Conero Park and surroundings

Numana is included in the Riviera del Conero Association, set up to promote territory, with other 16 Municipalities and boards, which are: Ancona, Camerano, Castelfidardo, Cingoli, Filottrano, Loreto, Osimo, Ostra Vetere, Porto Recanati, Recanati, Agugliano, Camerata Picena, Offagna, Polverigi, Santa Maria Nuova and Portonovo s.r.l.
For more information you can visit www. rivieradelconero.info
Here you find some tips about what to visit in the surroundings.

Ancona

Ancona is the chief town of the Marche region and it has 102.500 inhabitants. Its name derives from the Greek word “ankon”, which stands for elbow. It referred to the big harbour bay, which is the only natural one along the coast from Venezia to Bari.
Ancona has developed itself from the por,t which is the business centre, up to the hill “Colle Guasco” , where the Cathedral of San Ciriaco stands. The church was built on the ruins of an old temple devoted to Venus (you can still visit them in the basement of the church); it is a wonderful Romanic building made up of white and pink stones of the Conero.
In Ancona you can also visit a number of interesting monuments and places such as: “Palazzo degli Anziani”, “Loggia dei Mercanti” (it was the core of the ancient political and trade market); the church of Jesus (it has a curvilinear façade made up by Vanvitelli); the overshadowing church “San Francesco alle scale” (it is characterized by a big staircase and a great Gothic portal; in addition it steel keeps the Assumption by Lorenzo Lotto). the church of San Domenico dating back to the 18th century which closes the big square “Piazza del Plebiscito” and where a “Crucifixion” by Tiziano and an “Assumption” by Guercino are kept; the Podesti picture gallery in Palazzo Bosdari (“The Virgin with the baby” by Crivelli, “the Immaculate Conception” and “Santa Palazia” by Guercino and “Pala Gozzi” by Tiziano are kept there, as well as an area dedicated to modern art); the National Museum of the Marche region.

Castelfidardo

The town has got 18.600 inhabitants and rises on a hill 212 m over the sea, just few minutes by car from the beaches of the Riviera del Conero. On its sides you can see the green valleys of Aspio and Musone rivers.
Castelfidardo is today known as an international centre for production of accordions and musical instruments which are produced in the local companies and exported all over the world. The town has become so famous thanks to Paolo Soprani, the founder of the Accordion Industry, who opened is handicraft shop where he produced accordions.
Interesting places: the big church of San Francesco (it is characterized by a baroque chestnut choir and a picture by Lorenzo Masucci); the old church of Santo Stefano; the town hall (tower of the 16th century, ruins of the battle of the 1860) and the International Museum of Accordions.

Loreto

Loreto has got 12.300 inhabitants. It is one of the most important destinations of pilgrimages. Here it is set the Sanctuary of the Holy House, that is the house of Nazareth that according to the tradition was brought here by Angels after the Muslim invasion of Palestine.
In addition Loreto is connected to the Italian air force as the important School for specialization of petty officers is based here.
Interesting places and monuments to be visited: the Sanctuary of the Holy House. It is a monumental gothic-Renaissance sanctuary built during 300 years. The tower bell is by Vanvitelli; the façade, the side chapels and the marble covering of the Holy House are by Bramante; the pictorial decorations are by many different artists such as Melozzo da Forlì, Luca Signorelli and Pomoarancio. In addition you can visit the municipal picture gallery based in the Apostolic Palace where some important pictures by Lotto are kept (as the “Presentation of Jesus in the temple”) and the historic museum of the Italian air force.

Recanati

Recanati is a sort of “city balcony” thanks to the wonderful panorama that you can admire from there. It inspired the poet Leopardi who wrote the poem “L’Infinito”; it rises over a hill and its tortuous ridge is almost flat, between the valleys of the river Potenza and Musone. From here you can see the Adriatic sea, beyond which when the sky is clear you can catch sight of the mountains of the ex-Jugoslavia. If you look at the north you can perfectly see Mount Conero , while looking at the other sides of the town you can see Appennini mountains (Monti Sibillini, Monte San Vicino, La Strega, Monte Catria). The town has got 21.800 inhabitants and is famous all over the world because Giacomo Leopardi and tenor Beniamino Gigli were born here, as well as because of its richness in monuments and historic well kept palaces. The most famous and interesting ones are the palace of Leopardi (that today is a museum), where Giacomo Leopardi was born in 1798; the gothic building of S. Agostino; the tower of the village of the 13th century and that of the “Passero Solitario”; the abbey of Santo Stefano dating back to the 15th century which is on the top of the "Colle dell’Infinito"; the picture gallery which is based in the town hall and where some masterpieces by Lotto are kept; the Civic Museum Villa Colloredo Mels (it is divided into three sections: archaeology, modern art, temporary exhibitions); the museum of Beniamino Gigli.

Offagna

This is a small town where you can’t miss the big Renaissance fortress, maybe the best example of military fortification in the Marche region. It has been kept in a good state and it hosts inside the Museum of ancient weapons.
In addition the Mount of Piety, the church of the Most Holy Sacrament by Vanvitelli and the Paolucci Museum are worth visiting. Here you find paleontological, mineralogical, zoological and botany collections which include unique remains of inexistent species nowadays and which are essential to understand the evolution of our territory.