Sarnano is a medieval town on the edge of the Monti Sibillini National Park. In the course of time, the little town has kept its old circular structure, and walls.
The small medieval alleys, the quaint squares and the house all close to one another, the amber colour of the bricks create a suggestive atmosphere which is full of charm; restaurants, bars, supermarkets, banks, sports and the spa facilities are handy.In fact, Sarnano is also an important spa resort centre with and sport facilities; several sports are available: winter sports, swimming, tennis, horse riding, hang gliding, trekking, excursions and mountain-bike routes.
The healthy climate and the vicinity to the National Park facilitate the possibility of excursions and walks in a large protected green area.
The town has very old origins: the first settlements go back to Roman times when Augustus Caesar gave his veteran soldiers the lands surrounding Sarnano. This is testified by a Roman boundary stone found in 1955 between Sarnano and Amandola.
The creation of the urban centre goes back to the first half of the 13th century and is one of the few medieval towns in The Marches that keeps intact its historical centre, whose characteristic is that of the “castrum” (fortified city) which spirals concentrically, with high walls and entry gates, winding down from Piazza Alta to the base of the hill on which the town is built.
According to tradition, the community of Sarnano asked St. Francis, passing in the area at that time, for a coat of arms to be used in the documents of the town; consenting to their request, the saint traced the face of a seraph with six wings, symbol used also by the Franciscan Order for some events of St. Francis’ life. The Seraph – coat of arms (il Serafino) is, even today, the coat of arms today of the town of Sarnano.