Head to the beaches at Monte Conero

Le Marche has an enviably long coastline and most of it is lined by beaches that are immensely popular with the rest of Italy. Come summer and you will find rows of sunbeds and beach umbrellas, and tanned bodies sunning themselves or dipping into the azure Adriatic. Monte Conero is a tall limestone peak that slopes directly down to the sea. Its neighbouring beaches are some of the most beautiful in the region. The towns of Portonovo, Sirolo and Numana together form the Conero Riviera. Portonovo is the smallest beach, most known for the delicious Portnovo mussel you can find in one of the many restaurants lining the beach. Sirolo is a charming village with a history going back to pre-Roman times. Its medieval town centre has a balcony piazza that commands sweeping view of Monte Conero and the Riviera. Numana is another picturesque village on the Riviera, further south from Sirolo. In the 8th century BCE, Numana was an important port, but a series of earthquakes destroyed its strategic importance, leaving a quiet fishing village in its wake. Apart from the beaches there are isolated coves, only reachable by boat; Le Due Sorelle is the most dramatic of these and worth a look. July and August are incredibly busy on the Conero Riviera, so May-Jun and September might be a good time to experience these beaches.