Pesaro

Overlooking the sea and crossed by the River Foglia, Pesaro is a seaside resort located between two coastal hills: Monte Ardizio to the east-southeast and Monte San Bartolo to the west-northwest, which gives its name to the Monte San Bartolo Natural Park. In 2017, it was recognised by UNESCO as a Creative City for Music, for the promotion and revival of Rossini's music, having been the birthplace of the famous composer Gioachino Rossini, who was born in Pesaro in 1792 and died in Passy, Paris in 1868.

Seaside tourism offer

There are seven kilometres of sandy beaches between the wide-open coastline, served by more than 100 tourist accommodation facilities, some open all year round, including hotels by the sea, in the centre and in the hills, agritourism activities, campsites and flats, with a total of almost 11,000 beds.

The sea is linked to a centuries-old tradition of seaside hospitality that pays special attention to families and children.

Pesaro dedicates an event to children, the Mezzanotte bianca dei bambini, the flagship event of the summer tourist programme, and also dedicated to children are a number of read-aloud workshops on the city's beaches, organised by the Baia Flaminia Library.

There are many cycle paths: the Bicipolitana is a route reserved for bikers that connects different parts of the city. Signposts indicate the routes. Different coloured lines are provided, each leading in different directions.

What to visit

Buildings of religious architecture include: the Cathedral, erected on the remains of a late Roman building, which boasts an interesting mosaic heritage; the Church of Sant'Agostino, which preserves a remarkable Gothic-Venetian portal on the façade and important paintings inside; the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, built in the 13th century by the Malatesta family and rebuilt in Baroque style.

Noteworthy monuments and museums include: the 15th-century Rocca Costanza, a work with a square plan, reinforced by cylindrical towers and surrounded by a large moat, formerly used as a prison; the Ducal Palace, the Oliverian Archaeological Museum and the Civic Museums, with the Picture Gallery and the Ceramics Museum; which is located inside Palazzo Mosca, the Sonosphere, a space designed for the immersive enjoyment of three-dimensional sound and audio-visual content; Casa Rossini, which preserves documentary material, including prints and memorabilia related to the life and work of the great composer; the Museo Nazionale Rossini, which recounts the life, the man and the greatness of the artist, but also the topicality of Gioachino Rossini's work; the Teatro Rossini, where the Rof (Rossini Opera Festival), an opera music festival held annually in August since 1980, takes place every year. ROF is also the name of the Foundation established in 1994 to support the Rossini Foundation in the theatrical, musicological and editorial recovery of Rossini's production.

A striking contemporary sculpture is Arnaldo Pomodoro's Palla, a bronze sphere created in 1998 by the well-known sculptor. Villino Ruggeri is a beautiful Art Nouveau building, and not far from Pesaro, on San Bartolo Hill, rises Villa Imperiale, built from 1530 onwards.

In the San Bartolo Park, in the Pesaro area, Casteldimezzo, Fiorenzuola di Focara and Santa Marina Alta are picturesque hamlets overlooking the blue Adriatic Sea.

Among the most significant events taking place in Pesaro throughout the year is the Rof, the Mostra internazionale del Nuovo Cinema, (Pesaro Film Festival), one of Italy's most important film festivals, taking place in June.

A gastronomic “gem” is the Pizza Rossini, for its special combination of pizza and mayonnaise. The base is a simple margherita, to which hard-boiled eggs and carefully handmade mayonnaise are added.