Ancona

Cruise ships will dock at the XXIX Settembre Pier and from there you are just across the street from the town's center.

Ancona stems from the Greek word Ankon, meaning "elbow"; the harbour to the east of the town was originally protected only by the promontory on the north, shaped like an elbow.

Badly bombed in the 2nd World War, it was again brought to its knees by a major earthquake in 1972.

To enjoy its ancient architecture, visit the historic town on a hill that offers a wonderful sea view and which is easily navigated by foot, bicycle or bus. Places of real interest are the Cathedral, completed in 1189, which features lions flanking an elegant doorway. There are also many beautiful works of art, and ten columns thought to have originally stood on the site of the Temple of Venus. The view from above is outstanding, well worth the climb.

Also see the well-preserved monument the Arch of Trajan that acted as an entrance on top of the harbor wall, the Lazzaretto, an expansive historical building, and the Episcopal Palace with its beautiful architecture.

In town visit the art gallery situated in a historic palazzo, and the region's archeological museum, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Delle Marche, with its impressive Roman bronze statues. Your holiday options also include the beach, as you can take a bus from the railway station to stretches of beach outside town.

On Sundays (the only day of the week that a large cruise ship is in town) The city offers a hop on/off tour for only 3 Euro per person. The first tour starts at 9.30 AM at the cruise terminal and from there on every 45 minutes. The last bus is at 13.10. Get off at the Duomo, for some spectacular views, or at the Passeto for more stunning views of the sea at the other side of town. Ancona is shaped as an elbow which is Ankon, being the old greek name of the town.

There is no narration on the bus, but clear maps are provided at the cruise terminal.

The train station is also very close by.

On a regional level, passengers in the port of Ancona, can be interested in historical monuments in Urbino and in San Marino, in cultural performances (Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Opera Season in Macerata) and in religious ceremonies in the Holy House of Loreto.

Urbino, in the Marche region, is a World Heritage site for its great cultural history during the Renaissance. It is located on two hills at approximately 900 feet elevation between the Metauro and Foglia River valleys. The city is small and picturesque, with architecture dating mainly from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The city is also known as the birthplace of the painter Raphael, whose native home is a Museum and of the architect Bramante

The striking hill town of Loreto (click: vedi tour) lies just inland from the Adriatic Sea and is one of the world's most important shrines to the cult of the Virgin Mary. The town mainly exists to service the thousands of pilgrims who travel here from around the world.

The shopping areas include Corso Mazzini, Corso Garibaldi, Corso Stamira, Piazza Roma, Piazza Erbe and Piazza del Plebiscito. Here you can acquire “Made in Italy” goods of all kinds, from clothes to bags, shoes, and jewels. In the same streets and squares, there are antique shops and art galleries. And if you look around, you’ll also find traditional pottery and lace shops.Gourmet lovers will find food boutiques where they can buy typical products such as the ciauscolo (a sort of salami spread), Fossa cheese, olive ascolane and pasta Latini (dry homemade pasta).

Euro

Italian.

WIFI can be found at many sidewalk cafes. Consumption obligatory.

Emergency number: 112

Most shops and businesses in Italy open from Monday to Saturday from around 8am until 1pm, and from about 4pm until 7pm, though many shops close on Saturday afternoons and Monday mornings. Sunday opening is also becoming more common in Ancona, quite a few upscale stores are open until 1 PM and the reopen at around 4 PM.