Experience the best of Ascoli Piceno

Ascoli Piceno sits where the Tronto and Castellano rivers meet, and its old centre is built of pale travertine stone that glows in the afternoon light. The main square, Piazza del Popolo, is lined with arcaded palaces and church fronts. The town takes its name from the Piceni, an Italic people who lived here before Roman rule.

The Monti Sibillini national park, a range of high limestone peaks, lies to the west, and the Monti della Laga rise to the south. The Adriatic coast is about 30 kilometres east, with beaches and seaside resorts within easy reach. Each summer the town stages the Quintana, a medieval joust with costumed processions.

Olive ascolane, green olives stuffed with minced meat, coated and fried, are the local classic, and the region's wines include Rosso Piceno, a red, and Pecorino, a white grape that comes from the hills around Ascoli. Summers are warm and winters are cold, with snow in the hills. Late spring and early autumn are the most comfortable seasons to walk the old streets.