On the occasion of my birthday today, I want to share about the holy town of Loreto in Le Marche. One of the most important pilgrimage town in Italy, it attracts over 4 million visitors every year!! It also holds the Holy House of Mary of Nazareth believed to have flown from Palestine by four angels. Although I am neither a Catholic nor religious enough to know more than this, Loreto is the mecca for Catholics in simple terms- the Holy town of Italy!
This town had more tourists than anywhere else in Marche
Loreto: Pretty details
Loreto: I’d like to go here next time
Loreto: The imposing basilica
The main site to see in Loreto is its basilica made in Gothic and Renaissance style. It will stop you dead in your tracks because it is simply breath-taking!
The basilica has been designed by many notable architects such as Baccio Pontelli, Giuliano da Sangallo and Giovanni Ghioldi.
Loreto: Piazza della Madonna
Loreto: An evening stroll or Passeggiata
Loreto: piazza is HUGE!
The piazza with the basilica is enormous and equally beautiful! There are handicraft shops selling intricate woodwork and kitchen products and a few bars worth peeking into. A very old shop selling delicious pizza is right opposite the basilica and makes a great option for a quick lunch or dinner.
Loreto
Loreto: Tourist free after 6
Loreto
Loreto: Fontana Maggiore
Empty Loreto
Loreto’s Dome is inspired by Filippo Brunelleschi
Loreto is a historic city of Le Marche that should not be missed.
How to Reach:
The erratic nature of public transport and sometimes the lack of it altogether, makes it impossible to see this region unless you must have a car. I say that in every post not to deter you but to make you aware of this shortcoming. Had it not been for DiscoverMarche I don’t know how I would have traveled across this region!!
Further Reading:
83 Comments
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equinoxio21
November 20, 2017 at 6:07 amThank you for the tour… Grazie mille.
Ishita
November 20, 2017 at 9:35 pmSo happy you enjoyed!
Artisans Galleria
November 14, 2017 at 9:22 pmlove from pakistan.
Calysta Hannah
November 6, 2017 at 6:41 pmLovely photos… 😍
Ishita
December 3, 2017 at 7:55 pmThank you 🙂
earnestlydebra
October 6, 2017 at 6:00 amSuch a nice peaceful excursion for this afternoon… imagining the Cappuccino. Beautiful pictures.
Ishita
October 6, 2017 at 12:06 pmIt was a beautiful day and just 15 minutes from where I stayed 🙂
The Holy Town of Loreto – Discovermarche
October 6, 2017 at 5:46 am[…] Source: The Holy Town of Loreto […]
Ishita
October 6, 2017 at 12:06 pmgrazie 🙂
Un po' di pepe
September 24, 2017 at 12:32 pmBuon compleanno in ritardo! Auguri, Cristina
Ishita
September 24, 2017 at 7:24 pmGrazie Cristina 🙂
Bellewether
September 18, 2017 at 4:44 pmHappy (belated) birthday Ishita! I love the terrace you found to have your cappuccino with a view – looks great 🙂
Ishita
September 18, 2017 at 8:15 pmThank you dear 🙂 It was a lovely lil Bar.
bellacibo72
September 15, 2017 at 8:16 pmThis is absolutely beautiful! I love everything about Italy, now that I don’t live there anymore I appreciate more every single corner!
Ishita
September 15, 2017 at 8:50 pmI hear that from lot of Italians who don’t live there. It’s always good to realize your country’s true potential.
Kelly
September 14, 2017 at 9:51 pmIt’s so true that some of the best hidden gems are only accessible by car. I think I’ll never be able to stop exploring Italy! Little towns like these are my favorite.
Ishita
September 14, 2017 at 10:14 pmVery well put. Never stop exploring Italy is our motto 😀 haha. I hope we can travel more and meet up soon, Kelly.
Vanessa Gregoria
September 13, 2017 at 8:13 amHappy Birthday, lovely post 🙂
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:12 amThank you Vanessa 🙂
HelsinkiBudapest
September 13, 2017 at 4:47 amHappy belated birthday! This is absolutely beautiful. And honestly, I really don’t think you have to be Catholic to appreciate the beauty and splendor. But it is fascinating to see how holy sites affect all kinds of people. I was raised partially Catholic and holy places, no matter the denomination, have always fascinated me. Then, again, I’ve done a post on my beliefs a while back.
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:13 amThank you so much! Oh yes but what I meant was I have no clue about the religious beliefs in this case. Agree.
Anabel Marsh
September 12, 2017 at 7:03 pmHappy birthday (for yesterday!)
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:13 amGrazie Anabel.
Art We Wonderful
September 12, 2017 at 6:36 pmHappy Birthday, Ishita! Hope you have another travel-filled year!
I love how you write about the “other” gems of Italy! The Loreto Basilica is so incredible, and houses one of my favourite fresco cycles on the ceiling of the Sacristy of St. Mark – the 8 angels and prophets of Melozzo da Forli. Looking forward to more of your stories!
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:14 amThank you so much dear 🙂 so kind of you! have you sketched this place?? It will be so cool. .I’ve never seen it in your posts so thought of asking.
Questa Dolce Vita (@questadolcevita)
September 12, 2017 at 5:58 pmHappy happy belated birthday!!! Kisses!
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:15 amGrazie tanto cara. Un abbraccio 😘😘
amindfultravellerblog
September 12, 2017 at 4:42 pmHappy Birthday lovely. Hope you are having a wonderful day.
Your posts always make me miss Bella Italia…..buona giornata bellisima. XX
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:15 amGrazie Lorelle. So sweet of you. I’m glad I can take you there. Stay tuned for the next one. You will love it so xx
amindfultravellerblog
September 13, 2017 at 11:24 amEagerly awaiting!! Xx
ejsna
September 12, 2017 at 4:32 pmHappy birthday, Ishita. May you have many more happy returns…!
Ishita
September 13, 2017 at 11:15 amMany thanks Ejsna 😘
Tanja
September 12, 2017 at 1:16 pmtanti auguri di buon compleanno! x
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 1:19 pmgrazie cara 🙂
discovermarche
September 12, 2017 at 11:28 amMia cara Ishita, now I’m a little bit sad because I’m thinking of that day and and I’m also thinking of our laugh and chat and…everything. It has been a great adventure we had that week and I never regret the moment we decided to do it together.
We are all missing you!
Un forte abbraccio
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 11:29 amMe too 🙁 It was such a beautiful day. I really miss all the fun we had together. Hoping to return soon. Un abbraccio a te!
Sudhir Chauhan
September 12, 2017 at 11:26 amfirst of all belated happy birthday to you….. God bless you…. keep smiling always…. those captures are beautiful…
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 11:28 amThanks so much Sudhir 🙂 Cheers!
Sudhir Chauhan
September 12, 2017 at 11:29 amCheers…..
ThisTaraf
September 12, 2017 at 11:26 amHappy Birthday! Really nice post 🙂
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 11:28 amThank you so much 🙂
Travel Happy
September 12, 2017 at 9:06 amHappy birthday! And thanks for sharing this. I’ve never been to Italy or to any pilgrimage, and this one looks like something that we can visit one of these days.
– Amor
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 10:33 amThank you Amor 🙂 It took me a short while to walk around this town. worth it.
shreyasrivastava3
September 12, 2017 at 8:52 amHappy birthday! Another great post too!
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 10:33 amThanks girl! 🙂
karenincalabria
September 12, 2017 at 8:19 amHappy Birthday, Ishita! It’s still your birthday here in the US, but I’ll add Happy Day-After-Your-Birthday for your time zone!
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 10:33 amHaha thank you dear Karen. I hope we can meet someday in Calabria 😉
karenincalabria
September 13, 2017 at 11:49 amHalfway between the time zones!
Mayur
September 12, 2017 at 7:56 amHappy birthday to you,
Tum jiyo hajaro sal aur sal ke din ho 50 hajar.
Enjoy this day & where the party is?
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 10:34 amThanks Mayur 🙂 Happened in a lot of places. And regarding your question on Instagram, I am not the right person to tell you about the job scenario in Italy. Read forums on it. Or contact a local.
Mayur
September 12, 2017 at 10:55 amOh
U remembered, thank
Kismat ki bat he
Enjoy this day
Budget Traveler
September 12, 2017 at 4:37 amsuch a a very beautiful place. Italy has all it has to be called beautiful. I#ve been in Venice and I was awestrucked when I did the gondola tour…. and this place Loreta is truely anotgher must see place in Italy.
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 10:34 amI know right?? Gondola tour is amazing its a pity its so disneyland like in Venice now.
fkasara
September 12, 2017 at 2:58 amLovely pictures! <3 And yeah, sadly several places are not easy to reach through public transportation 🙁 It's true that it's not a "flat" country and we have Apennines and Alps which are not easy to pass, but I would like a more efficent system of public transportation :/
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:22 amThank you 😄 yeah I think I rarely saw a bus ..maybe in Ancona but not anywhere else.
Ishita
September 14, 2017 at 6:40 pmSara, thanks for your thoughts again. Very curious to know how is the bus system in Veneto?? Especially if I ever plan to see the smaller towns
fkasara
September 14, 2017 at 7:06 pmEh, it can be quite tricky moving around Veneto with the bus…mainly because there are several bus companies (which still don’t allow you to pay your bus ride through apps and it’s difficult to find the tickets) and the towns often are not that well connected between them (mainly because of the roads and the morphology of the territory). But it also depends on the towns you want to visit. Some of them even have the train station or are easily reachable by bus, others are quite remote. For example Bassano del Grappa is quite easy to reach, Asolo not so much imo.
For this reason I have just started to fill in a page called “italy through public transportation” in my blog to help people understand how to move around.
When and if you plan to come, just ask and I’ll try to help you 🙂
Ishita
September 14, 2017 at 10:15 pmOh dear similar to Marche I think. Well yes you are the person I will ask 😉 And trouble lol. I want to see the main towns of Veneto first the bigger ones like Padua, Vicenza etc and then make my way to places like Asolo. Maybe we can meet there!
fkasara
September 14, 2017 at 10:23 pmDefinitely! That would be awesome! 👍❤
Life Is A Journey
September 12, 2017 at 2:23 amWonderful post. I am visiting Italy next year and your posts will help me to plan my trip. Happy Birthday. I hope you had a great day.
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:21 amWonderful to know. Where in Italy are you going?? Thank you for the birthday wishes ✨😄
Lyn
September 12, 2017 at 1:12 amI had a short visit here years ago. It was truly lovely. Thanks for the memories. Happy birthday Ishita x
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:21 am😄 thank you Lyn. Big hug xx
Manja Mexi Movie
September 12, 2017 at 1:03 amYeah! I wish you the happiest of birthdays and plenty of such towns, gelato, and Italy in your future! Cin cin e tanti auguri! <3
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:20 amGrazie mille cara mia 😘 thank you for the lovely wish 😄🍷✨🍰
An Englishwoman in Italy
September 12, 2017 at 12:21 amSo glad you made it to Loreto! In fact scholars have shown that the Holy House actually did come from Jesus’s homeland, and they suggest it was brought by ship.BTW glad you liked my various posts on Cagli, Romanesque churches and Marchigiane libraries. Did you ever get to Cagli? it can be pretty quiet too. Tourists would love these towns, especially as they aren’t oppressively crowded to say the least! Anything we can do to encourage visitors …
fkasara
September 12, 2017 at 2:52 amTrue! They discovered that that home used to be worshipped in the Holy Land as the “house of Miriam” ( =house of Mary) and they have recently found documents showing that a family called Angeli financed the transport of the Holy House to Italy. That’s how they could sell the story of “angels transporting the house to Italy”…they did actually, as “angeli” means angels in Italian 😉
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:22 amWow that’s just amazing! 😉
fkasara
September 12, 2017 at 3:24 amIt’s funny to see what a pun can do, eheh
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:24 am🤣🤣
An Englishwoman in Italy
September 12, 2017 at 3:37 amYes indeed, and they have analysed the earth used in building the Holy House and discovered that it comes from the Holy Land.
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:20 amVery intrigued! No I didn’t.. This time I could only see most of the must see cities and towns. I’m still left with Urbino and Ascoli. Next time! Loved your posts.
An Englishwoman in Italy
September 12, 2017 at 3:32 amI hope I’ve persuaded you to visit Corinaldo next time.
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:42 amYou have 🙂 I would love to meet up next time..pity it didn’t connect well this time
Darlene
September 12, 2017 at 12:00 amHave a wonderful Birthday!!
Ishita
September 12, 2017 at 3:18 amGrazie Darlene 🙋
brilliantviewpoint
September 11, 2017 at 10:38 pmHappy Birthday! Beautiful post on Italy.
Ishita
September 11, 2017 at 10:40 pmThank you dear!! 🙂