Ancona at Monte Conero: Coast, Culture and Trails

Ancona lies on the northern part of the Monte Conero promontory, by a natural harbor, and overlooks a wide stretch of the Adriatic coast. This means you can plan your trip around different themes: the coast, the city’s history and the trails of Parco del Conero. The historic center is a few meters from the ferry terminal. If you are traveling by ferry, check separately whether services are operating before you depart.

Hiking in Parco del Conero

Parco del Conero can be explored on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike along a network of 18 trails. The trails are mainly accessed via the SP1 provincial road; other important access points are near Poggio di Ancona, Varano and Sirolo. Check the park’s latest notices and any closures before setting out.

The Traversata del Conero, Sentiero 301, starts at Poggio Sant’Antonio and is 8.3 kilometers long. Its stated duration is four hours; along the way, the hike offers views of Portonovo and the Due Sorelle. The Anello di Portonovo, Sentiero 309, is a 2.3-kilometer circular trail with a stated duration of one hour. Its stops are Lago Grande, Fortino Napoleonico, a watchtower, Lago Profondo and the church of Santa Maria di Portonovo. Check the latest information about seasonal access to the church. You can choose between a circular route listed as taking one hour and a four-hour hike, with different lengths and viewpoints.

Two other trails are each listed as taking one hour, but lead to different destinations. The 2.2-kilometer Sentiero 301A, Route Belvedere Nord, passes through woodland to a viewpoint over the sea and the former Camaldolese monastery. Sentiero 313, Route della Scalaccia, is 1.8 kilometers long and starts in Pietralacroce in Ancona. It leads to a viewpoint on the rocky coast, from which a Roman-era fish farm can be seen. The continuation toward the lower rocky area is currently restricted.

Sentiero 301B, Route Incisioni Rupestri, focuses on another trace of the past: a limestone rock surface of about 70 square meters bears engraved depictions, depressions and cup marks, some of them connected by channels. If you are interested in archaeological features of this kind, this offers a tangible counterpart to the viewpoints along the other trails.

Architecture and city history in Ancona

The Cattedrale di San Ciriaco stands on the remains of a Greek temple. The cathedral holds the body of Saint Cyriacus, the patron saint of Ancona; the remains of Saint Liberius and Saint Marcellinus are also kept there. The Arco di Traiano presents a different architectural form: the structure consists of a single arch and two Corinthian columns on a limestone podium. It was restored in 2000; removing the 19th-century gate made the arch fully accessible.

The Anfiteatro Romano di Ancona is presented on guided tours as the most important venue for events in Roman Ancona and as a place to explore the city’s layered history. Visiting periods may vary. At the entrance to the old port is the Mole Vanvitelliana, a building with a pentagonal floor plan. It was built as a lazaretto for quarantining people and goods from overseas and was later converted into a venue for cultural events.

The Museo Tattile Statale Omero also offers a distinctive way to engage with art: it presents art through tactile models, copies and casts, archaeological finds, and original works by contemporary artists. Its collection is thus quite different from the historic buildings found throughout the city.

Nature and culture at other destinations

The WWF Ripa Bianca Oasis in Jesi is a 310-hectare river oasis. It lies in an area of special conservation, is part of the regional reserve of the same name and is also designated as a Special Protection Area. There, you can visit different habitats and observe birds from hides by the lake. Guided visits must be booked in advance.

Specific conditions apply when purchasing tickets online for the Frasassi Caves in San Vittore delle Chiuse: reach the parking area at the cave entrance at least 15 minutes before the time shown on your ticket and go directly to the shuttle bus. The shuttle bus is free and included in the admission ticket you purchased. Check the ticket and shuttle conditions again before your trip.

In Castelfidardo, the Museo Internazionale della Fisarmonica connects an instrument with the town’s industrial history. The museum opened on May 9, 1981. Castelfidardo is known worldwide for accordion making; in 1863, Paolo Soprani founded the first Italian accordion industry there.

Cuisine and Rosso Conero

Typical dishes of Ancona’s cuisine include stoccafisso: dried cod with potatoes, tomatoes and aromatic herbs. Brodetto, a typical fish soup, is also eaten in Ancona; the soup is common in many other cities in the Marche region as well. Mosciolo selvatico di Portonovo is a mussel from the Conero coast and is recognized as a Slow Food Presidio.

Rosso Conero is a DOC wine made from the Montepulciano grape variety and produced on the slopes of Monte Conero. The stated production area includes Ancona, Camerano, Sirolo and Numana, as well as Offagna and parts of Castelfidardo and Osimo. Details may change depending on the year of certification. This cuisine and wine give the coastal landscape a distinct culinary connection, without implying that a single dish represents the entire region.

Discover more destinations: Camerata Picena, Corinaldo, Cupramontana, Filottrano, Montecarotto, Monterado, Osimo, Ostra, Senigallia, Cancelli, Numana, Agugliano, Mergo, Arcevia, Fabriano, Castelbellino, Serra Deʼ Conti, Monte Roberto, Marina Di Montemarciano, Falconara Marittima, Ancona, Pianello Vallesina, Castelfidardo, Camerano, Campodonico, Sassoferrato, Poggio D'ancona, Castelplanio, Jesi, Montemarciano, Sirolo, Rocca Priora, Morro D'alba, Genga, Loreto, Maiolati Spontini, San Marcello, Staffolo, Monsano, Serra San Quirico, Monte San Vito, Castelferretti, Poggio San Marcello, San Sabino, Rosora, Villaggio Taunus, Piticchio, Trecastelli, Montesicuro, Moie, Loretello, Marcelli, Offagna, Polverigi, San Paolo Di Jesi, Cerreto D'esi, Montoro, Candia, Precicchie, Villa Romana, Marzocca, Coldellanoce, Torrette, Bettolelle, Ostra Vetere, Campodiegoli, Caudino, Angeli di Rosora, Cabernardi, San Biagio, Rustico, Cerquete, Chiaravalle, San Vittore, Nebbiano, Scapezzano, Colleaprico.

To the main travel overview: Marche.