Pesaro-Urbino district is wetting by the Adriatic sea: it is
known for its "maioliche", the parks, the castles and its artistic
treasures as well as adequate receptive structures and amusements
for the seaside, religious, "green" and eno-gastronomic tourism.
Visiting this part of the Adriatic means enjoying the spectacle of two
of the very few headlands on the entire coastline, San Bartolo and
Ardizio, taking advantage of the tranquility of small isolated coves or
experiencing the more frequented yet just as inviting sandy beaches.
Forty kilometers of soft sand stretching from Gabicce to Marotta, with an
abundance of hotels, updated and reclassified over the years, and numerous
campsites between Pesaro and Fano, where the beach is even wider and where
the rocky shore creates safe havens for children, country houses and holiday
farms for those who prefer to enjoy the sea while immersed in the green of
the countryside.
To the north and Romagna
lies the more popular resort of Gabicce Mare, where the splendors of
the “Riviera” of the sixties still survives.
Pesaro, instead, located at the mouth of the river Foglia, with its
approximately eight kilometers of fine sandy shore between the natural
park of San Bartolo and Ardizio, offers a more relaxed lifestyle.
An ideal place for a family holiday or for those who prefer to take it easy
far from the maddening crowd, though without renouncing the pleasures
and fun that a holiday resort can offer. In summer, in fact, the entire
area is alive with music, markets, food fairs, etc.
Further south, Fano
has two beaches, the sandy Lido and the longer pebbled Sassonia that
stretches as far as the mouth of the river Metauro.
Halfway along the Lido and Sassonia beaches lies Fano’s picturesque
fishing port, teeming with boats and the aroma of cooked fish (arrostite
di pesce and brodetti alla marinara). Finally, at the southernmost end
of the province and completing the “Pesaro and Urbino Riviera” stand the
welcoming resorts of Torrette and Marotta.
Sports such as sailing,
windsurfing and beach volley are possible along the entire coastline,
which also has specially equipped play areas for children.
Bordering Romagna, Umbria and Tuscany, the province of Pesaro and Urbino
boats an incomparable multicolored hilly countryside stretching as far
as the peaks of the Apennines: an uncontaminated sea of green in which
it is possible to immerse oneself and observe the wonders of the
changing seasons while enjoying the numerous pastimes available in the
area. Cycling at Gabicce Mare, where an international cycling event
provides the opportunity for tourists and amateur cyclists from all
around the world to enjoy nature.
The event has an itinerary that passes
through various settings and provides an abundance of wonderful views:
from the blue of the Adriatic to the green hillsides and virgin woods of
the Apennines. The area also offers many locations where it is possible
to hire mountain bikes. Walking from the woods of the “Alpe della Luna”
to those of monte Carpegna, just a step away.
The itineraries of the
Apennine backbone of the province are marked red and blue to indicate
the path through nature and the way to inner peace. The wide selection
of paths for those who love trekking and who, complete with backpack,
can cross this part of the province entirely on foot, meeting squirrels,
deer, foxes and many of the other animals that populate these woods.
Here and there, small corners of paradise appear as if forming a living
picture: from the woods of Tecchie, with its crystal clear waterfall, to
the mountain streams of monte Catria and Nerone. And for those looking
for a more educational and challenging itinerary, there is a detailed
Spring and Summer calendar of excursions with a guide and overnight
stops at mountain refuges.
The Parks: monte S. Bartolo, one of the very few headlands on the
Adriatic with its yellow broom shrubs and green pastures that overlook
the blue Adriatic offering breathtaking views. The winding roads pass
through small hamlets and villages that were once inhabited by local
fishermen, and which still retain their original character.
A perfect
example is Fiorenzuola di Focara, home of the maritime museum, as is
Castel di Mezzo, with its speciality fish dishes and craft workshops. From
monte Bartolo, narrow country lanes lead down to the beaches below,
appearing as corners of paradise and blue seas.
On the Apennine ridge
instead, stands the park of Sasso Simone e Simoncello, where
centuries-old pine, oak and spruce trees lead up to the ruins of
medieval fortifications.
The park authority provides information and
advice on how to enjoy this uncontaminated corner to the full, which
leads into Val Marecchia where the beech woods provide a hiding place
for churches and castles, real jewels of history and architecture.
The
walls of a number of rocky outcrops provide the opportunity for mountain
climbing, while only eagles dare in the Furlo gorge nature reserve,
where there are equipped family picnic areas and canoe hiring to explore
the crystal clear waters of the river Candigliano.
photo © Paolo Marini 
Monte San Bartolo - Photo © 