If you don't want to wander far in search of exercise, the house has a full-size ping pong table at the rear.

For the less active the large swimming pool at the house provides the means of cooling down.  For walkers and cyclists the tracks in and around the valley where the house is situated are ideal for shorter walks and rides.  Further afield the possibilities are many.

The coast is about 45 minutes away by car, and there are many places to park the car and hit the beach.  The best places, however, are close to Conero, near Ancona. There is also swimming in a beautiful lake at Fiastra in the nearby Sibillini national park, about 25 - 30 minutes away.  There is a small beach, where beds, pedaloes and canoes can be hired.

The Sibillini national park is excellent for cycling and walking, and you can always escape the heat of summer by venturing higher up into the mountains.  There is even a massive circular walk, taking you from one village to the next in the park, via ancient routes used by muleteers and shepherds.  If you were to attempt this in one go it would take about 12 days, but it is possible to walk shorter sections of it and use buses to return to towns.  Accommodation, if required, can be arranged through the offices of the park, which are located in various towns, such as Sarnano and Amandola.

Sarnano is a lovely town about 15 Km to the south, and is well worth a visit.  You can also drive up to the ski resorts from here, and there are a number of clearly-marked walking trails starting just outside the town, providing spectacular views of mountains, valleys and alpine meadows.  Some of the photos featured here were taken on these trails.  Sarnano is also a handy place from which to hire bikes (details at the house).

Cycling on roads in the area is safe, as there is little traffic.  As there aren't too many flat stretches, it does require a certain level of fitness, though.

In the summer months every village hosts a festival of some sort, and these are always good fun, with food and drink being key elements.  San Ginesio has both a battle re-enactment at the end of July, and a palio (jousting competition) in mid-August, while Macerata hosts an open-air opera festival, attracting well-known names from the world of opera.

The nearby town of Urbisaglia has a marvellous fortress (la Rocca) and very well preserved Roman ruins.

Camerino, though very small, has a university as old as Oxford or Cambridge, and has excellent medieval buildings and a very good museum, containing a wealth of early and renaissance religious art.

The Abbadia di Fiastra (abbey), just north of Urbisaglia on the SS78, and has beautiful cloisters and a museum (refreshingly cool on a hot day), and is surrounded by a lovely nature reserve, where you can walk and cycle on good paths through woods and alongside rivers.

There are several ski resorts open in winter.  None is huge, but good for a couple of days each.