The women still make lace on bobbins in the doorways here. On the last night of Carnival the men carry a burning serpent of reeds through the same streets.
Residents
4,569
Region
Marche
Best time
The Carnival runs from 17 January, the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, to Shrove Tuesday. Lu bov fint falls on the Friday, li vlurd on the Tuesday. Outside Carnival: May, June and September.
Why it is worth the drive
The bobbin lace is not a museum exhibit here. Women still work it in doorways and workshops, and a museum section holds historic and contemporary pieces.
Above the gorge stands Santa Maria della Rocca, from 1330, with frescoes by the Master of Offida and a crypt of columns and Romanesque arches. The historic Carnival runs on two devices: lu bov fint, a mock ox carried on shoulders and chased through the streets with stops for food and wine, and li vlurd, a procession of burning reed bundles that crosses the town like a serpent of fire.
Getting there
Ancona (AOI) is about 110 kilometres, an hour and twenty. Rome (FCO) about three hours. There is no station in Offida: take the Adriatic line to San Benedetto del Tronto or Ascoli Piceno, then a bus or taxi for the last 25 to 30 kilometres.
The honest part
This is the largest town on the list at 4,569 residents, and during Carnival it is packed, with people from the Marche rather than foreigners. Expect no English spoken and nothing built for international visitors. Beds on Carnival dates are scarce and need booking far ahead. Out of season the place is quiet to the point of sleepy.
Last checked 2026-09-12. Opening hours and festival dates change: confirm with the town before you travel.
Eleven more towns like this one
Each town is a day. The order of the drives, the nights and the meals is the part that ruins most first trips to small Italy. Twelve of them in one guide, free, and a letter a week after that.
No spam, one letter a week, unsubscribe in one click.
Twelve Towns — twelve villages in twelve regions, one per region, free.Get the guide