Fano

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What to see in Fano? Things not to miss in the City of Fortune

Located in the province of Pesaro-Urbino, a historic Piceno and Roman center, Fano is the third most populated city in the Marches, preceded only by Ancona and Pesaro. That’s why it is a stop to be included absolutely in your list of what to see in the Marche.

Fano is also known as the City of Fortune, from its Roman name Fanum Fortunae, which recalls the Temple of Fortuna, perhaps built in memory of the famous Battle of Metauro during which the Roman legions managed to destroy the army of the Carthaginian general Asdrubale.

That Fano was strongly influenced by the Romans is also testified by its plan: it was Caesar Octavian Augustus who built the walls that still surround the historic center today.

In the 12th century Fano became a municipality and after a short period under the Este family, at the end of the 12th century, it became the property of the Malatesta family of Rimini. In 1463 the city was left after a siege to Duke Federico da Montefeltro of Urbino. However the population did not want to become part of the Duchy of Urbino and became an ecclesiastical vicariate.

What to visit in Fano

1) The wonders of Roman Fano

Over half a kilometer, interspersed with cylindrical towers, the historic walls of Fano represent a wonderful example of Roman architectural beauty.

The first thing to do in Fano is a walk to the Pincio and along the walls to stop and admire the gateway to the city. The Arch of Augustus awaits you to welcome you at the entrance to the town. The arch leads directly to the ancient Via Flaminia which becomes the maximum decumanus within the walls.

But the beauty of Fano does not stop at the “surface”.

The underground Fano offers you a fascinating path that winds through tunnels and galleries and leads you to discover some hidden but truly unique places: the Vitruvius Basilica, the Roman Amphitheater and the archaeological area of the foundations of the Montanari Mediateca.

2) Rocca Malatestiana

The Rocca is certainly the most interesting testimony of the Malatesta dominion.

It stands at the northern corner of the Roman walls, of which it has presumably incorporated a tower. The complex has a quadrangular plan with three sides protected by a moat.

The fortress was designed following the “circle” defensive canons dictated by Leon Battista Alberti: inside the main fortification there was an additional defensive structure, the Rocchetta, which in turn incorporated the keep. Rocchetta and the keep, in turn, were separated from the rest by a moat.

Today, inside the walls (which are almost intact in the structure, thanks to the various restorations that have taken place over the years) it is possible to visit:

– the cells

– the chapel

– the rooms that housed the stables

– the rooms used by the troops

3) Church of San Francesco and the Tombs of the Malatesta

In the city center there is a deconsecrated church that will leave you speechless. To prepare you for the “visit” we tell you just one thing: the Church of San Francesco has the sky as its ceiling and the lawn as its floor.

This evocative monument with no roof now houses, in the porch, the tombs of Pandolfo III Malatesta and his first wife Paola Bianca. This last tomb, in particular, is an authentic masterpiece of late Gothic sculpture, the work of the Venetian sculptor Filippo di Domenico.

4) Marina dei Cesari and Lisippo promenade

And once you have discovered the historic center step by step, why not dive into the blue of the Maritime Fano reaching the Marina dei Cesari? The characteristic fishermen’s houses, the beaches (one of sand and the other of pebbles) and many restaurants and beaches will make you fall in love with this area at the first step.

Do not miss the Lysippus Walk, a connection on a fixed pier, protected by the rocks, which overlooks the sea. Stopping there to admire the sunset with only the waves of the sea soundtrack is a show that is priceless.

And then… Did you know that this is also one of the most colorful and cheerful walks in the world thanks to the 400 meters of murals that give a touch of magic to this magical place suspended over the sea?

What if the weather is a tantrum? Here's what to see in Fano if it rains

It may happen, when you are on vacation, that there is a day in which the weather throws a tantrum and makes you take a forced break from the beach and umbrella. But don’t despair… In Fano there are so many things to do if it rains!

Visit the Archaeological Museum and the Pinacoteca of Palazzo Malatestiano

Since 1898 the Museum has housed the civic collections. The visit itinerary is divided into sixteen rooms, and is divided into four main areas

The Archaeological Museum and the Pinacoteca of Palazzo Malatestiano

– The Archaeological Section where you can find the most important finds from Fano’s ancient past, from prehistoric times to the Roman age. A few examples? The beautiful Head of Octavia with her elegant and refined hairstyle, the Statue of the Goddess of Fortune and her abundant cornucopia and the Panther Mosaic.

– The Ceramics and Numismatics Section: in the first you will find fragments and artifacts from the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries. locally produced and beyond. The second section ranges from Roman coins, to Malatesta medals up to the more recent ones of the Fano mint.

– The most important paintings made between the end of the 13th and 18th centuries are exhibited in the Pinacoteca. from churches and private collections in Fano. Among all the works of Guido Reni, Guercino, Simone Cantarini and many other protagonists of modern painting stand out.

– The Sala Morganti is instead used for temporary exhibitions

2)The Teatro delle Fortuna

The Teatro delle Fortuna is located in the fourteenth-century Palazzo del Podestà, in Piazza XX Settembre.

The current structure was built to a design by the architect Luigi Poletti between 1845 and 1863, but was severely damaged during the bombing of the Second World War. After various works, which lasted 54 years, it was reopened in the spring of 1998.

The program of initiatives ranges from opera, to prose, to the concert season. The Theater can also be visited every second Sunday of the month. On that occasion you have the opportunity to also see the nineteenth-century historical curtain depicting an imaginary entrance of the Emperor Caesar Octavian Augustus into the ancient Colonia Iulia Fanestris.

What to see near Fano?

The Hermitage of Monte Giove

The Hermitage of Monte Giove is one of those places whose charm is impossible to put into words. A real jewel set in the first hills immediately outside Fano, erected on the top of the hill of Monte Giove (223 m.s.l.) in the first twenty years of the century. XVII by the Camaldolese Congregation of Monte Corona.

When you arrive at the Hermitage there are two things that will conquer you immediately: the wonderful silence, interrupted only by the chirping of birds, which can be breathed everywhere and the breathtaking view of the Metauro valley, the city of Fano and the sea but also the Furlo and on the Catria!

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Ponte Metauro

Along the SS 16 you will also find the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Ponte Metauro, a church dedicated to the Madonna. It is located very close to the bridge over the Metauro river. Here John Paul II crowned the painting of the Madonna del Ponte, protector of sailors.

What to do in Fano with children

Fano contains a great magic: here it is the fun to find the children and not the other way around!

The city, especially in the seaside area, is truly a constellation of playgrounds and attractions for children and teenagers, ideal for a fun evening or after the beach.

In case of bad weather, a good way not to get bored without going very far, is definitely to take a trip to the indoor playground Piazza Pupazza, which offers entertainment for children of all ages, among which a mega wall stands out. climbing also suitable for older children.

If you want to get away from the center, an interesting stop to experience Fano with children is definitely the Carpegna Park Adventure Park! Here, many paths among trees, rocks and through ropes and pulleys await the little Tarzans aged three and up. But that’s not all: at Carpegna Park you can test yourself with archery, measure your sense of direction, have fun with a treasure hunt or be guided on a walk in the woods.

For those who prefer to play with their imagination, however, the right direction is for Urbania. In this village, the Bosco dei Folletti awaits the little ones, a place to be discovered by going on the trail of incredible and magical creatures while learning a lot about the environment that hosts them.

And if, on the other hand, the little ones of the house want to return from vacation and tell of having become little scientists, another unmissable stop is the Science Museum of the Bailiff, reachable in about 20 minutes by car. The Balì is a modern science-center located in a historic villa. Here children will be able to get involved in the first person with science thanks to interactive stations, practical experiments and laboratories or learn what our solar system hides with the planetarium and the observatory.