Corinaldo: The Walls on the Cliff and the Hometown of Santa Maria Goretti

There is a precise spot in Corinaldo where the medieval walls seem suspended in mid-air. The rampart walk runs along the edge of a ravine dozens of meters deep, and looking down you see the moat forest disappearing into shadow. Corinaldo, population 4,800 in the province of Ancona, is one of the best-preserved villages in the northern Marche, with a nearly intact fifteenth-century ring wall that included — an extremely rare feature — the Piazza del Pozzo, a public space inside the walls with a still-functioning well at its center.

The Walls and the Rampart Walk

Corinaldo's defensive system was built between 1482 and 1490 at the behest of the Lordship of Milan and later perfected by the Della Rovere. The rampart walk is traversable almost in its entirety: you start from the Porta del Valadè, climb the towers, cross the most daring stretch over the ravine, and arrive at the Scaletta — the herringbone staircase that has become the village's photographic symbol. No guide needed, no ticket required: the walls are open and accessible. A full circuit takes about 45 minutes.

Santa Maria Goretti and the Quiet Pilgrimage

Corinaldo is the birthplace of Maria Goretti, canonized in 1950 by Pope Pius XII before an immense crowd. The sanctuary dedicated to her is inside the town and draws pilgrims from all over Italy, especially on July 6, the date of her martyrdom. This is not a pilgrimage of oceanic crowds: it is a quiet, familial flow that does not alter the village's everyday character. The museum adjacent to the sanctuary tells the story of the Goretti family with moving sobriety.

The Cuisine and the Sapa

Corinaldo's most distinctive local product is Sapa, a cooked must of Montepulciano grapes reduced to a thick, sweet syrup, historically used as a sweetener before sugar. Today it is used on desserts, aged cheeses, and meat: it has a complex flavor, between caramelized and tannic, that resembles nothing more famous. It can be found in village shops for about 6-8 euros for a 250-gram jar. The crescia al formaggio — the Marche Easter cheese bread — is excellent in the center's bakeries.

How to Get There and When

Corinaldo is 25 kilometers from Senigallia and about 40 from Ancona. There is a bus connection from Senigallia, but travel times are long. The ideal visit pairs with a stay on the Adriatic coast, with a detour inland. The best time is spring and autumn; in summer the heat can be intense, but the walls provide shade and coolness. The village is lively and real: not a museum-village but a genuine town where people live.