Getting there: the only direct flights from the UK or Ireland to Ancona are with Ryanair (0871 246 0000, www.ryanair.com) from Stansted; from GBP52.

Alternatively, Alitalia (0870 544 8259, www.alitalia.co.uk) flies from Heathrow to Rome, then on to Ancona; from £176. From May, it will fly from Manchester to Milan, then on to Ancona; from GPB178.

Or try Thomas Cook (0870 750 0316, www.thomascook.co.uk), Dial a Flight (0870 333 4488, www.dialaflight.com) or Expedia (0870 050 0808, www.expedia.co.uk).

In Ireland, Ebookers (01 241 5689, www.ebookers.ie) has flights from Dublin to Ancona with Alitalia, via Rome or Milan; from E270.

Getting around: Avis (0870 606 0100, www.avis.co.uk) has a week's all inclusive rental, picking up at Ancona airport, from £179. Or try Holiday Autos (0870 400 4447, www.holidayautos.co.uk) or Europ-car (0870 607 5000, www.europcar.co.uk).

Where to stay: Le Marche Segrete offers historic private houses with unique personal touches. The Borgo Storico Seghetti Panichi, in Ascoli Piceno (00 39-0736 812552, www.seghettipanichi.it), which is well placed for the south of the region, has suites from £106, B&B.

In the north, the Palazzo Dalla Casapiccola, in Recanati (071 757 4818, www.palazzodallacasapiccola.it), has doubles from £75, B&B. And in the Monti Sibillini National Park, the excellent Azienda Agrituristica Cittadella (0736 856361), on the outskirts of Monte-monaco, has doubles for GBP35, B&B.

Tour operators: Taste-Italia (01268 711445, www.taste-italia.com) can arrange stays at the palazzi. A six-night stay split between Palazzo Dalla Casapiccola and the Villa Seghetti starts at £1,451pp between April and November, including three days' cookery tuition, but not flights or car hire; three nights at the first property start at £594pp. Or try Traditional Tuscany (01553 810003, www.traditionaltuscany.co.uk) or The Owners' Syndicate (020 7801 9809, www.ownerssyndicate.com).

Also visit www.le-marche.com and www.marchesegrete.it.

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