Recanati

Birthplace of the poet Giacomo Leopardi and the tenor Beniamino Gigli, Recanati is a tiny hilltop town in the Marche region known as "the city of poetry." Its elongated historic centre, lined with aristocratic merchants' buildings, dates to around 1150 and includes the Teatro Persiani, named after the opera composer Giuseppe Persiani. The 13th-century Kabbalist Rabbi Menahem Recanati also flourished here. The town sits in wine-growing country with scenic views across the surrounding hills, and has a café and restaurant scene substantial for its size.

• Population14,337
• Nearest water from center0.4 km
• Nearest mountain from center1.6 km