Things to Do and See in Macerata

Macerata stands atop a hill between the Potenza and Chienti valleys. The city’s most iconic landmark is the Sferisterio, built in the neoclassical style. According to some of the most renowned opera singers, it is the open-air theater with the best acoustics in Italy, Also worth noting are the Loggia dei Mercanti, commissioned by Alessandro Farnese; Palazzo Compagnoni Marefoschi; Palazzo Buonaccorsi; Palazzo Ricci, home to the Contemporary Art Gallery; and the Clock Tower, which offers a breathtaking view. In Piazza San Vincenzo Strambi, you can admire the Church of the Madonna della Misericordia, a reconstruction of a 15th-century votive chapel designed by Luigi Vanvitelli, and, not far away, the cathedral, which dates back to the 11th century but was completely rebuilt by Cosimo Morelli in the 18th century. Don’t miss a visit to Montecassiano to see the Town Hall, the parish church of the Assunta, and, nearby, the Romanesque church of S. Claudio al Chienti. The province also offers some very important cultural sites, starting with Recanati, the birthplace of Giacomo Leopardi, rich in architectural treasures from the 15th and 16th centuries. Finally, in Potenza Picena, you’ll find Villa Giardino Buonaccorsi, home to the only surviving example of an 18th-century Italian garden that has remained intact in every detail.