Mercatello sul Metauro,
Le Marche, Italy
The Italian village of Mercatello sul Metauro in the Marche region of Italy is a small community of approximately 1,500 people who live life as it should be – simple and authentic, genuinely Italian. The Casa Mercatello apartments make up the last new building in the central part of this genuine medieval village.
Mercatello is a place that invites you to take part in the genuine Italian way of life – see a businessman enjoying a long pasta lunch with his bank manager, cheer on the town’s volleyball team in the piazza in summer, observe the sacred day of domenica (Sunday), watch nonnas debate at the deli counter over which formaggio (cheese) to serve with dinner or sit amongst the locals at the bar for the Friday night wind down.
Town Highlights
The Markets every Saturday morning
The Truffle Restaurant serving up the most incredible handmade pasta
Community Events like Palio, St Francis Day, The Potato Festival etc.
The Pizza Bar with zucchini flower pizzas in season
The Abandoned Highway for cycling through the mountains outside town
The Swimming Hole and waterfall for Summer swims
Handmade Gelati strictly available in Summer
The Coffee Bar where the town gathers each morning to discuss the day ahead
The Deli Counters for all the cheese, prosciutto, bread you can order in Italian
Essentials
Population | 1,500
Days of sunshine per year | 250
Seasons |
Summer 21 July to 21 September
Autumn 22 September to 21 December
Winter 21 December to 21 March
Spring 22 March to 21 June
Truffle Season |
White Truffles Mid-September to December
Black Truffles May to June
Summer Truffles July to September
Cost of a pizza | €12
Cost of an espresso | €2
Number of town churches | Six in the historical centre
Location
With Florence 1.5 hours north-west, Rome 3 hours south, Bologna 2 hours north and Milan 2 hours north and an abundance of charming towns and cities on your doorstep in Le Marche and Tuscany, Mercatello sul Metauro provides the perfect base from which to explore the real Italy.
Mercatello sul Metauro stands in the upper Metauro Valley, 79 km from the sea, on the road rising up through the Apennine Mountains, linking the region of Le Marche (pronounced Mar-kay) with Tuscany and Umbria to the West.
Our address:
Via delle Mura, 5
61040
Mercatello sul Metauro, PU
Local community
“The people that live in this medieval 800 year-old village are very welcoming and inclusive – taking advantage of their advice on places to visit and how to get around like a local is always an excellent idea.”
— Peter & Amy Lovegrove
Amazing food in town
“With a 20 metre walk to Umberto’s restaurant or a step next door to Jo’s Pizzeria, everything you need is literally a few paces away.”
— Barton & Brigitte Green
A great base for exploring
“The town of Mercatello is fabulous - it is historic, unspoilt and quaint, and yet central enough to be a great base for travelling around Italy.”
— Susan & Paul Bailey
Historical + Cultural
There are many notable historical sights in the town – the ancient Collegiate Church, the Church of San Francesco and adjoining art gallery, the Palazzo Giasparini with its elegant rooftop loggia, the Palazzo Ducale and the old Romanesque bridge crossing the River Metauro.
But perhaps of most interest are the remnants of daily life in ancient Roman times which still stand today. The perfect state in which the town’s principal buildings have been preserved and the wealth of ordinary farmhouses all provide a window into another time.
Eat + Drink
The town has two main restaurants, both offering regional and seasonal specialities. Ristorante da Uto (Uto's as we liketo call it) serves pasta and meat dishes with an astounding truffle menu in season and a well-considered wine list. Taverna del Cacciatore da Jo (we call it Jo's) specialises in seasonal pizzas – zucchini flowers in summer and truffles in the cooler months, buonissimo!
There are also many other eateries around town. Pizzeria da Spado serves hamburgers and pizza by the slab and Tastevin vini is a wine bar serving a good wine selection and some bar food. Within a stone’s throw are many towns and agri-tourism restaurants for you to sample all the culinary delights this area has to offer. Aside from enchanting eateries, the many food stores and bars provide a front row seat to the village goings on.
Learn to order your cheese and charcuteries like a local, peruse the weird and wonderful products in the supermercato or carefully select the best fruit and veg’ of the season. Bar Pieve D’Ico sells the best (homemade!) gelati in the area during Summer and for your morning coffee or a pre-dinner aperitivo, Bar Franco in the main square provides the perfect place to order 'un café' or prosecco like a real Italian. Further afield, within very short driving distances, are other excellent dining options that Nico will be happy to book for you or provide information.
Gallery
Own your own piece of small-town Italy.
From time-to-time, shares become available in our partnership, contact us to leave an expression of interest in the event that shares do become available.