Ancona packs a surprising amount into its compact historic core and surrounding coastline. The city’s Greek origins (founded by Syracusan exiles in 387 BC), Roman monuments, medieval cathedral, and Renaissance fortifications sit alongside one of the Adriatic’s best urban beaches. The Conero Riviera south of the city adds a completely different dimension with white limestone cliffs, turquoise coves, and hiking trails. Here are the essential things to do, organized by category.
Read our complete Ancona travel guide for an overview of the city.Things to Do in Ancona: Historic Landmarks
Ancona Cathedral (Duomo di San Ciriaco)
Perched on the Guasco Hill at the top of the old town, the Cathedral of San Ciriaco dominates the city skyline and offers panoramic views across the port and Adriatic. The building is a hybrid of Romanesque and Byzantine styles, built between the 11th and 13th centuries on the site of a Roman temple to Venus. The facade features a striking rose window and a Gothic portal with carved lions. Inside, look for the 16th-century wooden choir stalls and the crypt with remnants of the original 4th-century basilica. Entry is free. Open daily 8:00-12:00 and 15:00-19:00 (shorter winter hours: 8:00-12:00 and 15:00-18:00). Climb the adjacent bell tower (EUR 3) for the best photo spot in the city. See our weather by month guide for detailed information. See our best time to visit guide for detailed information.
Arch of Trajan
This marble triumphal arch from 115 AD stands at the end of the port mole, erected in honor of Emperor Trajan who expanded the harbor. It is one of the finest Roman monuments on the Adriatic coast, standing 14 meters high with Corinthian columns and inscriptions that are still legible. The arch is free to view and accessible by walking the full length of the port pier, a 15-minute walk from Piazza della Repubblica. Best photographed at sunset when the marble glows gold against the sea. The port security checkpoint lets pedestrians pass freely during daylight hours. See our events and festivals for detailed information. See our travel tips and FAQ for detailed information.
Mole Vanvitelliana (Lazzaretto)
The pentagonal artificial island designed by Luigi Vanvitelli in 1733 sits in the port, originally built as a quarantine station and later used as a military barracks. Today it houses the Museo Tattile Statale Omero (a tactile museum designed for visually impaired visitors, free entry) and hosts rotating art exhibitions. The building itself is the star: a perfect pentagon surrounded by a moat, connected to the mainland by three bridges. Check the exhibition schedule at museoomero.it. The courtyard cafe is a good spot for an aperitivo. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-13:00 and 16:00-19:00, Sunday 16:00-19:00, closed Mondays. Entry to the building is free; temporary exhibitions may charge EUR 5-10.
For more information, see our Ancona neighborhoods guide.Piazza del Plebiscito
Ancona’s main square, nicknamed “Piazza del Papa” by locals, stretches 100 meters between the Palazzo del Governo and the Church of San Domenico. The square features a statue of Pope Clement XII (who granted Ancona free port status in 1732) and serves as the city’s living room. The Thursday morning market fills the square with 50+ stalls selling fresh produce, cheese, clothing, and household goods from 7:00 to 13:00. Cafes with outdoor seating line the perimeter: Caffe Giuliani on the corner has been operating since 1860 and does a proper espresso for EUR 1.20 at the bar.
For more information, see our where to stay in Ancona.Things to Do in Ancona: Museums and Culture
National Archaeological Museum of the Marche
Housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Ferretti, this museum traces the region’s history from the Paleolithic through the Roman era. Highlights include the gilded bronze statues from Cartoceto di Pergola (the only surviving Roman gilded bronze group in the world), a large collection of Picene artifacts (the pre-Roman civilization of the Marche), and Greek ceramics from the ancient port. The palace itself is worth the visit with its frescoed ceilings by Pellegrino Tibaldi. Entry is EUR 5 (EUR 2 reduced). Open Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-19:30, Sunday 8:30-13:30, closed Mondays. Plan 90 minutes to see everything.
Pinacoteca Civica Francesco Podesti
The city art gallery occupies Palazzo Bosdari and contains works spanning the 14th to 19th centuries. The collection focuses on Venetian and Marchigian painters including Carlo Crivelli’s “Madonna and Child” (one of his finest works outside Venice), Lorenzo Lotto, Titian’s “Apparition of Christ to His Mother,” and Francesco Podesti’s large-scale historical canvases. Entry is EUR 6 (EUR 3 reduced). Open Tuesday-Friday 9:00-13:00, Saturday 9:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00, Sunday 15:00-18:00, closed Mondays. Plan 60 minutes.
Things to Do in Ancona: Beaches and Outdoor Activities
Passetto Beach and the Grottoes
The Passetto is Ancona’s city beach, a stretch of white pebbles beneath limestone cliffs at the foot of the Monumento ai Caduti (war memorial). The defining feature is the rows of colorful wooden fishing shacks and caves (grotte) carved into the cliff face by fishermen in the 19th century, still used to store boats and equipment. The beach is free with no entrance fee. It is accessible via a long staircase from the Piazzale del Passetto or an elevator (EUR 0.50 each way, operates 7:00-23:00 in summer). The water is clean and clear, with a seabed that drops off quickly. There is a small bar for drinks and panini. Gets busy on summer weekends; arrive before 10am to claim a spot.
Conero Riviera Beaches
The 20km stretch of coastline south of Ancona from Portonovo to Numana is the Conero Riviera, featuring the most dramatic beaches in the Marche. Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle (Two Sisters Beach), named for twin sea stacks rising from the water, is accessible only by boat: daily excursions run from Numana port (EUR 15-20 round trip, June through September). Spiaggia di Portonovo is a crescent of pebbles and sand backed by Mediterranean scrub, with three good seafood restaurants (Ristorante Emilia does excellent brodetto, the local fish stew). Spiaggia di San Michele in Sirolo is the most family-friendly with gradual depth and rental umbrellas (EUR 20/day for two loungers and an umbrella in high season). Parking at all Conero beaches costs EUR 5-10 per day and fills by 10am in August.
Conero Regional Park Hiking
The Monte Conero promontory (572m) offers 18 marked trails through oak forests, Mediterranean maquis, and limestone cliffs with sea views. Trail 301 from Portonovo to the summit takes about 2 hours each way with 400m elevation gain: the panoramic viewpoint at Pian dei Raggetti looks north across the entire Ancona coastline. Trail 304 (the “Stradone”) is an easy 5km loop through holm oak forest suitable for families. The park visitor center at the Badia di San Pietro monastery has free trail maps and opens weekends 9:00-17:00. Spring (April-May) brings wildflowers and orchids; autumn has the best visibility for photography. No entrance fee for the park.
