San Costanzo: Views, Trails and Culture

San Costanzo Between the Valleys

San Costanzo lies at an elevation of about 150 metres on the watershed ridge between the Metauro and Cesano valleys. From San Costanzo’s viewpoints, you can enjoy views of the Adriatic Sea and the first mountains of the Apennines. Walking trails, scenery and culture give your stay a range of possible focuses. Two routes can be distinguished by their approximate lengths and destinations; art and archaeological finds at Palazzo Cassi are also worth exploring.

Walking Trails and Scenery

The Valle dei Tufi trail starts in the centre of San Costanzo and runs through the village of Stacciola to the Church of Madonna delle Grotte. The route is about 3 kilometres long. The historical and nature trail Su e Giù per le Valli is about 5 kilometres long and reaches the Fonte Vecchia below the tower of the castle walls. The approximate distances of three and five kilometres give you a concrete point of comparison when planning your outing; the destinations also differ: one is the Church of Madonna delle Grotte, the other the Fonte Vecchia.

The architectural and structural features of the Fonte Vecchia are dated to the 15th or 16th century; it may have been founded earlier. The trail thus links a specific stop with a historical reference whose earlier date remains uncertain.

Art and Archaeology at Palazzo Cassi

The Quadreria Comunale and the Sala Archeologica dell'abitato protostorico e della necropoli picena are located at Palazzo Cassi, Piazzale della Vittoria 9. The archaeological room displays ceramic and bronze finds from a protohistoric settlement and a Picene necropolis in the municipality of San Costanzo. The settlement was discovered between 1980 and 1985; the archaeological excavation of the necropolis took place in 1919 and 1920.

The Quadreria Comunale displays altarpieces from the demolished Church of San Silvestro. These include a large painting depicting the Baptism of Constantine, attributed to Rondolino (Terenzio Terenzi). The second floor of Palazzo Cassi also has several rooms with a permanent exhibition of tempera paintings and graphic works donated to the community of San Costanzo by Roberto Natale Patrizi (Agrà).

Palazzo Cassi is a historic residence and literary meeting place. In May 2013, the historic palazzo regained its former splendour. There is also an important limitation to bear in mind when planning a cultural visit: Teatro della Concordia has no lift and has architectural barriers. Take this into account if you are planning a visit to the theatre.

Crescia and Local Traditions

Crescia d'la Stacciola is traditionally made by hand from soft wheat flour, water, yeast, lard, salt and a little sugar. The preparation itself is therefore part of the local speciality’s traditional details. The Scuola della Crescia has been active since 2010, teaching interested visitors the recipe and preparation technique for Crescia d'la Staciola. The Sagra della Crescia has been held on the first weekend of August since 1987. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates for the year of your visit.

Getting to San Costanzo

By car, you can reach San Costanzo via the Fano exit on the A14 from the north or via Marotta-Mondolfo from the south. From the Strada Statale Adriatica, the town can be reached via the Strada Provinciale No. 16 Orcianense or the Strada Statale 424 della Val Cesano. These road details help you plan your journey based on your direction of travel; once there, walking trails, viewpoints and the cultural sites at Palazzo Cassi cater to a range of interests.

Discover more destinations: Sant'angelo In Vado, Fiorenzuola Di Focara, Cartoceto, Fermignano, San Michele, Barchi, Pieve di Cagna, Sorbolongo

For the regional travel overview: Pesaro - Urbino.