Christmas Markets in Le MarcheAscoli, Candelara, Loreto, Macerata · the six destinations worth the trip from the coast.

Le Marche in December is one of the most underrated secrets of the Italian Christmas. While the tourist crowds gather in Trento, Bolzano and the great Alpine destinations, here — in the squares of the Piceno, the Maceratese and the Fermano, and in the villages of the Pesarese — the Christmas markets keep the human scale and the local character that have been lost elsewhere. Below, six destinations within day-trip reach of San Benedetto del Tronto, in order of distance.

Ascoli Piceno · 35 minutes · the Christmas Antiques Fair

The most recognisable event in the whole regional calendar. The Christmas Antiques Market of Ascoli Piceno is traditionally held over the Immacolata long weekend · 5–8 December, and for four days it turns one of the most beautiful squares in Italy (Piazza del Popolo, which Sterne called «an open-air drawing room») into a market that draws collectors and enthusiasts from across the region.

• ·2026 dates: Friday 5 – Monday 8 December (4 days)
• ·Squares: Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Arringo, the Cloister of San Francesco, Piazza Roma, Via del Trivio
• ·Opening hours: Piazza del Popolo 9:00–19:00 every day · other areas 15:00–19:00 on Saturday, 9:00–19:00 on Sunday
• ·Entry: free
• ·Distance from SBT: ~35 km, 35 minutes by car (SS4 Salaria)

Offida · 25 minutes · nativity scenes and lace

Offida doesn't have a Christmas market on the scale of Ascoli's, but it's a Christmas destination for two distinct reasons: the tour of the nativity scenes in the village churches (open to visit over the Christmas period, free entry) and the craft of bobbin lace — the workshops of the lacemakers of the traditional school are open for visits and purchases especially in December, when a piece of lace becomes a prized gift. For wine lovers, it's also the chance to visit the wineries (Velenosi, Cocci Grifoni, San Filippo, Cantina dei Colli Ripani in Ripatransone) before the spring opening season.

Loreto · 50 minutes · the historic nativity scenes

Loreto, a Marian town of national importance (the Basilica of the Holy House), is a traditional stop on the tour of the nativity scenes of Le Marche over the Christmas period. The nativity-scene exhibition runs from 8 December to 9 January every year, with handcrafted creations on show in several venues across the historic centre. The Pro Loco of Loreto also runs creative workshops for children, especially at weekends.

• ·Typical dates: 8 December – 9 January (check with the Pro Loco for 2026/27)
• ·Distance from SBT: ~50 km, 50 minutes by car (SS16 Adriatica + Loreto exit)
• ·To combine with: a visit to the Basilica of the Holy House of Loreto, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Italy
• ·For families: the Pro Loco workshops are designed for children aged 5–11

Macerata · 1h 10 · the ice rink and New Year

Macerata, home of the Sferisterio, puts together a beautifully curated Christmas programme every year. The ice-skating rink in Piazza Mazzini is the main draw for families (extended hours at weekends, a token charge to hire skates). The markets are held in Piazza della Libertà — the town's monumental square — with craft and food stalls. Macerata is also among the Marche towns that host a New Year's concert in the square (Piazza della Libertà), free of charge, with national artists.

Civitanova Marche · 50 minutes · «Civitanova All'Improvviso»

Every December, Civitanova puts on a programme of events spread across the town centre — free concerts, entertainment, markets, the lighting of trees in the neighbourhoods. The programme is called «Civitanova All'Improvviso · Natale» and runs through the whole of December up to Epiphany. Near the station (50 minutes by car, and also reachable by regional train from SBT in about an hour).

Candelara di Pesaro · 1h 50 · the only Italian festival of wax

Candele a Candelara is the most characterful Christmas market in Le Marche and — according to the organisers — the only Italian festival devoted entirely to candles and wax. It is held in the medieval village of Candelara, a hamlet of Pesaro, over eight or nine days in December (the dates vary year to year, usually the two weekends before Christmas + the days in between).

• ·What makes it unique: the moment when all the electric lights in the village are switched off and the whole place is lit by candlelight alone — decorated wrought-iron sculptures bearing hundreds of candles depict scenes from the Nativity
• ·Live demonstrations of candle-making with traditional beeswax techniques
• ·Markets of crafts and food in the lanes
• ·Theatrical performances and guided tours of the village
• ·Distance from SBT: ~110 km, 1h 50 by car (A14 towards Pesaro + Pesaro exit)
• ·It's worth setting off in the afternoon to enjoy the lighting of the candles at sunset

San Benedetto del Tronto · 0 km · on your doorstep

The SBT markets — part of the Comune's SBT Christmas Holidays programme — are held over the December weekends in the pedestrian centre, with an SBT Christmas Village for children. For anyone staying at the house it's the first destination, reachable on foot without moving the car. See the dedicated guide.

Day trips · how to fit the markets in

For anyone staying at the house, here are a few day-long pairings that work well:

• ·Ascoli on foot · leave SBT at 10:00, the market in Piazza del Popolo + an aperitivo at the Caffè Meletti + lunch in an osteria in the centre + the Pinacoteca Civica in the afternoon + back by 19:30 (half a day or a full day)
• ·Loreto + Recanati · 1 day · nativity scenes in Loreto in the morning + the Basilica + lunch + Leopardi's house in Recanati in the afternoon (10 km from Loreto)
• ·Candelara in the evening · leave SBT at 14:00, arrive in Candelara at 16:00, tour the village, the lighting of the candles at sunset, dinner in a local osteria, a late return · one long evening
• ·Macerata + skating · ideal with children · leave at 11:00, skating in Piazza Mazzini, lunch, a tour of the markets, back by 19:00

When to go · the best window of the season

The peak of the crowds at the Marche markets is the second and third weekends of December (12–14 and 19–21 December in 2026). The Immacolata long weekend (5–8 December) is Ascoli's golden window. For anyone after fewer crowds, weekdays (Tuesday to Thursday) are far quieter — only Loreto and the church nativity scenes stay open all week. After Christmas (26 December – 6 January) the markets gradually wind down, but the nativity-scene tour continues until Epiphany.

Cross-links · the rest of the Christmas guide

Why they're worth the trip

The Christmas markets of Le Marche don't have the scale of the Alpine giants, and that is exactly their virtue. They aren't destinations built for tourists, but local events that communities put on for themselves — the stallholders are often craftspeople from the same town, the objects have a history, and the squares they're held in are already extraordinary in their own right. It's the Italian Christmas as it might have been had it not been industrialised on an Austrian model. For anyone staying in San Benedetto in December, six destinations within 110 km of the house.