Esanatoglia: Hiking Trails, History and Culture

Esanatoglia combines a medieval townscape with accessible hiking and cycling options. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay here, you can plan your trip around what interests you most: historic buildings, routes towards the Esino springs, or both. The routes vary in length, elevation gain and difficulty rating; the buildings date from the Romanesque period to the Middle Ages.

Historic Buildings in the Townscape

The historic centre is still surrounded by a castle wall, which runs alongside the Esino River. The Porta di Sant’Andrea, an old gate to the historic centre, dates from the 14th century. Also part of the history of the fortifications is the old watchtower known as “lu Roccone”: it was once part of the 14th-century city wall of Santa Anatolia.

The Pieve di Santa Anatolia is Esanatoglia’s oldest church and dates from the Romanesque period. The former monastery and the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena date to the 13th century. The Fonte del Borgo, also known as the Fonte di San Martino, is a 12th-century structure that is still in use. Its basins are separated for people and animals. Villa Varano houses the fresco “The Angel of Peace,” which was awarded the Marche Region’s “Opera di Pace” distinction in 2020.

Compare Hiking and Cycling Routes

The Le Vene nature trail can be explored on foot or by mountain bike. A longer signposted tour is the Parco Sorgenti Esino route: it runs from Esanatoglia to the source of the Esino, is 9 kilometres long and is rated “tourist.” The free hiking and mountain biking map produced as part of the Esatrail project dates from 2019; it was available at an information sign along the route. Check the signage and trail conditions locally before setting out.

For comparison, the CAI route IT 6.12 covers 5.2 kilometres with an ascent of 380 metres; its difficulty rating is E–EE. At a section through a gorge, the trail continues to the last accessible waterfall, which is recommended only for experienced hikers. Check the conditions locally before your hike. These routes can be compared by length and, for the CAI route, also by ascent and difficulty rating.

Another trail for hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers follows the main course of the Esino River near its source and leads to the Eremo di San Pietro. The ruins of the old Church of San Pietro lie less than a one-minute walk off the trail to the Esino springs. The Eremo di San Cataldo is located on Monte Corsegno at an elevation of 766 metres.

Astronomy, Sport and Nature

The annual Galattica astronomy festival offers talks, workshops and activities around Castello Malcavalca. If you would like to visit during the festival, check the event dates. The Osservatorio Astronomico is located on Monte Porro within the Crossodromo complex. The Crossodromo Gina Libani Repetti is one of Italy’s oldest motocross tracks.

Nearby Monte Gemmo has a launch site for paragliding and hang gliding; during the flight, the view extends as far as Esanatoglia. Launch and landing arrangements may change, so check them before planning your visit. Esanatoglia also has a protected botanical reserve with Mediterranean, hill and mountain plant species, as well as numerous wild animals.

Local Food and Crafts

Frostingo is a local sweet whose flavour is considered to have been passed down through the generations. Crafts in Esanatoglia include reproductions of the ancient Renaissance ceramics of Santa Anatolia. Together with the Romanesque Pieve, traces of the medieval fortifications and the routes described above, these offer different ways to plan your stay.

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