Thanks to its strategic position on the border between Marche and Romagna, Fano is often a place of passage for travelers traveling along the Adriatic or crossing the Apennines from west to east.
Indeed, the city could be a good choice when planning a one-day break during a long journey. It is also a very popular destination for those who want to spend a day on the coast from the hinterland.
But what to do if you only have one day? What are the must-see activities and attractions?
Although it is not easy to enclose all the attractions in one day, it is still possible to fall in love with the city even with a short stop.
Here is a hypothetical ideal day tour in Fano.
Morning: a walk along the seafront
For early risers, the day can only start with a walk at dawn. The sun that seems to emerge from the water is a characteristic feature of the Adriatic coast and assisting you from the Promenade of Lysippos allows a perfect view of the horizon tinged with pink and dotted with boats returning to the port.
Once you have arrived at the copy of the bronze statue of Lisippo you can go back and, crossing the streets of the Marina dei Cesari, reach the "El Gugul" district, the ancient district symbol of the fishermen of Fano. The neighborhood is characterized by small houses embellished with intertwining nets, shells and objects related to fishing and characterized by bright colors, thanks to which they manage to emerge from the slight haze that sometimes invades the streets.
An afternoon in Fano: what to do?
After a lunch on the Lido, to taste the fish specialties of the Fano cuisine such as Rustita or Brodetto, and after having tasted the typical Fano Moretta, you can head towards the city centre.
Strolling along the final stretch of Canale Albani with the houses of Lo Squero, the ancient sailors' quarter, accompanying us to the left and skirting the Darsena Borghese, we reach the historic centre, where one of the symbolic places of Fano is found: the Pincio.
This area, recently renovated, is of very high historical and cultural interest: starting from the Arch of Augustus, which from 9 AD. it stands at the gate of the city, up to the Via Flaminia Museum in the Church of San Michele and the Statue of Cesare Ottaviano Augusto. In addition to the Arch, the original remains of the ancient city walls also date back to the Augustan era.
Then immersing yourself in the historic center of the city and strolling through its alleys, it is almost impossible not to come across Piazza XX Settembre, the true beating heart of Fano life, home to numerous events and the market that animates the streets of the city on Wednesday and Saturday mornings .
Of particular interest in the square are the Fontana della Fortuna, the Teatro della Fortuna, which has the fourteenth-century Palazzo del Podestà as its facade, and, on the southern side, the facade of the Church of San Silvestro.
At this point it is a must to head towards one of the places most loved by the Fanesi: the former Church of San Francesco, which has made its fortune from its structural fragility. Built by the Malatestas starting from the 13th century, in fact, the church was heavily damaged by the earthquake of 1930. Today the building is completely open to the sky and has become one of the most evocative places in Fano, home to numerous events and ceremonies every year .
An evening in Fano
Especially during the summer evenings, the city of Fano is animated by numerous festivals and events: both the center and the seafront host many people until late at night.
Among the most interesting places we highly recommend the imposing Rocca Malatestiana built in the fifteenth century which, throughout the summer, hosts a bar and multiple events.
From there you can reach another place of interest in just a few minutes: the Sangallo Bastion, a fortress built between 1532 and 1552 and today the venue, again during the summer, for concerts and cultural events.
If in winter it is more difficult to trace the liveliness of the summer nightlife, the streets of the center still offer numerous places that are always quite crowded in which to have an aperitif, dine or drink an after-dinner cocktail.
