From the outside looking in, Ancona isn’t the most beautiful port town to visit, and it most definitely won't appear in your search engine results when looking for places to visit in Italy. Located on the coast of the Adriatic sea, it is often times visited by people traveling by ferry from Croatia or Greece. In recent years, it has gained a bit of attention from tourists, however. Turns out Ancona’s historic sights, grand churches, charming squares, and white sand beaches are difficult to resist.
Ancona is the capital of the Marches region of Italy and has been known as a trade center since Roman times; way back when Emperors, Caesar and Trajan, transformed it into a naval base.
Here are two great things to see while visiting Ancona:
Harbor and Piazza della Repubblica-
Also known as Ancona’s “hub;” it is where most of both land and sea traffic take place. The area is tourable via raised walk ways. In the west is the ancient harbor, which has been used since Roman times. In the North is the Arco di Traiano, the Roman Triumphal arch, which has been standing since 115 AD, in honor of Emperor Trajan. This area was once the large Roman Lungomare Vanvitelli; an archaeological dig uncovered much of the ports structure, and revealed the wall built in second century BC to protect the port.
National Archeological Museum-
One of the top things to do in Italy is to admire its ancient archeology. Luckily, one of the most prestigious archeological museums in Italy is located in Ancona, housed by the 16th-century Palazzo Ferretti. Filled with pieces that have been found all throughout the Marche region of Italy, it is most known for it’s Roman artifacts from tombs. However, there is much, much more to be seen here.
