The velvet beach
On the Adriatic coast north of Ancona, Senigallia is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the Marche, famous for its "spiaggia di velluto", the velvet beach, about thirteen kilometres of fine, soft, golden sand, sloping gently into a shallow sea, ideal for families with children. Its symbol is the Rotonda a Mare, an elegant circular pavilion built on a pier above the sea in 1933, in the style of the early twentieth century bathing establishments, demolished and rebuilt and today a venue for exhibitions, concerts and events, one of the most photographed images of the Adriatic coast, especially at sunset.
The historic centre, behind the seafront, has interesting monuments: the Rocca Roveresca, a massive square fortress with round towers, built in the fifteenth century for Giovanni Della Rovere; the Foro Annonario, a large circular neoclassical market square with columns, where the fish and food market is held; and the Portici Ercolani, long arcades along the Misa canal. Senigallia is the home town of the photographer Mario Giacomelli, whose famous black and white photographs of the landscapes of the Marche and the young priests playing in the snow are known all over the world, and of Pope Pius IX. In summer, the town hosts the Summer Jamboree, one of the largest festivals in the world dedicated to the music and culture of the 1940s and 1950s, with rock'n'roll concerts, dancing, vintage cars and costumes, which attracts tens of thousands of fans. The town is also known for its high-level restaurants.
Tip: walk on the Rotonda at sunset; visit the morning market at the Foro Annonario to see the local fish.
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