Description

The Riviera delle Palme contains one of the most fascinating stretches of coast in the Marche region: the one that goes from San Benedetto del Tronto, passes through Grottammare and arrives in Cupra Marittima. Characterized by a strong tourist vocation, the gardens, the avenues and the wide stretches of waterfront of these three localities count the presence of thousands of palm trees, mainly of the Phoenix canariensis and sylvestrisspecies.

One of the best ways to discover this strip of the Adriatic coast is by taking the cycle-pedestrian path that crosses the three municipalities, almost always along the coast. The well-defined and signposted track runs along a flat path of about 15 kilometers , which can be easily covered on foot or by bicycle.

The route is one of the most scenic and suggestive: on one side the sea with its beaches and chalets; on the other, the hills of the Marche, almost as if they were a painted background and which are getting closer and closer to those arriving in the northernmost part of the Riviera delle Palme.

The itinerary could start from Porto d’Ascoli , the southernmost part of San Benedetto del Tronto as well as the most recent one. In fact, the first project dates back to 1931 based on a design by the engineer Luigi Onorati , who contributed to making this seaside resort famous in the following decades. Today, after the renovation that took place between 2005 and 2007, an exotic spectacle is presented to the visitor's eyes that finds expression not only in the classic palm groves, but also in 10 thematic gardens , some of which are dedicated to children and others with particular experiences (such as the multisensory one, the countryside one and the arid one).

You arrive at the port and continue towards the Grottammare seafront which from the mouth of the Tesino stream reaches the center of the town, in a riot of palm trees among which you can see the elegant villas and small villas in Art Nouveau with the characteristic turrets, frescoes and floral-themed majolica.

Continuing north, you cross the limit of the 43rd parallel and reach Cupra Marittima , whose fame is linked to shells for two reasons, one cultural and the other gastronomic . A few steps from the sea, the malacological museum houses a collection of about one million specimens of molluscs from all over the planet. In addition, here you can taste the very good concole , the large and exquisite clams cooked according to the seafaring tradition.

However, the peculiarity of the Riviera delle Palme does not end in the characteristic exotic green. The advice is to visit the upper part of the three villages, where the most ancient roots are kept: the Torre dei Gualtieri which dominated San Benedetto del Tronto; the medieval part of Grottammare, characterized by warm colors and bricks; the castle of Marano , the first inhabited center of Cupra Marittima.