Marche: Jewish culture in the land of the Popes

By private car with driver we will transfer from Ancona airport to our hotel in Ancona. With a professional guide just for us we'll transfer to Senigallia to visit this vibrant seaside town with Art Nouveau monuments like the Rotonda a Mare, Neoclassical style ones like the Foro Annonario, and Medieval ones like the Rocca Roveresca. In this small city was born Pius IX, the Pope who lived during the turbulent period of Italian independence. From Senigallia we will move to Ancona, a wonderful city that is the capital of the region, unique for its position overlooking the sea. We'll visit not only the two Romanesque churches, the Duomo and Santa Maria della Piazza, among the most beautiful in central Italy, but also the Jewish ghetto with the Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery in the picturesque setting of Parco del Cardeto. Return to the hotel and overnight stay in Ancona.

Departure in the morning by private car from Ancona to Urbino where our guide will be waiting for us. Urbino is definitely the most interesting town in the Marche region and rich in works of art. Birthplace of the painter Raphael and Pope Clement XI, the Ducal Palace (ticket included) is the undisputed masterpiece of the region, a must-see that collects all the works of art accumulated over the centuries by the Dukes of Montefeltro. Urbino also has an interesting Jewish past that we will discover in detail: the Synagogue, the Jewish cemetery and the Ghetto are still recognizable. The first documented Jewish presence in Urbino dates back to the beginning of the fourteenth century. In the second half of the fifteenth century, with the birth of the Monti di Pietà, there was no lack of anti-Jewish religious preaching that had a great influence on the people. At the end of the visit, transfer to Pesaro where we will discover the wonders of the city. Visit the two synagogues of Pesaro, the Spanish one, founded in the second half of the sixteenth century, and the Italian one; we'll end the visit with the Jewish Cemetery and the ghetto before returning to Ancona. Second night in Ancona.

Departure by car with driver to Ascoli, where we will meet the guide to immerse ourselves in this charming medieval village. This is the birthplace of Pope Nicholas IV, testifying to the fact that Marche region have always played a very important role in the Catholic world. Piazza del Popolo is the precious gem of this city: a Renaissance square with also medieval monuments, dominated by the beautiful Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo, the Loggia dei Mercanti and the church of San Francesco: the three powers, government, church and merchant guild directly "confront" each other in this perfect square. Afterwards, but only after trying the delicious "olive all'ascolana" (not included in the price), we will move to Osimo, where a local guide will illustrate the Jewish past of this medieval village perched on a hill just outside Ancona. Return to Ancona. Third night in Ancona.

Check out from the hotel in Ancona, departure.