Macerata is another medieval hill-top town in Le Marche worth a visit. It’s located between the Potenza and Chienti Valleys, just over an hour from Boutique Hotel Leone. The natural scenery around Macerata is diverse. You can look forward to mountains, valleys, woods and cultivated fields, maintained as if they were gardens or parks running all the way to the shore of the Adriatic.
The views are spectacular so make sure you have your camera with you.
Things to do in Macerata
Read on for our guide to things to do in Macerata and the places to see in Macerata that are not to be missed.
Places to see in Macerata
Places to see in MacerataPiazza della LibertÃ
Piazza della Libertà is known as the heart of the town.  There are many historic, monumental buildings to admire, from Palazzo del Comune to the Church of San Paolo alla Torre dell’Orologio. You will also find Palazzo della Prefettura with a majestic marble portal, the Baroque church of San Paolo that dates back to the mid-seventeenth century and which nowadays hosts art exhibitions, and also the entrance to the ancient university building. Not forgettig the Loggia dei Mercanti, the Renaissance two-tier arcaded merchants’ hall.
To get a great panoramic view that ranges from the Sibillini Mountains to the coast, climb the Civic Tower, 64 metres high and built in the Renaissance.
Just across from the piazza is the Rossi Theatre so be sure to check if anything is playing during your visit.
Once you’re done with exploring the Piazza della Libertá have a stroll along its neighbouring streets – Corso Matteotti and Corso della Repubblica. You will find several palazzos for instance: Palazzo Compagnoni Marefoschi, Palazzo Buonaccorsi and Palazzo Ricci, which is now home to the town’s Modern Art Gallery.  Near to the Palazzo Buonaccorsi you will also find the popular Basilica della Misericordia which, apparently, was built in one day!
There’s also the Corso della Repubblica where you find most shops and cafes if you need to take a break and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.
Sferisterio amphitheatre
This magnificent outdoor arena was built in the 1820s, originally as a stadium for handball. For the last 90-something years it has been used for opera and for the last 35 has been home to the annual open-air Macerata Opera Festival. Today it can accommodate an audience of over 3,000 and the stage is so wide musicians at each end of the pit can’t hear each other.  If you’re visiting the last week in July or beginning of August don’t miss out on the world-famous Sferisterio Opera Festival.
Another highlight in Macerata is the cathedral, late eighteenth-century and built in Neo-classical style. The whole interior of the cathedral was designed by Cosimo Morelli and is simply beautiful.
Other places to see in Macerata that are well worth a visit are the Museo delle Carrozze, where you can admire the collection of carriages from different ages and places, Villa Potenza and its remains of ancient Helvia Ricina, a Roman settlement destroyed by the Visigoths; or the Romanesque church of San Claudio al Chienti.
As we have seen, there are plenty of things to do in Macerata. It is a beautiful town full of history and architecture to enjoy with its combination of charming hill-town scenery and student life, cobblestone streets and honey-coloured palazzi. Truly a place you will never forget.
