Those who arrive in Ancona, the capital of the Marche region, and intend to visit this region with a rental car, will immediately notice the sweet beauty of the places
where everything tells of subdued and ancient elegance, the result of a noble history and of people courteous and hospitable who, in the calm of the many ancient villages,
reveal to tourists what was already known to one of his most famous countrymen, Raffaello Sanzio.
His paintings, unmatched for grace and refined composure, tell the soul of this land better than any other description.
The city airport pays homage, in the name, to this artist as if to reveal its distinctive feature: a harmonious beauty, always adorned with graceful decoration.
Although not large in size, Ancona has a lot to offer its visitors and it does so with the calmness that permeates the atmosphere of these places. Overlooking the Adriatic Sea,
and set between tongues of sand and pebbly coasts, it is gently protected by parks and hills that emphasise its mild beauty.
The port and the Mole Vanvitelliana
The starting point of our itinerary is the port of Ancona, one of the most important and busiest in Italy. From here, in fact, the connecting ships with
neighbouring Greece, Croatia and Albania depart. Here is the first discovery: the Mole Vanvitelliana, which is the lazaretto of the city designed by Vanvitelli
in 1733.
It is an original artificial island with a pentagonal plan, accessible through three bridges that stand the monumental entrance door and in the centre the small temple of
San Rocco, a small Church always Vanvitelliana, used to welcome the sick.
Here you can also visit the Omero tactile museum, one of the rarest in Italy, which offers a sensory experience to the visually impaired.
The Arch of Trajan
On the port's northern pier, there is one of the main historical monuments of the city, the Arch of Trajan, testifying to the ancient origins of the city and
the close relationship with the capital. The arch, one of the best-preserved in Italy, was built as an act of thanks from the Senate to the Emperor who had privately restored
the port. The arch offers the opportunity to climb the city walls for a walk that will lead you to the 16th century Clementine arch.
The historical centre
We are in the historic centre and our itinerary continues on the steep streets of the city. In fact, Ancona stands on a promontory, that of the Conero.
The city walls enclose a delightful inhabited centre where the squares mark the boundaries of the ancient districts: S. Pietro, Capodimonte, Cardeto and Santo Stefano.
Piazza Roma is the central nucleus of the city, where the main city districts converge and here, every day, a colourful and typical market takes place.
Another inevitable square in Ancona is Piazza del Plebiscito or Piazza del Papa, a very particular rectangular space on various levels connected by stairways
and ramps, full of ancient charm.
Here some numerous bars and clubs animate the nightlife while in the morning, the Government Palace, an imposing Renaissance building with its sixteenth-century
tower, houses the headquarters of the Prefecture. The square is closed by the church of San Domenico with its spectacular staircase and the neoclassical façade
in Istrian stone.
Not far away you will come across the famous 13 spouts fountain or Calamo fountain. Here 13 bronze masks let water gush out along a rectangular basin of
Renaissance elegance.
Continuing, you cannot miss the Loggia dei Mercanti, a refined fifteenth-century building covered with spires and precious mullioned windows, created to
favour the union between merchants and the exchange of the trade.
We also suggest you do not miss the opportunity to taste a typical Ancona dish: vincisgrassi, a recipe that was lost in 1783 and dedicated to the Austrian
prince Windisch-Graetz.
The dome
The spectacular Cathedral of San Ciriaco dominates the city, a pontifical basilica located at the top of the Guasco hill, reachable via a panoramic staircase
or thanks to a modern lift. The building dates back to the Romanesque and Byzantine periods, its entrance portal is marvellous, with some late mediaeval additions that amplify
the scenic effect.
The Cardeto Park
Ancona stands out from many other cities for its peculiar characteristic, the Cardeto Park, an immense urban park, in direct contact with the city centre
thanks to its five entrances. The area takes its name from the flowering of the thistle, but in spring you can admire various blooms that contribute to making it a suggestive
green lung, 35 hectares wide. In addition to its environmental and landscape value, the park has a considerable historical value: it encompasses the cemetery of the Jews with 178
funerary stones from the Renaissance period as well as the surrounding walls of the park dating back to 1500 and naturally adorned with climbing vegetation.
The Passetto beach
Like every city on the sea, Ancona also has its own beach, the Passetto beach is beautiful, reachable via a spectacular staircase that connects to the cliff
overlooking the sea.
But what makes this stretch of coast truly unique are its caves, over 200, which since 1800 have given shelter to fishermen's boats, thus becoming places
equipped and decorated most colourfully and imaginatively with ceramics, vintage furnishings, recycled materials.
Ancona awaits you with its calm but enchanting beauty and its ancient hospitality, you just have to leave to discover this wonderful city aboard one of our cars to rent.