Science, Traditions and Flavors

At the top of San Martino hill, in the municipality of Colli al Metauro , stands the 18th-century Villa del Balì —once the astronomical observatory of Count Vincenzo Negusanti , then the residence of the Knights of Santo Stefano, and now a fascinating science center open to the public. Surrounded by a centuries-old park, with views that extend from the Metauro valley to the Adriatic Sea in the distance, the villa retains the charm of an ancient noble residence, with frescoed halls and a past of celestial studies that still breathes within its walls today.

A perfect stop for a day trip during your stay at Palazzo Rotati: a place where the history of the village meets the wonder of science, in a corner of the Marche that surprises with every visit.

Cartoceto: the village of taste and craftsmanship

Just minutes from Villa del Balì, the village of Cartoceto is a small treasure trove of excellence, showcasing the artisanal skills of this land . Four DOP ( Protected Designation of Origin) products are produced here: olive oil, fossa cheese, and Colli Pesaresi and Bianchello del Metauro wines—a density of quality that rivals much more celebrated regions of Italy.

Cartoceto DOP extra virgin olive oil is among the sweetest and most delicate in the national panorama, still stone-pressed today according to ancient methods.

The cheeses of Beltrami —a family symbol of this area for over forty years—are a chapter in themselves: the famous pit - aged pecorino "Ovillis Ambrosia," the goat cheeses, the pecorino cheeses cured with walnut leaves or aged in Montepulciano pomace are born from a ritual passed down through generations. The cheeses rest for months in ancient pits dug into the tuff, wrapped in aromatic herbs, before the ritual of opening them, which every year at the end of November transforms Cartoceto into a festival dedicated to flavor and rural memory.

A taste of this land—with a drizzle of DOP olive oil and a shaving of fossa cheese —is the most authentic way to take home a piece of Marche, after enjoying the quiet and discreet luxury of Palazzo Rotati.

Palazzo Rotati: your elegant refuge between the historic centre , the sea and the most authentic flavours of the area.