From seafront to seafront
Ancona is a city of many souls and panoramas, and full of reasons to love it: its seafront is certainly one of them.
Ancona begins and ends with the sea: this is what our seafront to seafront itinerary is all about. It will take you from the heart of the city, the port, to Passetto Beach, one of the most popular city beaches in Europe.
Your journey begins at the port, from the otherworldly Portella Santa Maria: leave the port behind you and immerse yourself into the old town.
Right in front of you, there’s the Church of Santa Maria della Piazza, a jewel of Romanesque architecture, and certainly one of the most beautiful churches in Le Marche.
Walk uphill along one of the alleys: you’ll reach Piazza del Plebiscito, which locals call Piazza del Papa. This magnificent rectangular piazza is the city’s stage, overlooked by the Church of San Domenico.
If you love history, don’t miss the City Museum!
Leave the piazza from a different alley: take Via degli Orefici or Via Gramsci.
As you walk downhill, you’ll find yourself in front of the Teatro delle Muse. Check out the program! There might be an opera, a play or a ballet you might want to see.
From here on, you’re crossing the city on your way to the other seafront. Look for the Fontana del Calamo (also known as Fontana delle Tredici Cannelle, Fountain of the Thirteen Spouts).
Near the fountain you’ll find the Mercato delle Erbe (Herbs Market), teeming with fruit, vegetable and bread stalls, and people who do their shopping before having a coffee in one of the bars nearby
Walk through Piazza Cavour, one of the main squares in town. Keep on walking along Viale della Vittoria, a tree-lined avenue that stretches across one of the residential areas of the city. You’ll reach the War Memorial (Monumento ai Caduti): you’ve arrived at Passetto, Ancona’s other seafront.
Enjoy the view from the pinewood, from the elevator, from the stairs or from the War Memorial. If you’re traveling with children, then you should stop by the Passetto Lakes (Laghetti del Passetto). You definitely can’t miss the Passetto Caves (Grotte del Passetto), 500+ man-made caves, each with its unique door, dug by fishermen to keep boats and tools: to get here, take the stairs or the elevator, and you’ll arrive at Ancona’s iconic beach.
We hope you enjoyed our tour of Ancona from coast to coast!
Thank you for joining with us!
And we thank Arianna Moroni for the beautiful photo.
