At the end of May, I got to immerse myself in Le Marche, Italy – a region I hadn’t been to before, but quickly became a new favorite. Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo kindly hosted us – I am so excited to showcase their organic property and all of the activities and amenities that make it unique. All of the opinions are, of course, my own. Whether you’ve been to this region before or it’s also new to you, I am sure I found where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy. I got to experience the trip with my fellow food, travel and Italy lovers: Christina of Christina’s Cucina, Cynthia of What a Girl Eats & Cathy of She Paused for Thought. Look out for a discount code for your stay at the bottom of this post!
Where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy • The History of the estate
If you have traveled around Italy, or looked into booking a trip, I am sure you have heard many different terms for places to stay, from agriturismo to albergo to locanda and everything in between. Have you heard of a tenuta before? Tenuta generally means estate, referring to a large property. It can include agricultural practices, such as vineyards, groves, and farm land.
Located between Urbino and Pesaro, along the Adriatic coast, this estate immerses you in La Badia nature sanctuary, a protected area, amongst the rolling hills of Montefeltro. Look around and you’ll spot vineyards, farms and green as far as the eye can see. You may notice, you don’t see many (or any) powerlines, they’re underground, which makes for the best unobstructed views.
Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo sits on 200 hectares (about 500 acres), where an 18th century borgo existed until 1998. During the 15th and 16th centuries it was a share cropping community. The estate is named after a painting that was found in the church while being restored in 1993. While recovering the ancient rural village, it was a priority to respect the territory, applying green building techniques as they carried out the restorations.
Where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy • the accommodations
The resort is made up of 30 rooms and apartment suites, housed in 6 ancient meticulously restored rural buildings. No two accommodations are the same, but they are all made for comfort and relaxation. I fell in love with the tile in one of the bathrooms. I also loved sleeping with the windows open (complete with screens to keep pests out). The crisp air was my ideal ambiance for sleep and so lovely to wake up to each morning. The panoramic view from my window also never got old!
Where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy – the experiences
Get outside
Some photos by Cathy Arkle.
The tenuta offers so many wonderful ways to experience the extensive property! There are a range of e-bike experiences to book; everything from self-guided rentals to a guided tour curated to your preferences. Ours was lead by Andrea – a geologist, sommelier and bike tour guide. If you’d prefer to see the property on their Agribus, a converted tractor that can hold up to 14 people, this is also a really fun option. Interested in foraging? Join Claudia as she walks you around the property and teaches you valuable tidbits – like the difference between dandelion and chicory. More of a horse person? You can enjoy horseback riding as well!
If you visit in late spring, early summer – you should get lucky enough to see fireflies. I had never seen anything like the spectacle we witnessed, like thousands of flickering stars in the night sky. What a beautiful sign of the care and respect the estate shows to the land.
Thinking of traveling during another season? Christina and Cynthia initially fell in love with the property in October – I know this special place is amazing in every season.
You will spot a lot art installations across the estate, all created by artist Gianni Calcagnini. Three of my favorites are above. The one on the right is titled “Il pensiero è più veloce dell’azione.” // “The thought is faster than the action.“
Natural Wellness
Photos by Cathy Arkle.
The old barn on the property was carefully restored and now serves as the estate’s Wellness Center, consisting of two floors. The first floor includes soaking pools and jacuzzi, a sauna, hot and cold showers and reflexology tools. The 2nd floor is complete with treatment rooms (be sure to ask ahead about the various offerings), a tea station, and multiple areas to lounge. The floor to ceiling windows that open onto a balcony bring in natural light and inspire complete relaxation. Sip some tea while you enjoy the views of the Montefeltro hills and the centuries-old oak trees outside.
Is yoga more your speed? We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of yoga with Claire on the deck by the lake on property. She guided us through a wonderful flow.
Enjoy a book while you take in the breathtaking panoramic views poolside or dive on in to cool off on a hot summer day!
pasta making class
Photos by Cathy Arkle.
One of my favorite experiences was of course the pasta class. One of the first things I search for when traveling around Italy is always a cooking class. I find that it’s one of the best ways to get to know wherever I am traveling – through the people and their food. Chef Giulia guided us through making ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta and tagliatelle which was prepared in a simple tomato sauce. We got to enjoy the fruits of our labor on their gorgeous patio for lunch, of course alongside some of their organic wines. More on this experience here.
organic wine tasting
You can experience the beautiful organic wines in a few different ways on property. Book a wine tour and tasting, enjoy a tasting alongside lunch, or pop into their cantina. We were introduced to their wines at the Cantine Aperte event – a national initiative to encourage people to visit wine producers across the country. If you’re in Italy around the last weekend in May or first weekend in June, definitely look into this event!
My favorites? The Isabecta bruts (rosato and bianco) & Fogliola Rosso (the perfect chillable warm weather red).
Fun fact: Isabecta, Raphael’s grandmother, owned this land at one time – the bruts produced on property are named after her. The nearby city of Urbino was integral in the Italian Renaissance.
Where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy • What makes the property special?
Organic practices
Some photos by Cathy Arkle.
A priority of the estate’s farm is to promote biodiversity in the Urbino countryside. Located along the Foglia river, in the historical region of Montefeltro, they find it important to continue to give back to the land. They’re farming has been certified organic since 1997 – producing wine, olive oil, preserves, honey, and so much more. We were lucky enough to be able to walk along the road of organic cherry trees, picking and eating our weight in them.
the restaurant
The onsite restaurant offers a contemporary interpretation of Marche and Romagna culinary traditions. They pay close attention to seasonality and of course the quality of ingredients – utilizing the wonderful organic produce grown on site and products they make. Prioritizing organic, local and zero-km raw ingredients makes for the freshest, most authentic experience.
You’ll notice many of their products visible at the beautiful sweet and savory breakfast spread. I couldn’t help but load up my plate every morning with a selection of the deliciousness, alongside my double espresso (caffè doppio).
You can purchase many of the items produced on property, in their shop. I went home with wine, olive oil and cherry preserves – a gift for Walter’s mom.
The people
The staff really makes the experience even more top tier! Starting with the passion of the Bruscoli family, who meitculously restored the property, to every other person on their team, you’ll feel right at home and among people who truly love what they do. It’s really quite beautiful to see so many locals eager to share the region through their expertise.
Perfect for weddings and events
The property and restaurant are perfect for events. Since planning our wedding in Italy a few years back, I notice when places would make ideal wedding venues. I would have LOVED to work with the team here to plan a wedding! From intimate ceremonies to weddings with up to 200 guests, the breathtaking property is perfection. I will be sharing more details in another post soon!
Where you need to stay in Le Marche Italy • the surroundings
As I mentioned earlier, the tenuta is located between Urbino and Pesaro. We took a train into Pesaro, then a car to the resort. It’s honestly a great home base to see the area. We also got to explore the nearby old town of Urbino, the birthplace of the Renaissance painter, Raphael. Looking for a bit more upscale accommodation in the heart of Urbino? Palazzo Giusti is a fantastic option, also renovated by the same family. I’ll detail more about Urbino in another upcoming post.
Want to see what the rest of the group has to say about our experience? Christina’s Cucina & What a Girl Eats
Ready to book? Use my code vinorelax for 10% off your reservation at Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo, plus a complimentary glass of the estate’s sparkling wine (one of my favorite sips!)
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