From the Conero Riviera to the inland municipalities

The Cathedral of St. Cyriacus represents the emblem of Ancona, both for its geographical position as well as for its historical and religious meaning.

The hilltop on which it rests was once called the Cumero promontory in antiquity, a name formed by the Greek words Kuma and Oro , which together mean " mountain facing the sea ". It was subsequently called Colle di San Ciriaco or Colle Guasco, as colonel Cesare Guasco ordered important fortifications to be built towards the sea.

The Church was built on the remains of an ancient temple dedicated to Venus Euplea, the goddess of good navigation. White Conero stone and Veronese red marble were used for its construction.

This temple was destroyed in 558 by an earthquake that also razed to the ground the small town of Numana. The cross-shaped outline of the building, featuring a central plan, is dominated by a soaring twelve-sided cupola with its Gothic vaults. Covered with sheets of metal, it is considered by experts to be one of the oldest and most perfect cupolas in Italy. The interior of the church, along with the portal – a 13^th century Gothic masterpiece - and the nearby Diocesan Museum are all worth a visit.

Under the glass slabs you can still see the remains of the pagan temple and of the early- Christian basilica with fragments of mosaics. In the left aisle you can find the monument to the Blessed Ghinelli, a work by Giovanni Dalmata da Traù (1509). In the right aisle in the chapel of the Madonna there’s a splendid altar of the Madonna by Luigi Vanvitelli (1738). In the right wing, in the chapel of the Holy Cross, magnificent Medieval  tiles with symbolic meanings.

Under the Madonna chapel is a crypt with the remains of the patron saints of the Diocese: St. Ciriacus, Saints Liberius and Marcellinus.

Ancona, the region's capital, is located on the central Adriatic coast.

SEA TOURIST OFFER: The city has several beaches. The most central is called Passetto, with large white rocks;  gravel beaches are towards the south of Ancona. From Ancona, the first port of call is Portonovo, the smallest retreat on the Conero Riviera. The bay of Portonovo  is one of the prettiest white pebbled beach on the whole of the Northern Adriatic shore. The strand is split in two by the Fortino Napoleonico, a squat, blank-eyed fort built in 1808 by Napoleon's Italian Viceroy to fight off English ships. It is now a most singular hotel. At the end of the road, where the evergreen oaks that smother the mountain come down to the sea, stands the early Romanesque church of Santa Maria. Built between 1034 and 1048, its curious form is unique in Italy and looks as if it might be more at home in Normandy. On the bay, often crowded, there are few restaurants with a breathtaking view balcony serving fish dishes. “Della Vela” beach is a spectacular beach with a rock, shaped like a sail. It's a free public beach, at the very end of the south versant of the bay. The beach of Mezzavalle adds a touch of wilderness and scenery to the beauties of the bay. To the north of the port of Ancona is the sandy beach of Palombina, with shallow sea water. To the southwest of the port of Ancona is  the well equipped marina "Marina Dorica", including 1200 berths.

ATTRACTIONS: The most representative monument of Ancona is the Cathedral of San Ciriaco, a pleasant mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine syle, built on the foundations of a temple of the fourth century B.C. and a pre- Christian church. The most remarkable tourist attractions are: the Church of Santa Maria della Piazza, a masterpiece of Romanesque art, with its impressive facade ; the Arch of Trajan, a Roman arch erected in the first century A.D; the Church of San Francesco alle Scale, with its beautiful facade in Venetian Gothic style, the Mole Vanvitelliana, a former pentagonal fortress, buil by Vanvitelli and now hosting shows, art exhibitiosn and concerts in summer time; the Loggia dei Mercanti, with its Venetian-Gothic facade; the terrific Fountain of Calamus or Tredici Cannelle, a regimented row of 13 masked spouts. Must see attractions are also:  the Municipal Art Gallery, which houses masterpieces of art made by Carlo Crivelli, Titian, Lorenzo Lotto and Guercino; the Museo Archeologico Nazionale delle Marche, an outstanding collection of antique nick-nacks - black and red Attic vases, Etruscan bronzes, and Iron Age jewellery; the Tactile Museum Omero, allowing the blind to approach art by touching life-size plaster casts of famous sculptures, architectural models of famous monuments, but also archaeological finds and original sculptures by contemporary artists. 
The most popular dishes are the stoccafisso all'anconetana (salt cod) and the fish soup. The mosciolo selvatico ( wild mussel) from Portonovo, is protected by Slow Food Association. The most typical wine made in the area is Rosso Conero, a full-bodied red wine produced around the Conero peninsula. The most important events taking place in Ancona during the year include: the Fair of San Ciriaco ( May) and the "Adriatic Mediterranean Festival" (August/September), boasting artists from countries of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean areas.

Perfectly nested in the natural paradise of the Monte Conero, this church overlooks the white limestone cliffs on which it is erected. In harmony with its surroundings, and partially concealed by the greenery, the church of Santa Maria di Portonovo is a true gem of Romanesque architecture, made of blocks of limestone from the Conero. The floorplan in the form of a Greek cross is divided up into a nave and four aisles, with a cupola split into two parts, square lantern and tambour, where the main source of light is represented by the characteristic mullioned double windows.

The Abbey of San Pietro al Conero is situated on Mount Conero at about 450 m. above sea level. It was a former Benedictine Hermitage. The abbey now retains the Romanesque church, later restored in the early thirteenth century. It has three naves, divided by different pillars. The bell tower dates back to thirteenth century, while the façade was renotated in the eighteenth-century. The most remarkable parts of the church are the sculptures. The twelfth century capitals are decorated with zoomorphic subjects, that are typical of the symbolic Romanesque bestiary . The capitals of the crypt, dating back to the eleventh century, feature cubic shapes and Corinthian style. The ancient Benedictine monastery next to the church has been transformed into an elegant and comfortable hotel.

The city of Ancona is located on the coast of central Adriatic on a promontory formed by the northern slopes of Monte Conero. The port of Ancona is one the most important ports on the Adriatic Sea: it’s a fishing, tourist, commercial and industrial port. The oldest part of town straddles Colle Guasco, the hill above the port. On its peak, stands Ancona's finest and most remarkable church, the Medieval Cathedral of San Ciriaco. There are different beaches near Ancona: Passetto is the “urban beach”, featuring white-grey color rocks and the so-called “grotte” (caves), that were carved by fishermen to provide shelters for their small-sized fishing boats.

To the north of Ancona the sandy beach of Palombina is more suitable for both children and families. Just south of Ancona rises the solitary limestone peak of Monte Conero whose steep slopes slide down to the sea; the bay of Portonovo, protected by the Regional Park of Monte Conero, is one of the prettiest white pebbled beach on the whole of the Northern Adriatic shore. On the bay, often crowded, there are few restaurants with a breathtaking view balcony serving fish dishes. “Della Vela” beach is a spectacular beach with a rock, shaped like a sail. It's a free public beach, at the very end of the south versant of the bay. The beach of Mezzavalle adds a touch of wilderness and scenery to the beauties of the bay. Once in Ancona you can’t miss the two most typical and famous dishes : the Ancona stockfish (stoccafisso all’anconetana) and the “brodetto” (fish stew). A glass of Rosso Conero (local red wine) is recommended.

Tourist information
www.parcodelconero.com

The Regional Park of Mount Conero covers an area of about 6000 hectares of protected land; it was established in 1997; the towns included in the park are: Ancona, Camerano, Numana and Sirolo. Mount Conero, just south of Ancona, provides the only really rugged coastline in The Marche. Rising spectacularly out of the sea to a height of 572 metres, it boasts over a thousand species of wild plants, as well as a rich bird life and several mammals suck as the badger, the fox, the weasel, the skunk, the deer, the wild boar and the hedgehog. Its territory includes places of great charm: the bay of Portonovo, the riviera's two chief resort of Sirolo and Numana, the northern view-point, Pian Grande, Pian dei Raggetti, 18 hiking routes developing among strawberry trees, brooms, chestnut trees, oaks, olive trees, vineyards, maples and junipers and this all immersed in the magic Mediterranean maquis. There are different landscapes and environments in the protected area: the steep limestone cliffs, the hills, the agricultural areas, the valley floors, the wet lands, the coastal dunes and the salt lakes in Portonovo bay.

The park also boasts remarkable geological, historic and artistic attractions: the rock carvings, the Roman caves, the Camerano caves, the Benedictine and Franciscan Monasteries such as San Pietro al Conero, the ruins of the hermitage of Saint Benedict, the beautiful Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Portonovo, the archaeological area of the Picene necropolis in Sirolo, the Fortino Napoleonico in Portonovo bay, a fort built in 1808 by Napoleon's Italian Viceroy to fight off English ships. The most typical products of the area are: Rosso Conero, the outstanding red wine from the vineyards around Monte Conero, the “mosciolo selvatico” (wild mussels) of Portonovo, honey and oil.

 The Conero Park is a paradise for bird watchers and its many paths meet the needs of those who enjoy mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding and it’s not at all unfrequent to see horses by the beach in winter months.  The cliffs are ideal for climbing and free climbing, and the clear coastal waters are ideal for lovers of diving, sport fishing, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. The slopes of the Conero are also well suited as a starting point for hang-gliding and paragliding. Also common is horse riding and in winter by the beach. Various are the schools for the mentioned disciplines.

Info
Visitor Centre
Tel. 071 9330490
ufficiocultura@parcodelconero.eu

The southern spur of Mount Conero shelters Sirolo: the Riviera del Conero 's most attractive resort. It has a pretty medieval centre with narrow, colorful alleys and a tree-lined, balcony piazza that teeters high above the sea. At the gates of the old town stands the delicious XIX century Cortesi theatre. Beautiful pebbled beaches and warm weather draws tourists from mid May until late September. Sirolo is actually the most traditional destination for tourists. The best beaches are accessible using a half-hourly bus service that drops down to each of the coves. San Michele beach is a lovely thin strip of beach, with clear water and lined with umbrellas and deckchairs in high season ; Sassi Neri beach is a long, black pebbled (hence the name) strand of beach; Urbani beach , with its green pine-wood as a backdrop , has a charming and half moon shape strand on the bay of Sirolo. One of the nicest beach is the so called “ le Due Sorelle” beach ( the “Two Sisters” beach) , which took its name from two huge twin rocks rising from the transparent water. The beach is reachable by boat. In Summer there daily boats leaving from the nearby port of Numana.

Tourist information
www.parcodelconero.com

The center of Sirolo lies on the southern slope of Mount Conero and is included in the Conero Regional Park.  It has a pretty medieval centre with narrow, colorful alleys and a tree-lined, balcony piazza that teeters high above the sea. Beautiful gravel beaches and warm weather draws tourists from mid May until late September.

SEA TOURIST OFFER: The best beaches are accessible using a half-hourly bus service that drops down to each of the coves; Spiaggia Urbani is a nice gravel beach; there are further gravel beaches, such as San Michele and Sassi Neri beaches. The Sassi Neri beach is so called because of the presence of sedimentary black rocks. Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle (Two Sisters Beach) is Sirolo's most peculiar and well known beach, so named after two twin rocks raising from the water in front of it. In summertime it is reachable by boat from the port of Numana. It is quoted by Legambiente  in the list of the ten Italy's most beautiful beaches. A unique event taking place there is the release of sea turtles on this beach. There are three further beaches: Spiaggia dei Lavori, neighboring north the beach of the two sisters, with pebbles and stones , and two beautiful sandy bays, Spiaggia dei Forni and Spiaggia dei Gabbiani (respectively, Ovens Beach and Seagulls Beach). Spiaggia dei Frati owes its name to a nearby submerged reef , called  “Shoal”, and is also called “Spiaggia del Bo’” (Ox Beach) because of a rock facing it that looks like an ox. 

ATTRACTIONS: In its lovely medieval center must see attractions are: the church of San Nicola, the Church of the Holy Rosary and the nineteenth century Teatro Cortesi. A short walk from the village, stands the Teatro alle Cave, a natural cave in the Conero Park, boasting interesting summer shows. On the peak of Mount Conero you can admire the Romanesque Romanesque church of “Badia San Pietro”, founded by the Benedictines in the first half of the eleventh century. Sirolo boasts one of the most remote human presences in the Marche region. Since prehistoric times mysterious inhabitants left the signs of their presence dating back to 100,000 years ago. The Piceni settled in this area during the Iron Age; in Sirolo there is a large archaeological necropolis  (VI century BC.). One of the main find exhibited is the burial complex of the Sirolo's Picene Princess ("Tomb of the Queen"); you can enjoy many activities in Sirolo like hiking, biking, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, diving, tennis, golf and birdwatching. One of the most important events taking place in Sirolo during the year is the Palio di San Nicola, Sirolo's patron saint.  The celebrations are in early May.

Opened in 1992, the Conero Golf Club is in the Conero Regionale Park, in the municipality of Sirolo, which offers the extraordinary beauty of the Marche's countryside.
There are almost seventy hectares of land where brooms, strawberry trees, oak trees, tamarisk and cherry trees surround the 18-hole championship course and the 5 hole in the executive field.

The championship course, 18 holes, par 71, is a challenging test for any golfer. The land is gently moved and offers a wide variety of landscapes: in the area of first nine holes is a lake; in the remaining area the land is more colourful.

At the center of the complex is the executive trail. Its 5-hole, par 17, it is the ideal ground to start playing and to have lessons with the teachers. This short course allows races for children and beginners, golf clinics and refinement of the short game.

The Conero Golf Club is known for its high quality standards of reception and services. Relaxing moments can be enjoyed in the clubhouse, in the bar or the restaurant, in the pool and in the card room. Two artificial grass courts also allow playing tennis.

The hilly landscape of the Marche slopes gently down to the Adriatic sea, immersed in nature with occasional small villages, castles and fortresses. Despite the slopes, one of the most enjoyable ways to explore the region is by bicycle. It offers the tourist the chance to appreciate the natural beauty, the history and the art and to try the local wine and food specialities.

The southern spur of Conero shelters Numana, a lovely resort of the Conero Riviera, included in the Conero Regional Park. From the gardens of Piazza Nova you can enjoy a wonderdeful view of the magnificent limestone massif. The town is divided in two parts: Numana Alta and Numana Bassa. Numana Alta is the oldest part with its houses of white limestone, narrow streets, the tower, a medieval ruin, and the Bishop’s palace, today the seat of the town council. Near the central piazza there’s an archeological museum, documenting the history of the Piceni tribes who lived here until Rome muscled in. Numana Bassa features the tourist port and the white pebbled beach equipped with sun beds and umbrellas. More to the south is Marcelli, a more modern area with a wide choice of accommodation facilities. Many sports can be practiced in the area : mountain bike, sailing, surfing, wind surfing, tennis and scuba diving.

Tourist information
www.parcodelconero.com

In Sirolo you will find an interesting archeological area at Pini place. This area is very important because it is the only one in Marche in which is possible visiting a sector of Picene Necropolis.

In 1989, in this archeological area it has been found out the “Sirolo Princesse Grave”, a funerary complex belonging to a Picene noble lady buried with a sumptuous set including also two chariots, referable to the Vi century b. C.

The two found chariots are of different typologies: a biga and a gig; as for other similar finds of central Adriatic Italy, they were disassembled and positioned in the sepulchre grave. This was a typical procedure of the Picene community funeral rites of the close Numana. Inside the Antiquarium Numana State Museum, into a support expressly provided to offer the dig, there have been positioned all the recovered and restored metal parts of the two chariots, leaving unaltered the proportions and the dimensions of the find.

Another as important as rare archeological find has been unearthed: an amber and ivory decorated kline which has confirmed the extraordinary importance of this royal burial. Besides of other interesting archeological finds (Attic bowls and cups with black shapes, oinochoe, strainer, bronze tripod, andirons and iron spears, terracotta dolii) there are materials and personal decoration artefacts regarding the funeral dress (sandals, pectoral-pendants, fibulas of different shapes and types).

Some of the rich and numerous archeological finds discovered is displayed at the Antiquarium Numana State Museum.

Numana is located along the central Adriatic Sea, at the southern slopes of Mount Conero. Its territory is almost completely included in Mount Conero Regional Park.
The historic center is situated in the area called Numana Alta, as it is at the top of a cliff overlooking the sea; Numana Bassa includes the area below the marina.

The Numana Alta beach includes two bays which the sea created by the cliff, namely Spiaggiola and Spiaggia dei Frati (Friars Beach); the Numana Bassa beach, instead, expands south of the port up to the Marcelli suburb and hosts many beach  and camping resorts, and holiday clubs. Especially fit for children is Marcelli beach, with its colorful resorts, particularly equipped for families. In the mainly hilly interior of the territory lies Svarchi, the second Numana suburb. In the southern part of the communal area, coinciding with the southern limit of the Conero Natural Park, there is the mouth of the Musone river, a wet area very important for environment and nature preservation. The beaches awarded with a Blue Flag in 2018 are Numana Bassa/Marcelli Nord and Numana Alta.

The main tourist attractions are: the rest of the bell tower of a church or of a watchtower; an archeological museum, documenting the history of the Piceni tribes who lived here until Rome muscled in; the Shrine of the Crucifix with a crucifix in cedar wood, a  remarkable Byzantine sculpture dating back to the thirteenth century; the city hall, a palace built in 1773, once used as a summer residence of the bishops of Ancona; the Costarella, one of the most typical streets of Numana. Sport lovers have the opportunity to practice a lot of activities: hiking, biking, sailing, surfing, windsurfing, tennis and scuba diving. The most important event is the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, which takes place on August 14. The feast starts around at 9. p.m. with the celebration of the Mass at the port; after the service, the fishermen pay homage to the patron. At the end there are the fireworks on the sea.
Numana is the first city in the Marche region that has started a program to rescue loggerhead turtles. Numana has run this program since 2001. It collaborates with the Cetacea Foundation for the rescue of the loggerhead turtles. Recently, it has been accepted as part of the ambitious European Project IPA Adriatic NetCet that has the aim to safeguard protected species that may be in danger. This cross – border project highlights the excellence and the experience of the Adriatic city in this field. It is inside this project that it has been decided to create a rehabilitation or pre – realize area here. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful part of the Conero coastline. This area has been named “The Turtles Bay”.
The aim of the project is to inform the users of the coast about the treasures of the Adriatic sea and particularly of the permanent presence (and not random) of the loggerhead turtles in the Conero bay. The core moment of the project is the release of the recovered turtles in the sea: those are the so called liberations made from the rehabilitation area named “the bay”. It is well known that lately the good environmental protection practice has become an added value: tourism, in fact, is no more seen only as the staying in a place where you can relax, have fun and enjoy the services but as the research of new strong experiences. 

The town is surrounded by vineyards which stand out in the fields. They are the fruit of sustainable environmental policies which promote cultivating methods environment friendly and made Numana, the only town in the Ancona province, earn the Spiga Verde (Green Spike) prize.

The State Antiquarium stands behind the Town Hall. It is an archeological museum established and opened to public since 1974; it contains numerous archeological ruins found in Sirolo and Numana, and among them there is a part of the rich set, with the ruins of the ancient chariot, of the “Sirolo Picene Princess Grave”- found out in the archeological area of the necropolis at the “I Pini” place in Sirolo. The Numana and Sirolo archeological finds are also contained in some important world museums, such as the British Museum in London and the Metropolitan in New York.

In the Town Hall gallery of Camerano you can see the collection of the painter Carlo Maratti, born in Camerano, who transported the remains of the Christian martyr “Santa Faustina” from the Roman catacombs to the “Chiesa di San Nicolò di Bari” church in Camerano. San Francesco passed through Camerano and a church here is dedicated to him. The Italian television program “Mistero” also filmed a segment in this church in which they investigated the mysterious remains of a child found under the altar of the church.
A secret underground city under the streets of Camerano is connected by a dense network of tunnels, caves, and carved niches, and decorated with friezes, ornaments and religious symbols. 
Many, dug in sandstone, connected throughout the rock basement of the town centre, with labyrinthine pattern. For a long time it was thought that they were but the remains of ancient sandstone quarries or even wine cellars. However, explorations, interpretations, and the modern walkways, which have made these caves accessible today, have revealed the presence in almost all areas of architectural embellishments, carvings and decorative details that do not fit in quarries or simple storage rooms: domes, barrel vaults, circular rooms and decorative columns, decorated with friezes, ornaments and religious symbols are constants along the entire route.  The caves unravel in front of an often impressed visitor, showing an underground town almost like a charming fairytale, a secret Camerano were both history and legend are real. The most plausible interpretation today is that of a residential, ritual, and the defensive purpose. During the second world war in 1944, the entire underground system was used as an anti-bomb shelter.
Nestled between the hills of the Conero Riviera, Camerano gave birth to “Rosso Conero”, a full-bodied and structured wine made from Montepulciano grapes. Enjoy this magnificent wine in one of the many wine cellars of the city. Every year, during the first week of September, Camerano celebrates the “Festa del Rosso Conero”, a festival dedicated to this wine where you can spend an enjoyable evening tasting local food and wine until late into the night.

Loreto, a small town of Ancona Province, is known all over the world for its Sanctuary that makes it one of the most important places of pilgrimage and pray for the Catholics, together with Medjugorje and Lourdes. The believers go to Loreto to give prays of devotion to the ruins of the Holy House where Jesus lived in Nazareth. On the basis of a former ancient tradition and latter historical and archeological researches, it is confirmed indeed that the Loreto Sanctuary keeps the Nazarene House of Mary; according to tradition, when in 1921 the crusaders were driven from Palestine out, the walls of the house of Mary were brought first to Illyria (to Tersatto, the present Croatia) and then to Loreto (10 December 1294).

Inside the Sanctuary you will admire: The Dome – The Crucifix Chapel – the French Chapel or Sacrament’s – the Slavic Chapel or Cirillo and Metodio Saints – the Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel or American’s – the Choir Chapel or German’s – the Sacred Heart Chapel or Polish’s – the St John Sacristy or Signorelli’s – the Urbino Dukes Chapel – the St Joseph Chapel or Spanish’s – the Swiss Chapel or Gioacchino and Ann Saints – St Mark Sacristy or Melozzo’s – the side Chapels –the Treasure Room or Pomarancio’s.

The square outside the Sanctuary ends in the northern and western sides with the Apostles Palace, in the eastern side with the front of the Basilica, and in the southern side with the Illyrian Palace; on you r left hand you will admire the Bell Tower drawn by Luigi Vanvitelli; instead, in the middle there is the Fountain by Carlo Maderno and Giovanni Fontana.
We have to mention the impressive Basilica of Loreto Dome built in the octagonal drum, up to the eaves by Giuliano da Maiano; it was vaulted by Giuliano da Sangallo in only eight months, from September 1499 to May 1500.

“The Loreto Holy House is the first Sanctuary of International importance dedicated to the Virgin and the true Marian heart of Christianity”. (Pope John Paul II)

Castelfidardo is one of the world's leading center for the manufacture of the accordion.
It now styles itself the world capital of the accordion. In its Internation Museum of Accordion you can admire more than 150 examples of the instrument. The town still has a thriving musical industry and claims that the piano accordion was developed here in 1863 from the more primitive Austrian squeeze box. In September the International Accordion Festival draws musicians from all over the world ; they can transform the sound of this humble instrument into unimaginable artistry.
The historic battle of Castelfidardo is remembered by the imposing National Monument of the Marche to the Victorians of Castelfidardo, made in 1911 in bronze by the sculptor Vito Pardo, which depicts General Cialdini on horseback in the act of leading Piedmontese soldiers against the papal troops. In addition, the area of ​​the battle can be visited, with the Ossuary, the memorial of the fallen, and the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
Five miles from the town centre you can't miss the  "La Selva di Castelfidardo", a recognized Protected Floristic Area, where the homonymous Environmental Education Center is effective. Excursions and guided tours are provided by skillful staff.

In summertime, during the weekend you can visit Villa Ferretti, boasting many remarkable works collected by Duke Roberto Ferretto, keen on Italian art, who wanted to honor the Marche, the Church and his noble family.

The town is also popular for the production of gift items, objects and furnishing accessories in gold and silver. 

Castelfidardo is situated not so far from the sea, dominating from its hill the Musone Valley and the area of Aspio. It is known throughout the world for its famous music instruments factories, such as accordions, keyboards and organs. When passing by this places, you are invited to go and visit the Accordion International Museum, located in the basement of the  City Hall. In the Museum you can find documents about the history of a musical instrument that have had in Castelfidardo the main production centre for over a century, with its  350 unique specimens coming from twenty-two different countries.

When you are at Castelfidardo, you can miss anything but a visit at the Accordion International Museum, a musical instrument work of genius with an accurate mechanism so loved by many generations of Italians. In the Museum you can find documents about the history of a musical instrument that have had in Castelfidardo the main production centre for over a century, with its  350 unique specimens coming from twenty-two different countries.

You will discover all the stages of accordion production, its classification, and all the people that had relationships with it appreciating that characteristic musical instrument by watching at photographs on panels and at photographical documentations of artists such as Marc Chagall, Tonino Guerra, Silvia Bugari, Rodolfo Gasparri and paint replicas of Giovanni Boldini, Fernand Leger, Gino Severini, without forgetting the extraordinary sculpture works of Stefano Pigini, Franco Campanari, Edgardo Mugnoz.

San Giuseppe da Copertino, known as the “The Saint of flights”, is one of the most interesting personalities of the Christian mysticism.

As well as being the students’ patron Saint, he’s the same for the Catholic Anglo-Saxon aviation and the catholic NATO paratroopers. In Osimo, where he died in 1663, is the basilica dedicated to him, prior called Church of San Francesco. On the occasion of his beatification (1753), the Minor Friars decided to renovate and enrich it, according to time, and commissioned the work to the architect Andrea Vici. The Saint’s remains were placed under the altar in 1771. Among the housed works it is important to note the painting of the Madonna Enthroned with Saints by Antonio Solario; the canvas of the Crucifixion by Francesco Solimena. The Crypt, with the Saint’s remains, was built in 1963, on the occasion of the third centenary of his death. The Saint’s rooms were preserved in their original condition, including the three bedrooms that housed St. Giuseppe da Copertino from 1657 to 1663 and the oratory where he celebrated the Holy Mass.

Osimo’s town walls are one of the most important evidence of town planning made by the ancient Roman colony of Auximum, founded in the 2^nd century A.D. and located between the Musone and Aspio Valleys. The town walls were built by the aristocracy; the historian Livio reported that the censors Q. Fulvius Flaccus and A. Postumius Albinus to build this project. The town walls are well preserved, in particular under the Saint Francis Convent. The walls are made of tuff, cut into big rectangular stones using the opus quadratum techinque. The town walls were three: Porta Vetus Auximum, on the way to Ancona, Porta Musone on the way to Cingulum, Aesis and Trea and Porta Potentia, no longer visible today. 
Near the centre of Osimo, there is the Fonte Magna, named after Pompeo Magno, who was in this area during the civil war against Caesar, even if the name is mostly explained by the fact that the Fonte Magna was one of the main source of water supply of Osimo. The structure has an important role in the archaeological scenario of the Marche Region, since it is one of the few monuments cited by historical sources. The Fonte Magna was mentioned by Procopius of Caesarea in his The Gothic War, because it was a strategic point for the commander of the Byzantine Empire Belisario who wanted to conquer the town occupied by the Goths.

Osimo is situated on the hills between the valleys of Aspio and Musone, 18 km from Ancona. It is an ancient town, surrounded by medieval and Roman walls. The historic centre has churches and noble palaces from the seventeeth/eighteenth-centuries. During the Byzantine time it belonged to the maritime Pentapoli and was a very important centre. It became a free town in 1100 and was dominated by the Malatesta and Sforza.

The street plan of the old town still retains its Roman layout; you can admire the sturdy blocks of  Roman walls above Via Fonte Magna (III-II BC) and the water garden Fonte Magna (I century BC). The Palazzo Comunale, or town hall, in main Piazza del Comune houses a dozen headless statues from Roman times; the statues originally stood in the town's forum and were, according to tradition, decapitated during an early occupation of the place.
The Duomo of S. Leopardo, originally built in the 13th century in romanesque-gothic style, boasts a magnificently atmospheric crypt and an outstanding bronze baptismal font from the early 17th century.
In the heart of the old town stands  the Sanctuary of San Giuseppe da Copertino, built in the 13th century, with connected convent and cloister and now an important centre of pilgrimage. San Giuseppe is known as the patron saint of those undergoing exams. Thanks also to his celebrated capacity for levitation, St Joseph of Copertino is also much invoked in the U.S.A as a protector of pilots.
Must see attractions are also the church of S. Marco with a canvas by Guercino, Palazzo Campana and Palazzo Gallo.
A few kilometres south-east of Osimo in the valley of the Musone river, stands the imposing Sanctuary of Campocavallo, a striking piece of early 20th century architecture in Lombard neo-gothic style. It guards a venerated image of the Virgin behind the main altar; in 1892 it was seen to weep by the faithful, a phenomenon reputedly repeated a number of times since then.

About 3 kilometres far from Osimo, in the hamlet Campocavallo, you can find the Sanctuary to the Blessed Vergin. It was built at the end of the 19^th century by the architect Costantini on the site where on 16^th June 1892, inside a tiny church, the first of a long series of miraculous events occurred in connection with the image worshipped there. It’s a reproduction of the Vergin Mary holding Jesus' lifeless body on her lap with eyes full of immense sorrow watching upwards. The portrayed Madonna was seen many times move her eyes and cry.

Every year, since 1939, on the first Sunday of August people celebrate the Covo Festival  in honour of the Sorrowful Madonna. "Covo" is an artistic creation done completely by hand using ears of corn. This tradition was started by a group of farmers who made a garland made of ears of corn in order to organize a procession and offer it to the sacred image of the Vergin to thank her for the obtained harvest and to express their devotion. During the years this festival has gained more importance and prestige. These artistic creations represent nowadays international pilgrimage routes and goals ( such as Lourdes, Fatima, Santiago de Compostela, the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome, etc.) and they are often brought to these churches and sanctuaries in order to be exhibited there.

Most “covi” are housed at the museum of Campocavallo, near the sanctuary, so that they can be promoted and transmitted to new generations. These authentic masterpieces of manual work are a result of a farmer’s culture and of the deep popular devotion of the people from Osimo in the past.

CEA Inteatro is located in Villa Nappi and it is run by the Inteatro Association. Villa Nappi is a historic building surrounded by an old park and the impressive hills of the Marche. The initiatives promoted by the CEA Inteatro are addressed to young people, teachers, operators in the sector, and everybody who wants to acquire a deeper ecological awareness. The educational and tourist activities and other services include: training, theatre workshops, exhibitions to raise public awareness about the environment. There are also 25 beds.

The museum, located in the medieval Fortress of Offagna, has a quadrangular plan with keep and towers. It was built in the 15^th century on a cliff. The ancient weapons are hosted on the first floor of the Fortress, and they date back to the 1400-1500.