Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Torre degli Ercolani
The 40m-high tower located on Via dei Soderini, west of the Chiesa di San Pietro Martire,
is the tallest of the town's medieval towers.
Palazzetto Longobardo
, a 12th-century
Lombard-Romanesque defensive position and now the Ostello dei Longobardi youth
hostel, abuts the tower. Just to the north is the well-preserved
Ponte Romano
, a single-
arched Roman bridge.
HISTORIC BUILDING
Museo Archeologico
(Piazza Arringo; adult/reduced €2/1; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun)
Ascoli's archaeological museum
holds a small collection of tribal artefacts from Piceni and other European people dating
back to the first centuries AD.
MUSEUM
Festivals & Events
Fritto Misto all'Italiana
(
www.frittomistoallitaliana.it
; late Apr)
This four-day festival of fried food aims to 'de-bunk
the prejudice that it's unhealthy'. After a few hours spent grazing stalls packed with
heavy-duty treats -
cannoli
from Sicily,
panzerotti
from Puglia and, of course, fried
stuffed Ascoli olives - your body may not agree, although your taste buds will have had a
blast.
FOOD
Quintana
(
www.quintanadiascoli.it
; 2nd Sat Jul & 1st Sun Aug)
This is one of Italy's most famous medi-
eval festivals, and with good reason. Expect thousands of locals dressed in typical medi-
eval garb: knights in armour, flag-throwers and ladies in flamboyant velvet robes. Proces-
sions and flag-waving contests take place throughout July and August, but the big draw is
the Quintana joust, when the town's six
sestieri
(quarters) face off.
CULTURE
Sleeping
For a town of such modest proportions, Ascoli Piceno has an extraordinary number of
charming hotels, many of which offer early booking discounts. The tourist office has lists
of apartments,
agriturismi
and B&Bs.
Hotel Palazzo
dei Mercanti
HISTORIC HOTEL
€€
