Apiro: History, Landscape and Excursions in the Marche

Apiro Between History and Landscape

The historic centre of Apiro is protected by castle walls and preserves monuments and artworks of great interest. For those interested in culture, the Torrione and Sant’Urbano, alongside the castle walls, are the main attractions in Apiro.

The Torrione is a prominent testament to the town’s history. It formed part of Apiro’s city walls. These walls were built in two phases: first in the 12th century, then in the first half of the 15th century during the time of Francesco Sforza.

Sacred Art and Unusual Architectural History

The Abbey of Sant’Urbano was consecrated in 1086 by Bishop Ugone di Camerino and rebuilt in the Romanesque-Gothic style in the 13th century. Its apse area has three semicircular apses: one larger central apse and two smaller side apses.

A distinctive feature is the phenomenon known as the “occhio luminoso”. It occurs on 25 May and 19 July at 7 a.m. Sunlight illuminates a carved circle inside the church and another circle at the base of the only round column in the crypt. To observe the “occhio luminoso”, the early time of 7 a.m. on one of the two dates must be taken into account.

The Collegiate Church of Sant’Urbano was elevated to collegiate church status in 1632 by a papal bull of Urban VIII. It houses precious sacred silverware as well as a carved and gilded wooden reliquary. The Museo Musi Tinti is dedicated to the traditional craft of charcoal burning and features interactive rooms, original objects and a reconstruction of a charcoal kiln.

Lake, Plateau and Active Excursions

Lago Castreccioni is also known as Lago di Cingoli. It is the largest artificial basin in the Marche and lies within the municipalities of Apiro and Cingoli. Fishing, trekking and water sports are possible at the lake. The range of activities at the lake thus extends from fishing and trekking to water sports.

The Piani di Apiro are an extensive plateau covered with pine trees. They are suitable for nature excursions and offer views stretching from the Sibillini Mountains to the sea. The “Dal Lago di Castreccioni alle vette del San Vicino” route is suitable for mountain biking; the service provided for it must be reserved separately. It leads from Lago di Castreccioni to the peaks of San Vicino. Making the reservation is a separate planning step when preparing for this mountain-bike tour.

Eldorado Water Park features slides, including some of the longest in Europe, a lagoon, swimming pools, play areas and sports facilities.

Summer Events and Travel Planning

Apiro’s summer events include the historic Sagra della Polenta and the international folklore festival “Terranostra”. When planning a trip to Apiro, you can choose between architectural history and sacred art, the lake and plateau, as well as water sports and mountain biking.

More Destinations

Palazzata, Frontignano, Belforte Del Chienti, Visso, Croce, Petriolo, Sant'egidio, Pievebovigliana

To the higher-level travel overview: Macerata.