Ancona Bus, Bus, Attractions -. Sindbad

Ancona - attractions of the city and its surroundings

For a relatively small city, Ancona offers everything the average tourist is looking for in Italy. There are valuable monuments, sandy beaches, mountains, beautiful views and great cuisine. The area surrounding Ancona also abounds with numerous attractions. So what is worth seeing here?

San Ciriaco Cathedral

This Romanesque-Byzantine temple is located on the hill of Monte Guasco. It was built between the 11th and 12th centuries on a Greek cross plan on the site of the temple of Aphrodite, which was demolished in the 558 earthquake. The cathedral is patronized by Saint Cyriacus, as is the whole of Ancona. The temple is characterized by a stone facade with a beautiful portal on the exterior, and a simple, minimalist design on the interior.

Piazza del Plebiscito and other squares in Ancona

Piazza del Plebiscito, also known as Piazza del Papa is the oldest square in Ancona - it dates back to the 15th century. This rectangular square is surrounded by beautiful historic palaces and public edifices. It is also home to the Church of San Domenico, where the painting "Crucifixion" by Titian can be admired in the main altar. In addition to Piazza del Papa, there are 3 other large squares in the city, of which Piazza della Repubblica, with the Theater of the Muses and the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, is particularly worth a visit. From there, the shopping promenade Corso Garibaldi can be used to get to Piazza Roma, the central square in Ancona, where a market is held every morning.

The Arch of Trajan in Ancona

The Arco di Traiano was erected in 115 AD to crown the expansion of the local port. Near it is another arch built by order of Pope Clement XII in 1737, the Clementine Arch.

Santa Maria della Piazza Church

This church was built between the 11th and 12th centuries on the site of two earlier Paleo-Christian churches from the 6th and 7th centuries. It is a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture. Through the glass part of the church's floor, you can see the remains of the previous churches, including fragments of mosaics.

Fort Mole Vanvitelliana

This pentagon-shaped building was built in the 18th century on an artificially created island. Its purpose was to separate potentially infected travelers and goods arriving at the port of Ancona.

Beaches in and around Ancona

The Riviera del Conero stretching south of the city toward the village of Marcelli has beautiful beaches. There are numerous white cliffs surrounded by pine forests and beaches with azure seas, to which you usually have to walk down a bit. The town's Passetto beach is also worth at least a stroll. Although it is rocky and partially concreted, it has its own unique atmosphere due to the numerous caves hollowed out in the cliffs over 100 years ago. The Passetto caves were created as storage areas for fishing boats. Today they are further decorated with colorful doors. Another beach worth seeing is the beautiful Mezzavalle beach located a few kilometers outside of town, within the Parco del Conero.