Ancona

Welcome to Ancona and the Central Adriatic Ports

Ancona is a vibrant crossroad on the Central Adriatic, where the sea becomes a stage for new stories and possibilities. For centuries, this historic port has connected East and West, cultures and trade, travellers and traditions. Overlooking the water, the majestic Arch of Trajan still greets visitors, just as it did in Roman times—a timeless symbol of openness and welcome. Today, the port of Ancona is a modern, multifunctional hub, framed by a city rich in Roman, Medieval, and Renaissance heritage. 

But Ancona is part of a broader coastal tapestry. The ports of the Central Adriatic, that include also Pesaro, Falconara Marittima, San Benedetto Del Tronto, Pescara, Ortona and Vasto, form a dynamic and interconnected network that serve as gateway to unique landscapes, vibrant communities, and centuries-old traditions. In Pesaro, a UNESCO City of Music, culture meets the sea. San Benedetto del Tronto, with its palm-lined promenade, blends maritime life with hospitality and charm. Ortona offers a deep-rooted seafaring spirit and access to Abruzzo’s Trabocchi Coast and National Parks. 

These ports are far more than transit points—they are starting places for discovery. They support sustainable tourism, fishing, innovation, and trade, while offering direct access to art cities, hilltop villages, pristine coastlines, and culinary treasures. 

Together, the Central Adriatic ports form a dynamic, interconnected system—an open invitation to explore Marche and Abruzzo regions where sea and land meet, making maritime heritage the heart of local identity and the key for new opportunities.

Welcome to the Port of Ancona
Explore the map and zoom on the ports to discover the Points Of Interest by category
Traditions & Cultures
Stories
Heritage
Ancona
MARINA DORICA image
Amid the masts of the sailboats, the chiming becomes a poetical and deafening concert. Ancona and its port are a landing place and a destination, a
Ancona
STREET ART image
The painted port is a contemporary monument, ahead of its time by nearly twenty years with its now iconic murals and street art. These works have
Ancona
OVERLOOKING THE SEA image
A port of places, people, and work; a port of monuments and rituals, faces, stories, and tradition; a port of identities, languages, perspectives,
Ancona
THE MANDRACCHIO FISH MARKET image
Every night, the ritual of the auction plays out under the concrete bays designed by Gaetano Minnucci.   At the top of the staircase, a
Ancona
A ROOM IN THE SEA SURROUNDED BY TETRAPODS image
There’s a room hidden in the middle of the sea. It’s a concrete cuboid shielded by tetrapods, with iron gangways, sheltered walkways, turrets,
Ancona
THE CAPTAIN’S HOUSE image
At the end of the 12th century and throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the free Commune of Ancona had become an important hub along the eastern
Click on the pics to discover each port city and enter its virtual museum
Ancona
Venice
Ravenna
Trieste
Rijeka
Dubrovnik
Split
Zadar