Ancona has it all!

1.Historic Ancona

Ancona is the capital of Le Marche.  This city is definitely worth the visit. Ancona is famous for its large harbours from which numerous ferries depart for Greece and Croatia.  The 15th Century Loggia dei Mercanti however is a site well worth visiting. It was a place where merchants could meet to discuss business. The front of this monument to the history of Ancona is finished in the Adriatic Gothic style. Take a look also  at the Arco di Traiano which was built by the Senate of Rome in AD 100-116 at the harbour.  There are wonderful Renaissance paintings in the Galleria d’Arte  Moderna have to be seen.  The Piazza del Plebiscite is the biggest in Ancona and is overlooked by the Government House and the Church of San Domenico.  There are also the Teatro delle Muse, the Biblioteca Comunale and the Museo della citta in Ancona to be visited.   You’ll be glad to get back to the car after visiting these places in Ancona.

2.  Beaches

If you fancy some sunbathing on a beach, then drive your hire car up the coast about 5 miles from Ancona to Falconara Marittima. Here there is a beautiful beach that stretches for miles.  There’s not a great deal to be found in the town itself but the beach more than makes up for that!  Drive also to Numana as the locals do!  It’s very near to Ancona and is a modern tourist locality, full of wonderful gardens and  fine golden sandy beaches. all of the beautiful beaches around Ancona are perfect spots for sunbathing and enjoying  the Adriatic Sea.

3. Visit Frasassi Grotto

When you’ve rested yourselves lying on the beach, pack up the hire car and head for Frasassi stalactite caves (Grotte di Frasassi) , outside Ancona.  The route insidethe caves covers about one or two km and absolutely worth seeing!!  The temperature in the caves can be a bit chilly so you might need a sweater or long trousers instead of shorts and this is where your hired car comes in handy as you can have extra items of clothing without having to carry them around.  Definitely no high heeled shoes for this terrain!! Photography is usually prohibited. Before going inside the caves you can do some shopping in the little piazza / market square, filled with vendors selling postcards and souvenirs.

4. Eating Out in Ancona

At the Restaurant Della Rosa they serve wonderful salads!  Lunch, dinner or an ice cream here are great!  The Opera della Marca is a real gourmet experience, try the Risotto con Spacacassi amongst many other beautiful and tasy dishes here.  Ancona’s main food is from the sea so look out for Stoccafisso all Anconitano a dish of cod cooked in herbs and vegetables. By the way. one drink you must try is Turchatto which is a strong shot of the bitter Italian Cafe Lungo, black rum and lemon juice.   There are many many wonderful places to eat at in Ancona enjoy sampling as many as you can.

9 seater mini van hire at Ancona airport

If you are looking to hire a larger car that is suitable for more than 5 people then it is worthwhile considering a 9 seater mini van. Pronto has a wide selection of 9 seater mini vans at Ancona airport that can carry all your family and friends and their entire luggage.

Pronto offers a wide range of mini vans ranging from your smaller mini vans such as a Volkswagen Touran right through to 9 seaters like the Ford Focus Station wagon. Pronto have all of these vehicles at Ancona airport in Italy and they will be waiting for you as soon as you come through departures.

There are a couple of things to consider when booking a mini van or 9 seater at Ancona airport in Italy. The first thing is that mini vans are not in endless supply – so book your 9 seater early at Ancona airport to avoid disappointment.

The next thing to consider is the size you need. Always go for a car rental that is a size bigger. If you thought it was tight with two kids and some luggage, imagine what it is like with 7 adults and their luggage. Don’t be the person that arrives at Ancona airport in Italy trying to buy bungees to get all of their luggage on the roof. We have included a few options below for your information.

Please be aware that age restrictions apply with some of these vehicles because of their size and cost. As a rule of thumb the driver needs to be over 25 years old.

Finally, and we will say it again, we find that these vehicles are always booked early, so do place your car hire booking for Ancona Airport as early as possible.

As you can see we have a wide range of mini vans available for rent at Ancona airport in Italy:

• Hire a Ford Focus Stationwagon at Ancona airport
• Hire a Volkswagen Touran 5+2 Seater at Ancona airport
• Hire a Mercedes Sprinter 9 Seater at Ancona airport
• Hire a Toyota Minibus 9 Seater at Ancona airport
• Hire a Mercedes Viano at Ancona airport
• Hire a Volvo XC90 at Ancona airport
• Hire a Mercedes Vito at Ancona airport

To place your booking for Ancona Airport, you can either use the search engine on the right or if you have any questions, you can call one of the numbers provided to speak to a member of our call centre staff.

Ancona’s Saint Ciriaco

On your trip to Ancona, you must stop in at the cathedral church of Saint Ciriaco.  Building was completed in 1189 after it was consecrated in 1128.  It is also believed that the original church dated from the 8^th Century.  The beautiful cathedral is constructed in the form of a cross making fine use fo grey stone.  It is of Romanesque architecture although the facade has a Gothic look and feel.

Inside this wonderful Anconian cathedral there are numerous crypts.  There are also 10 columns which are dedicated to the temple of Venus.  In the 1980s, the cathedral underwent a careful and successful restoration to bring it back to its fullest glory.

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint juda Cyriacus.  The story tells of him being the Bishop of Ancona who was killed in 133AD.  There is a feast on the 14^th of April each year to celebrate the life of this Bishop of Ancona.  His death was said to have been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.   To this day the supposed body of Cyriacus lies visible in his tomb. 

Shopping in Ancona

Laden with magnificent coastlines and pristine white sand beaches, you’ll likely be coming to Mancona for the water. It won’t be surprising, however, if shopping becomes a secondary pastime during your stay.

A port city, Ancona sees a variety of goods scattered along its numerous shopping areas such as Piazza Roma, Piazza Erbe, Corso Mazzini, Corso Stamira, Corso Garibaldi, and Piazza del Plebiscito.   Pick up all sorts of products from shoes to bags to jewelries of different varieties, often bartered at tempting prices. 

Traditional shops sit side by side with modern fare so you’ll likely be coming across art pieces, antiques and pottery while putting together an outfit among the lot of stores scattered about.  Every last Sunday of the month is a special treat for antique lovers at the Piazza Cavour, where various dealers showcase their elegant wares.

If you’re angling for high-end fashion purchases, take a 40 minute drive in your car hire from Ancona to Civitanova Marche.  Bring home signature clothes, shoes and accessories at heavily discounted prices.  That’s how many spend their trips to Ancona - they come for the sea but leave with luggages brimming full of wondrous purchases.

Ancona Cathedral

However long your stay in Ancona, a visit to the beautiful and renowned Cathedral of St Ciriaco is an absolute must.   Consecrated in 1128 and finally completed 60 years later, it is one of Italy’s finest Romanesque churches and is the jewel in Ancona’s architectural crown.   The Cathedral of St Ciriaco is actually built on the site of an even more ancient temple, built in honour of Venus, the Roman Goddess of love.  Some of the ruins of this much older structure are still visible beneath the church itself, and it has been suggested that the Ancona Cathedral’s ten columns mirror the layout of the original pagan temple.

Built from exquisitely worked grey stone, Ancona Cathedral sits majestically on the city’s Guasco hill, commanding the most spectacular views of the city and the Adriatic - one of the many reasons why the short climb from the city’s main streets is so richly rewarded and not to be missed.

Ancona - A brief overview

The sharp traveller knows that Ancona has lot to offer. The geographical location lies in between the stunning Mount Conero, the gorgeous coastline and steps across the hills of Gausco and Cardato. In fact the sharp tourists will also know that Ancona actually means “elbow” in Greek and thereby actually reflecting its position perfectly.

Like many Italian towns Ancona is separated in quarters (whether there are four or not!). In Ancona’s case sitting on the Gausco hillside is the important historic centre housing many attractions like the Church of St Domenico, the Palazzo Bosdari which houses the wonderful art museum of Francesco Podesti and the Mole Vanvitelliana.

Whereas the modern area of Ancona lies in the valley and as well as having nearly 5 miles of sumptuous beaches is also one of the most strategic sea ports located in the Adriatic. The international importance of Ancona is reflected in some of the events that are staged here including the Adriatic Nautical Exhibition and the International Fish show. Now the latter may not be to everyone’s taste but if your tastes extend to good food then this is definitely for you.

In Ancona you will be able to enjoy many local specialities as well as the wines of the regions like Lacrima di Morro and Verdicchio dei Castelli di. So if you are looking for an Italian city that is not engulfed with millions of tourists then you could do worse than visit Ancona. If you are looking to hire a car then use Pronto to arrange this for you. Use our car booking system on the right of the page and you can arrange to pick the car up at the airport or in Ancona itself. You can even drop it off in another city – or Country if so desired. We will be adding more reviews of Ancona in coming weeks including where to stay, what to eat and the best delights of the region. Ciao!

Ancona is the place for tango lovers

 

What to see and do in Ancona

The city of Ancona is the regional capital of the Marche region in Italy.   As Ancona is situated on the Adriatic coastline it has seen a steady increase in tourism mainly due to the low cost air carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet.   That is not to say that Ancona has become a must visit destination in its own right – far from it.  Most people fly to Ancona to either get a ferry to Greece or Croatia or explore the rest of the Marche region. 

If you find yourself in Ancona then there are still a few things that we would recommend you should do.   As it is quite a small and compact city there is no real reason to hire a car to explore the town.  We would recommend renting a car if you wanted to go further afield.  In the city itself are the attractions of a wonderful cathedral and a worthy Roman Amphitheatre to while away a few hours.   Once you have worked up a thirst perhaps you will be looking for some refreshments and if so then grab a coffee or a pizza in one of the many little shops offering these. 

For those that want to do even less than this then we would recommend that you check out Ancona’s beaches.   Being on the Adriatic coast means Ancona is slap bang in about 180Km of beautiful coastline. 

For those considering visiting further away from the town and perhaps finding out why Le Marche is dubbed ‘the new Tuscany’ then we recommend you hire a car.   Less than an hour’s drive from Ancona will get you to Loreto which is home to the biggest Marian sanctuary in the whole of Italy.  We would also recommend that you get in your car and check out the spectacular caves of Frasassi or perhaps take your car along the coast to Conero and enjoy the views that this drive has to offer.

In the coming months we will be reviewing more things to do in Ancona as well as other places to drive to in your car.   In the meantime, please leave us some of your suggestions too.   In the meantime thanks for visiting our Ancona website from Pronto: The Italian Car Hire Specialists.