Beaches on Italy's Adriatic coast

My brother in law grew up in Ancona, so I spent a few summers around there, especially in Portonovo where his family once owned a hotel. The beaches are beautiful, but generally small and extremely rocky (think Maine coastal beaches). Most people sunbathed around the hotels and when I went swimming, I had to wear surf shoes or risk having my feet cut up by the rocks.

My favorite beach on the Adriatic coast was Rimini. Rimini had a wide stretch of beach that had actual sand. I recommended it to a friend who went a few years back and she loved it (though I hear it's more touristy now). She said it was a great place to relax after visiting some of the larger cities.