hour and a half. Rock formations ranging from reddish to ochre, depending on the sunlight.
8. Gola dell’Infernaccio
   In the province of Fermo, you will find the deep gorge with vertical walls (the forra) formed by the Tenna river, one of the most suggestive in the Umbria-Marche Apennines.
9. Lu Vurghe Sulphur Springs
   Silence and relaxation. Thermal pools and sulphurous waters, a completely natural and free spa. In the province of Ascoli Piceno, the water flows from the ground at a temperature ranging from 27 to 30 degrees at the Lu Vurghe Sulphur Springs in Acquasanta Terme.
10. Church of San Francesco
    A roofless church, like the better-known San Galgano in Tuscany. A complex dating back to the 13th century which, following the 1930 earthquake, suffered such damage that the removal of the roof became necessary. It is located in Fano, in the province of Pesaro Urbino.
11. The underground cities of Camerano and Osimo
    Complex systems of caves and labyrinths beneath our feet. In the province of Ancona, no fewer than 88 caves are hidden at various levels of underground depth; for 9 km, you encounter crypts, early Christian dwellings, or mysteries of the Knights Templar.
    Make sure to book a visit.

In short, the Marche is not just any tourist destination.