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

San Paolo di Jesi

It’s hard to imagine a better setting in which to enjoy wonderful walks along its beautiful landscapes and the flavours of traditional recipes.
Small castle situated atop a hill rich in vineyards and still strongly tied to the production of Verdicchio wine.
San Paolo of Jesi dominates the right side of Esino Valley, just 12 kilometers from the town of Jesi.
The population is composed of just 930 inhabitants and the village extends 10 square kilometers.
It can be easily reached from the major towns of the valley and of the Adriatic coast. It is 40 kilometers far from Ancona, 25 km from Falconara airport and only 5 km from the highway.
San Paolo derives its name from St. Paul who has been its patron since the Middle Ages .
The original name was "Castrum Montis Sancti Pauli" and referred to a small church dedicated to St. Paul, which may have belonged to the monks.
On 8th February 1863 the specification “of Jesi” has been added to the traditional name in order to distinguish it from other towns having the same name.
Only in 1079 there is the first evidence of primitive "castrum" while the first mention of San Paolo as a castle of the County of Jesi dates back to 1275.
San Paolo was mentioned together with Staffolo on occasion of an adjustment of the borders between the towns of Jesi and Osimo in 1286 and therefore it belonged surely to the County of Jesi. This was later confirmed both in the "Descriptio Marchiae Anconitanae", a collection of contemporary documents, in which San Paolo is one of the "castrates and villas" of the town of Jesi, and in Egidiane Constitutions issued in 1357 by cardinal Albornoz after the recovery of the various communities in the Marches which had rebelled against the Church of Rome.
During the first half of the fifteenth century Jesi was incorporated in the State of the Church and as a consequence San Paolo too recognized the sovereignty of the Pope. The castle of San Paolo belonged to the County of Jesi until 1808. After the descent of Napoleon's troops it became part of the canton of Apiro and later it was annexed to the municipality of Monte Roberto until 1818 when Pope Pius VII gave it independence. However in 1928 the fascist government decided to unite it to Staffolo. Only in 1946 San Paolo gained its autonomy again.
Climb the hill for a look around some remains of the walls of the church Santa Maria d’Arco and the attached Augustian monastery and admire the beautiful decorated in silver and copper gilt chalice, bearing the date 1523 and the name of the church it belonged to.

Itinerary

Cupramontana – San Paolo di Jesi - Staffolo

Distance: km 21

Time advised: 4 hours (on foot); an hour (by car)

Difficulty: medium

From the archaeological area in Cupramontana, take the road which leads to Follonica, San Paolo until Staffolo.

Along the route, you can visit the ancient Roman aqueduct of Cupramontana (also called “Barlozzo” referring to the sect “Fraticelli”) and the medieval church of San Michele.

Not far from it , the vineyards of Follonica give birth to one of the best Verdicchio doc wines.

The ancient castle of Follonica is famous for its mysterious and legendary events.

At Contrada Battinebbia you can find the Vulcanelli di Fango (small volcanoes of mud) and a precious source rich in minerals, called “Acquasalata”, renowned for its miraculous and therapeutic properties.

Passing through San Paolo di Jesi, you can easily reach Staffolo where its Museo del vino (Wine museum) houses a wide collection of artifacts of winemaking tradition.