Le Marche

Also known as 'the Marches', this region increasingly popular among visitors for its beautiful landscapes, Renaissance Urbino and other hill towns, plenty of truffles from the woodlands, good seafood from the coast and perhaps more than its share of unique specialities, including lonzino di fico, olive ascolane, and vincisgrassi.

The name is the plural form of marca, from the region's 9th-11th century political divisions after the conquest of Charlemagne (the Marca di Ancona, Marca di Camerino, and Marca di Fermo).

Something from the Marche is marchegiano or marchegiana.