IN THE HEART OF THE MARCHE REGION
THAT OLD WOODEN SCULPTURE IS A MASTERPIECE BY DONATELLO !
A FASCINATING NEW DISCOVERY IN THE HEART OF THE MARCHE REGION.
A new gem is going to enrich the cultural heritage of the Marche in 2021 : the sculpture of San Pietro Martire, which has now officially been attributed to Donatello, one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance.After a long restoration in Florence, this masterpiece was finally attributed to Donatello and exposed in 2016 at the Uffizi during an exhibition dedicated to the Renaissance Sculpture.
From 2021 this statue will be permanently exhibited in the Molajoli Gallery in Fabriano
A truly fascinating story !
DAY 1 :FABRIANO
Late in the afternoon we will arrive in Fabriano, a small Medieval town that lies in a valley surrounded by the Appenini known throughout the world for the centuries-old production of high quality paper. Fabriano gave birth to the famous painter Gentile da Fabriano, whose masterpieces are exhibited in important Art Galleries. After a short walk in town, dinner and overnight stay in Fabriano or surroundings.
DAY 2: VISIT OF FABRIANO
After breakfast, we will meet our local guide and start the discovery of this off-the-beaten paths travel destination. We will visit the wonderful Civic Art Gallery Bruno Molajoli that boasts precious paintings on wooden plates, frescoes, Flemish tapestries dated between the 16th and 17th Century and rich wooden sculptures from the13th Century ; among them, from 2021 also the sculpture of San Pietro Martire by Donatello.
We will continue with the visit of The Paper and Watermark Museum (Museo della Carta e della Filigrana). Did you know that the watermark was invented in the 13thcentury in Fabriano?
We will breathe the atmosphere of an old “gualchiera”, the old machinery and factory where paper was produced in the Middle Ages.
Free lunch and late in the afternoon we will visit the city’s market hall that hosts little shops that sell typical products : we will enjoy aperitivo with local wine, the famous Salame di Fabriano – once appreciated by Garibaldi – cheese, honey and jam.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 3 : MONTE FRASASSI
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Monte Frasassi (Frasassi Mountain).
In the morning we will visit the beautiful Frasassi Caves (Grotte di Frasassi), a karst cave system that was discovered in the 50’s and that is among the most famous show caves in Italy.
We will walk for about an hour accompanied by a caving technical guide and a temperature of 14° and we will admire stunning scenery formed by old stalagmites and stalactites.
Once out of the caves, we will continue the visit of the area. After a short walk we will reach natural caves under the Frasassi Mountain where we could admire the octagonal Tempietto made by the architect Valadier in Neoclassical style and the ancient Hermitage of Santa Maria Infra Saxa.
We could also eventually have the possibility to admire a couple of royal eagles that have their nest in this area.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 4: TREKKING ALONG THE EAGLES TRAIL
Activity level : leisurely / moderate – Length : 7,5 Km – Duration : 3 hrs
After a rich breakfast transfer to Pierosara, a small village situated 15 km from Fabriano and first stop of our day outdoors.
Accompanied by your local guide you will walk along the Eagles trail, through woods, rocks, villages and stunning views.
You could stop on the way at some observation points and try to eventually see these majestic birds of prey.
Free time for lunch and in the afternoon we will visit Serra San Quirico, an ancient village bordered by old walls. We will also visit the Church of Santa Lucia with its original organ that dates back to the 18th Century and the Church Museum that hosts a collection of valuable ancient regional maps.
The itinerary ends with a historic walk on « The Copertelle », a true symbol of the village, which are covered passages that run along the walls of the town.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
