The port of Ancona

Ancona:
Ancona is the main town of Le Marche with a population of 92,000. It is also home of some of the best seafood dishes in Italy. The city is a harbour in quite a unique position jutting out into the sea. However, it is not one of the most attractive cities in Italy and we would recommend visiting the more historic towns towards both the north and south as well as inland. The Basilica of San Ciriaco lies near the mouth of the harbor at the top of Guasco hill and has been a point of navigation for sailors since its completion in the 13th century. Close by is Ancona's most prominent Roman ruin, the excellently preserved Arch of Trajan. The Museo Nazionale delle Le Marche is well worth visiting as it has artifacts from Roman, Etruscan and Piceni times.

Macerata:
Macerata is a town and a provincial capital in Le March. The old centre is located on a hill between the Chienti and Potenza rivers and casts a grand image over the valley below. Together with the modern town, sprawling on the plain below, it has a population of about 41,000. There is a lift connecting the two towns. The old town was built between the 1600's and 1900's. In the central Piazza della Libertà there is the Loggia dei Mercanti with two-tier arcades dating from the Renaissance. There are a number of striking pallazzi, mostly along Corso Matteotti like Palazzo dei diamanti. Next to the Loggia dei Mercanti, Corso della Repubblica leads to Piazza Vittorio Veneto where, in the Palazzo Ricci, there is a museum and art gallery - a must-see is the Madonna and Child by Carlo Crivelli. The cathedral dates from the 1100's.

Urbino
One of the many city states in Italy which rose during the Italian Renaissance, Urbino wrote the book on courtly behaviour during the 16th century and was ruled by Federico da Montefeltro, who brought Europe’s greatest architects and artists to build his model city. The city also has two famous native sons; Raphael and Bramante. Today it’s an elegant, relaxed and very pleasant town, with good restaurants and fine museums and galleries.

Federico da Montelfeltro’s masterpiece, the Palazzo Ducale is the centerpiece of the old city center, now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Palazzo dominates the city skyline, with its twin towers being known throughout Italy as the home of a real Renaissance man. Today the Palazzo is home to the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, which contains a fine collection from the Duke's artistic friends.

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