Ancona and Le Marche

Visit Ancona

Ancona is located in central Italy, on the Adriatic coast. The town is situated in region of Le Marche, much-touted as the 'new Tuscany'. Inland from the beach resorts and busy ports of the Adriatic coastline, Le Marche is renowned for its unspoilt beauty and excellent cuisine.

Ancona Tourist Information

Ancona is mostly known as a modern port, not a tourist town, but it also has an appealing historic town on a hill. From the 11th-century duomo you can enjoy a wonderful sea view. The art gallery (Pinacoteca Communale), situated in a historic palazzo, contains works by artists including Titian. Ancona is also the home of the region's archeological museum, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale delle Marche, with exhibits including impressive Roman bronze statues. Your holiday options also include the beach; you can take a bus from the railway station to stretches of beach outside town.

Were it not for Ryanair's cheap flights to Italy, Ancona wouldn't be a great candidate for a weekend break, but for a cheap taste of a little-known part of Italy, it has much to recommend it. And if you're prepared to travel inland, Le Marche has many treasures to offer.

Le Marche Holiday Information

Le Marche (sometimes known in English as the Marches) runs from Adriatic beaches to the mountainous Appenines. From Ancona you could head north-west to appreciate the Renaissance riches of Urbino, or south-west towards the green hills of Umbria. Or for more heavily-touristed sights, you could leave Le Marche and take a trip to Rimini - or even pay a visit to another country; tiny San Marino.

Top Le Marche destinations include: Urbino, seaside Pesaro and Ascoli Piceno.

Ancona and Le Marche Travel Information

Ryanair's cheap flights to Italy land at Ancona's Falconara Airport, approximately ten miles from town. An hourly bus (30-minute journey, €1.25) runs to the main railway station. Within Ancona, you can travel about by bus and tram.

Ancona is on the main railway line between Bologna and Lecce, and locations along the Adriatic coast are easily reachable by train. Rimini is one and a half hours away, Bologna is two and a half hours away.

Ancona Hotels

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