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Practicalities
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Via Marconi and its continuation, Via XXIX Settembre, run straight along the coast up from the train station to the port and the centre of town. Via XXIX Settembre ends in the adjacent piazzas of Kennedy and Repubblica, from which the modern centre's three parallel avenues - Corso Stamira, Corso Garibaldi and Corso Mazzini - slice up to Piazza Cavour, while Via della Loggia runs up above the port to the alleyways of the old town. The main
tourist office
for Ancona and the Marche region is at Via Thaon de Revel 4 at the end of Viale della Vittoria (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm & 3-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm & 3-6pm, Sun 9am-1pm; July open til 7.30pm; tel 071.358.991,
www.le-marche.com
); there's also a seasonal office (June-Sept) at the Stazione MarAttima. The main
bus terminus
is Piazza Cavour, connected by regular bus with the
train station
on Piazza Rosselli. The
Stazione MarAttima
, where ferries dock, is connected with the train station by bus.
If you want to stay the night in Ancona there is no shortage of cheap and cheerful places: the Dorico , Via Flaminia 8 (tel 071.42.761; L60,000-90,000/a?¬30.99-46.48), and Gino , Via Flaminia 4 (tel 071.42.179; L90,000-120,000/a?¬46.48-61.98), are both fine, with the Gino serving good-value food. There are a couple more inexpensive hotels in the modern centre: the no-frills Centrale , Via Marsala 10, off Corso Garibaldi (tel 071.54.388; L60,000-90,000/a?¬30.99-46.48), on the fourth floor (there's a lift) of a residential block and the centrally located Milano , Via Montebello 1 (tel 071.201.147; L60,000-90,000/a?¬30.99-46.48). The most pleasant budget place to stay in Ancona is Viale , Viale della Vittoria 23 (tel 071.201.861 or 204.053; L90,000-120,000/a?¬46.48-61.98), on the long avenue that leads to the blindingly white war memorial the Monumento ai Caduti (take buses #1, #1/3 or #1/4 from the train station), whose tiny courtyard garden is decked out with geraniums (breakfast is included in the price). Of the more upmarket options, the Fortuna , Piazza Rosselli 15 (tel 071.42.633; L200,000-250,000/a?¬103.29-129.11), is new and slick, or if you can't get by without a pool, cocktail bar and health club aim for Grand Hotel Passetto , Via Thaon de Revel 1 (tel 071.31.307, 071.31.308 or 071.31.309; L250,000-300,000/a?¬129.11-154.94), at the far end of Viale della Vittoria.
Piazza Roma is the place to hang out in Ancona - there are plenty of
cafA©s
with tables outside in the pedestrianized cobbled square, the busiest being
CaffA© Lombardo
at the top of Corso Mazzini. If you're waiting for a bus on Piazza Cavour,
CaffA© Cavour
is conveniently placed for good sandwiches and great pastries in its Sala de ThA©. Of Ancona's
restaurants
, the first choice is
Clarice
, on Via del Traffico (closed Sun), off Corso Garibaldi (on the right as you walk up from the sea), an old-style, family restaurant in a cobbled side street with tables outside. It serves traditional, very reasonably priced food, with many local dishes on the menu. Second choice is
Osteria del Pozzo
, on Via Bonda (closed Sun), a narrow lane off Piazza del Plebiscito where diners tuck into seafood and pasta dishes, or
La Cantinetta
on Via Gramsci (closed Sun), just off Piazza del Plebiscito, a no-frills restaurant whose speciality is
Stoccafisso all'Anconetana
(a traditional recipe involving salt cod). For a good, inexpensive spread of roasted vegetables, pasta and seafood salads, cold meats and mozzarella head for the help-yourself lunchtime buffet at
CaffA? Giuliani
on via Traffico with tables outside in a shady covered arcade (closed and Sun). For pizza, try
La Bussola
on Via Leopardi (closed Sun). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Italy,
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