Castelli del Verdicchio

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Point of interest

One of the oldest festivals of wine or grapes in Italy (from September 23, 1928), has

been held for decades on the first Sunday of the month of October, and the preceding

Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It celebrates not only the grape harvest but also the fertility

of the land, particularly important in this area rich in vineyards planted with Verdicchio vines.

of Dell’Uva derives from a rich and ancient heritage, encompassing traditions, culture,

economy and agriculture of the area, and has become a party for the inhabitants and also

draws thousands of people to Cupramontana for the days of the festival. The characteristic

elements of country folk are evident with a warm welcome: the traditional dances, including

the "Saltarello" (a local dance) performed by local folk groups, songs that were sung in the

fields during harvest time accompanied on various instruments including accordions and

concertinas. Il Palio Del Verdicchio is an annual competition held on the Saturday afternoon

where teams must tread grapes with their feet, just as was done in past centuries. The

teams represent the various production areas surrounding the town. The highlight of the

festival, held on the Sunday afternoon, is the Parade of Floats. Each parish (or quarter) of

the town and the surrounding areas have their own decorated wagon which follows a subject

of wine-making and the traditions of winemaking. Each year the theme varies, as affected by

the current environment, politics, social or historical events – the outcome is creative and

entertaining. The Food Stands, called “capanne” in Cuprense dialect, are designed for the

distribution of food and wine and give an opportunity to taste typical local cuisine. The Sagra

Dell’Uva in Cupramontana successfully combines music, entertainment, wine and food in an

authentic surrounding, and therefore is universally popular.

Municipality

Castelplanio

By virtue of a decree of the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano, Castelplanio was granted the title of city on 11 July 2006.
Come here and taste its famous dish: the “Crescia sul Panaro”!
Since the 1950s and 1960s it has been a poor food prepared with a few basic ingredients. It is made of polenta, that is a maize flour cooked in water within a special container, the "callaro", where it was continuously stirred by hand with the aid of a particular ladle, a sort of long wooden cylinder with three or four metal edges on the bottom.
Since those lean years, when people could not afford to waste anything and leave it unused or eat it reluctantly, the left polenta was then reused by mixing it with a bit of wheat flour, kneaded it again (this time by hand) giving shape to the so-called "cresciola." . Then it was put on to the panaro, a metal plate with a long handle, a kind of pan without edges . See if you can find it in our country houses , hanging on the wall or in the fireplace; today it is no longer a working tool, but only an ornament.
Wrapped in a large yellow sheet and holding it in your hands, taste the crescia with vegetables (chard, chicory, wild herbs ...), ham or sausages.
It can be also a sweet crescia when fried and covered with sugar or chocolate cream. It is a delicious dish, not only for children.
Treat yourself to a pleasant “voyage of taste” into the traditional flavors of our cuisine and celebrate with us Castelplanio’s summer festival: “ La crescia sul panaro”. This year (2013) is the 40th edition.
The crescia is now stirred by a far more practical mechanical arm that operates automatically in the container-mixer in ordert to satisfy the hunger of so many visitors from the neighbouring villages and towns of Vallesina and of Ancona and even from other countries.
Castelplanio is one of the last places in the Marche to have put the tradition of the crescia to an excellent level.

The Pro Loco Castelplanio is ready to celebrate the special 40th edition of Crescia sul Panaro Festival with two long weekends (12-14 July and 19 to 21 July). Do not miss it!

Itinerary

A walk in Maiolati Spontini

Distance: km 21

Time advised: 3 hours (on foot); an hour (by car)

Difficulty: easy

Starting from Santa Maria alle Moie Abbey, follow the road towards San Sisto and visit its Abbey; cross Scisciano Bridge and have a look at Mill Marcelletti in Scisciano. Then go on your way towards Maiolati Spontini .

A walk here allows you to experience a contact with a world of history and culture (Scisciano and Maiolati castles); of spirituality (Santa Maria alle Moie Abbey, San Sisto Abbey, the rural churches of Santa Liberata and San Pietro); as well as with a natural world and an amazing landscape, a patchwork of vineyards and olive-groves.

Going downhill back to Moie along the so-called Boccolina, do not forget to visit the small rural church of San Pietro at the bottom of it.