October used to be the month when the vendemmia started (the grapes harvest), but now September has taken over. May it be for the warmer summers, but the grapes ripen faster and people pick earlier in the year. The most important wine festival in Cupramontana invariably used to announce the start of the grape harvesting, nowadays it is almost at the end of it …
The Cupramontana-Accoglie association, which comprises most of the accommodation facilities in this municipality, has therefore planned a nice walk through the Verdicchio area, one of the best Italian white wines. It is quite a tough walk through the hilly landscape dotted with vineyards and olive trees. The beautiful views therefore richly reward the walkers for the effort they have made!
We leave from the car park at the small slaughterhouse on the outskirts of the municipality on Via Alcide de Gaspari. You can park here. Various walking routes depart from the large sign at the water house but ours is the green one.
We continue with direction to Apiro, going past restaurant Gina, after which we enter the Parco Colle Elisa. At the end of the park we arrive at the asphalted road towards Apiro. On the other side of the road we see a kind of cabinet of curiosities in the garden. Its owner likes to collect objects and place them in his garden in a playful way. You could spend hours wondering if there is a meaningful display or just the fun of it.
We follow the asphalted street for a short while until the abbey of Beato Angelo. A beautiful example of a Romanesque building from the 11th century. You can visit it and when the caretaker is home, he will certainly show you the inside of the church.
After the abbey we immediately turn left onto the strada bianca, a gravel road. Here we walk for a while with a beautiful view of Cupramontana. At a junction between two buildings, the arrows point you to the right and then descend into a gorge. The left building was once the school for the children who lived here in this area. Until the 3rd year of primary school, the children could go to school in their own neighborhood. From the 4th grade, however, they had to go to the centre of Cupramontana.
We descend in the shade and then climb back up again. At the cross turn left and here we see all the vineyards. The left half of the road belongs to the municipality of Cupramontana, the right half to Staffolo. At a certain point we indeed notice the two municipalities opposite each other. Staffolo also belonged to the Castelli of Jesi and is also a renowned Verdicchio municipality.
Everywhere we look, vineyards and olive trees, down hill after hill. At the intersection, the arrows lead us to the left and so we reach the San Michele area, where there is a microclimate. As a result, here are the best vineyards that yield the top Verdicchio.
We pass the cantina Ca Liptra that produces organic wine. You can make an appointment to taste wine, but if they are there you can also go there.
The road winds up to the hamlet of San Michele itself with its church. Known for its street little gathering that falls into rainwater every year …
Here is also another cantina La Distesa that makes natural wines in a biodynamic way.
Just after this cantina you turn left, walking along other vineyards and olive groves. Here you can also enjoy the enormous panoramas! The end is a bit difficult because now it is uphill… Cupramontana is after all at 500 meters and we have of course descended quite a bit.
You then come back on the main road and can then turn left back to the parking lot.
You can download the entire walk from the Turismo Cupramontana website or pick up the walking brochure at the tourist office. Because there are other nice hikes to do in Cupramontana!
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