Le Marche: the Sibillini Mountains

Discovering Le Marche

It was summertime when we first visited Le Marche in 2005, with  repeated visits since then. Le Marche is the most eastern area of central Italy  (east of Umbria and Tuscany), bordering the Adriatic Sea. 

We drove from our place in Morruzze (Umbria. to the renovated house of Canadian friends.  

The  2.5 hr. drive offers a scenic display that drive taking skirts the Adriatic Sea and takes you through  the dramatic Sibillini mountains. 

It’s June but there’s still snow on these peaks. So, it’s not surprising to find ski resorts here for both downhill and cross-country enthusiasts. The weather here generally seems a bit cooler than inland -- especially in the hill country, where our friends'  home is located.  In fact, a sunny morning in this was just followed by  a hailstorm! The weather has been bizarre: wetter than usual, and even more unpredictable than usual. The crops are confused

The Sibillini Mountains and its Sibyls

Le Marche’s Sibillini Mountains are located in in the central Italian Appennines. They were named after the Sibyls, a mysterious clan of female seers and prophets, known to us mostly from ancient Greek legends, In Greek (later Latin) mythology, a number of Sibyls uttered prophesies, each at her own holy site, dedicated to a specific deity in the ancient pantheon. Her oracles were under  divine influence of this deity. Later in antiquity, Sibyls were said to wander from place to place. Of particular importance to Italy is Virgil’s illustrious Cumaen Sibyl who safely guided Aeneas through the gates of hell. With the advent of Christianity, this Sibyl transmigrated from the cave of Cumae in Greece to the grotto of the Sibillines in Italy.

After Catholicism assimilated the tradition of the Sibyls, the tale is told of one who was condemned by God to dwell in a mountain cave, with other demons, until judgement Day. This was her punishment for her adverse reaction to having being overlooked as Mother of God, in favour of the Virgin Mary. Legend also has it that she lived in a cave in the mountains and knights and wizards visited from all lands in the hope of hearing her prophesies.

From this mix of pagan and Christian lore, Italians from Virgil onward have linked the tradition of the Cumaen and the Appenine Sibyl, mixing the themes of ancient and revered prophet with that of medieval magic-bearing seductress.

A fascinating book about particular sites in these mountains and accompanying fables and myths was written by a man who grew up knowing the dramatic geologic sites in these mountains and  is well acquainted with their lore. It can serve as a guide to both. Legends of the Sibilline Mountains by Giuseppe Santarelli (Author), translated by Phoebe Leed and Nathan Neel (Editor).

detail of Michelangelo's Cumaean Sybil

No matter how beautiful the fabled Sibyls may have been, it's Michelangelo's powerful rendering of the aging Cumaean Sybil whose presence overtakes the other four he painted on the Sistine ceiling.

Nature Reserve, Ranch Country and a Restaurant

We drove through the Sibillini (much of it a nature reserve and park, click here for info), enjoying the woods and forested areas. We stopped in what looked like 'Bonanza' country for lunch. It was a very local restaurant we happened upon, called Lo Spuntino (The Snack) in the town of Balzo di Montegallo. It’s part of a establishment that offers lodging for visitors .. and their horses. Walking downstairs, we thought the restaurant was closed for a party of local folk. But no, they made us welcome and decided our menu for us. It was good, including a memorable pasta made with local black truffles and  a complimentary glass of vino cotto to finish off the meal (typically of many restaurants here).

The restaurant's  wall photos and the video playing at the time  showed the town’s pride in its ranching tradition. The video showed a procession of what sure looked like cowboys pacing their horses through the softly swirling snow, and herding the cattle on display. It caught my eye. This could be the high range cattle country of America -- but for one telling cue. The procession of cowboys, horses and cattle came past a fully garbed priest in cassock, surplice and biretta who blessed the gathering, including the animals.

Recipe for Vino Cotto

"Vino cotto" literally means "cooked wine." It's typically made in regions like Le Marche for a family’s own use, but has recently  become more popular commercially (click). It’s a mildly sweet dessert drink which is also good in flavoring other dishes. Here's a general recipe: Press the juice from several bunches of either red or white grapes, strain into a flameproof earthenware or glass pan (some traditionally use copper), and simmer very gently until thick, about 4 hours until it’s reduced by about 1/3. The must should not undergo fermentation before it is heated. Once reduced and allowed to cool, the best vino cotto is aged in storage for a few years. It is ruby-gold colored and  somewhat similar in taste to Madeira. Family secrets may include adding particular herbs of the region to the must concoction.

Renovating a House in Le Marche

We travelled to spend few weeks in Le Marche at our friends’ renovated house. They’ve done such a nice job of taking their section of a once run-down farmhouse and turning into a really livable place. I remember seeing it in its 'before' state, so the transformation is quite remarkable.  

view from house in Le Marche: Casa Falcone

Finding tumble-down treasures  in Italy or France, just waiting for you to love (and renovate) them can cost big bucks, even if you can find them. I guess buyers may hope to defray costs by writing best-sellers like Under the Tuscan Sun or My Year in Provence, or your own personal version of Eat, Love, and Forget-About-Buying-a-House. 

We've heard many  drawn-out horror stories about the renovation woes and ever-rising costs . These seem to fade, howver, once the product is finished and you are joyously eating olives from your own olive tree (a 5 Euro saving from the 100,000+ cost of the renovations).  

 Le Marche is being touted as the "new Umbria", just as Umbria was once touted as the "new Tuscany." Like Brooklyn is the "new Manhattan", I suppose, if you really want to try to beat the odds , look in the poorest section of Italy for ‘a bargain that has possibilities (that is, something only you can see in your renovation dreams) … and snap it up in the next 10 minutes!

Comparing Le Marche and Umbria

Le Marche does have some similarities with Umbria, given both are very verdant and rocky.  But, in my very personal comparison, it’s more rugged and angular, less open than the more gently sloping vistas of Umbria. Maybe that’s why it seems more compressed in its communities built along ridges of prominent hills.  Tramping around the countryside, we've seen fewer wildflowers, perhaps because of seasonal differences. Both regions have many birds, though I seem to hear them singing more in Umbria. A big advantage for Le Marche, in my opinion, is its location beside the Adriatic, with lovely seaport towns and access to the ocean. 

Although Le Marche is mostly an agricultural region, there’s more evidence here than in Umbria of factories and industrial parks scattering the coast and nearby hills.  That brings up another idiosyncratic reflection: why are they euphemistically called “industrial parks” when there’s nothing green or recreationally park-like about them? Perhaps, in the vagaries of the English language, industry is literally just “parked” there, like a car in a lot. Refrains of Joni  Mitchell’s great lyrics come to mind: “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” 

More Creative Life News

You can read and see more about Italy plus other travels and creative adventures by this itinerant artist at Creative Life News here.

Regards, Janet @ https://www.janetstrayer.com