The Marche is one of Italy’s 20 regions located in the country’s central area. It lies bordering San Marino and Emilia-Romagna to the north, to the west by Umbria, Tuscany in the northwest, Lazio in the south and Adriatic Sea in the east. Mostly the region’s land is hilly except the narrow coastal strips and the river valleys.

Geography
The area of Marche extends over 9,694 square kilometers between Emilia-Romagna in the north, Abrazzio and Lazio in the south, Umbria and Tuscany in the west. Most of this region is hilly or mountainous with their important features being an extensive number of hills descending to the Adriatic and the Apennine chain through the internal boundary. The region’s two third is covered by hilly areas which have various wide gullies with short rivers and alluvial plains. The mountain chains which are longitudinally oriented have deep river gorges. The region’s coastal area has a length of 173 km which is straight and flat, except for the northern hilly area and the eastern slopes.

Economy
Agricultural contribution to the region’s economy now has less importance. The main products of this region include vegetables, cereals, grapes and animal products. A large supply of fish is always available in the sea with the main centers for fishing being Fano, San Benedetto del Trento, Civitanova Marche and Ancona. Many of the workshops of small crafts scattered through the region’s rural settlements have modernized into small businesses. Various industries of the region include footwear and leather goods, textile industry in Ancona province and furniture in the area of Pasaro.

Attractions
A number of cultural sites can be found in the Marche which includes several medieval towns, museums, churches, the opera and the Leopoldi library. Some of the region’s unique sights include its national parks, Le Grotti di Frassasi, a climb on the local mountains or a walk along its beaches. A variety of sports are also offered in this region including sailing, walking, horse-riding, skiing, windsurfing, water park, golf, swimming pools, fishing, hunting, etc. Various attractions for the trekkers, walkers and the nature lovers are also available here with the national and regional parks offering various outdoor activities like trekking, paragliding, mountain biking, hunting, nature trails, etc. A number of seaside resorts are available throughout the Marche coastline. The region also has the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in the country which means the beaches meet the strict criteria of safety, environmental management, water quality, etc