The Sferisterio is a neoclassical open-air arena built in 1829 for pallone col bracciale (a now-extinct ball game played with a wooden arm guard). In 1921, someone had the idea of staging opera in it, and the acoustics turned out to be extraordinary. The Macerata Opera Festival (Sferisterio Opera Festival, July-August) now stages 3-4 major productions annually in the 3,000-seat arena — under the stars, with the stage set against the arena's straight wall. Productions have included Aida with elephants, Turandot with full spectacle, and Carmen with flamenco dancers on the arena floor. Macerata itself (population 42,000) is a Renaissance university city (founded 1290) with a harmonious Piazza della Libertà, the Madonna della Misericordia (Palazzo Ricci — now Museo Palazzo Ricci with contemporary Italian art), and the rolling Marche hills starting at the city gates. Marche →
Plan my Marche trip →Sferisterio: The arena — visit the interior even without a performance (€5 tour). The dimensions: 90m long, 30m wide, one straight wall (the stage), one curved end (the audience). Opera Festival (July-August): 3-4 productions, 10-15 performances. Tickets €20-150. Book at sferisterio.it months ahead. Piazza della Libertà: The main piazza — Loggia dei Mercanti (17th century), Torre Civica (clock tower, climbable), Palazzo dei Priori. Museo Palazzo Ricci: Italian contemporary art (Burri, Manzoni, Schifano) in a Renaissance palazzo. €5. The university quarter: Via Gramsci and surrounding streets — student energy, cheap restaurants, bookshops. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi: The Marche's famous white wine is produced in the hills between Macerata and the coast — taste at local enotecas.
Getting there: Macerata station (Civitanova Marche branch line, 30min from the Adriatic line). By car: 45min from Ancona, 1h from Perugia. Stay: €50-95/night (opera period higher). Eat: Osteria dei Fiori (€25-35 — vincisgrassi, the local lasagna), Da Secondo (€20-30). Combine with: Cingoli (25min — Balcony of Marche), Recanati (20min — Leopardi), Loreto (20min — Santa Casa), Sibillini (45min).