The most beautiful towns
in the Marches
The multifaceted region in eastern Italy not only offers scenic highlights but also impressive sights in its cities and towns. Read more about the most beautiful towns in Le Marche.
The most beautiful towns in the north of the Marches
The provincial capital of Urbino in the province of the same name is one of the cultural and historical highlights of central Italy! After all, it was here that the Italian Renaissance showed its splendour. The artist Raphael became famous in Urbino and Bramante, the builder of St. Peter’s Church in Rome, was born in Fermignano, just a few kilometres away. The impressive “Palazzo Ducale” is considered a masterpiece of the early Renaissance. Here, Prince Federico da Montefeltro dreamed of his “città ideale”, the ideal city of the Renaissance. Two centuries later, Urbino even produced a Pope in the person of Clement XI.
From the “Piazza Mecatale” you can reach the central “Piazza della Repubblica” with the popular Caffè Centrale through the 17th century “Porta Valbona”. A walk through the “Centro Storico” with still complete city walls leads steeply uphill to the highest point of the city, the “Parco della Resistenza” with a beautiful panoramic view over the city. A nice contrast to the historic townscape is the lively hustle and bustle of the city’s 20,000 students, who give it a young flair.
The coastal town of Pesaro with its four-kilometre-long sandy beach offers relaxation and culture at the same time. In honour of the city’s most famous son, the well-known cultural festival “Rossini Opera Festival” takes place here every year in August. The “Teatro Rossini” on the “Piazza Lazzarini” is still one of the most beautiful opera houses in Italy. The house where Gioacchino Rossini (1792 – 1868) was born is also worth a visit.
Other sights of the city are grouped around the “Piazza del Popolo” in the old town of Pesaro. By the sea, the central point is the “Piazzale della Libertà” with the large bronze sphere that the artist Arnaldo Pomodoro created. It seems to hover over the fountain basin below it. From here you can stroll along the Via della Repubblica through the city centre with its many shops and cafés.
The cities of Ancona and Ascoli Piceno
The regional capital, Ancona, is the economic centre of the Marche region and has the largest commercial port in the central Adriatic.
The port area is home to the city’s most impressive Roman building, the “Arco di Traiano”. Ancona’s landmark, the Romanesque-Gothic Duomo San Ciriaco, is enthroned on the neighbouring Monte Guasco.
The beautiful old town lies between Monte Guasco on the north side and the hill of the former citadel to the south. The best place to start a walk through the old town is the “Piazza del Plebiscito”. Here you will find the imposing 18th-century statue of Pope Clement XII and the beautiful church “Chiesa San Domenico” with works by Titian and Guercino inside. The nearby “Loggia dei Mercanti” with its Venetian-Gothic façade also dates from the 15th century and served as a trading exchange. It is probably the most important testimony to Ancona’s heyday.
The provincial capital Ascoli
Piceno is one of the most beautiful towns in central Italy. The old town, which is well worth seeing, lies on a plateau between the rivers Tronto and Castellano, which flow together in the east of the town. Light-coloured travertine stone dominates the city’s top-class buildings and is particularly impressive in the “Piazza del Popolo,” which is considered one of the most beautiful squares in Italy!
The main axes of the old town are Corso Mazzini, lined with shops, and Via Solestà and Via Soderini. The straight streets of the old Roman town alternate with medieval alleys and old family towers. In between are architectural works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The many old bridges over the two rivers are also worth seeing.
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The Marches are coastal & historic
Landscapes of the Marches
Specialities of the Marches
Geographical locaton
The Highlights of the Monti Sibillini
Provinces & Capitals
The dwarf state of San Marino
Most interesting sights
