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East coast of Italy

We are a seasoned older, fairly active couple considering a 2 to 3 week self driving tour of Eastern Italy this late September into October. Prob begin in Venice(Dolomites) and head South primarily along the Adriatic coast and likely flying home from Rome. We’ve been to Italy a lot and have been to all the major cities and sights along the West coast, Tuscany, Como, Amalfi and Sicily. Would appreciate any opinions and tips re an itinerary, highlights, favorites, cautions, accommodations, Mangia etc. Thanks, Brian

Posted by
556 posts

Italy's east coast is very popular with German tourists. So I could come up with some beautiful places I enjoyed at the Adriatic south of Venice:

  • Padova
  • Chioggia (Little Venice)
  • Parco regionale del Delta del Po
  • Ferrara
  • Ravenna
  • Cesenatico
  • Rimini
  • San Marino
  • Ancona
  • Monte Conero area
  • Pesaro
  • San Benedetto del Tronto (I used to be here with my parents on vacation every Pentecost school holidays)
  • Pescara

On the way from the Dolomites to Venice there would also be many beautiful places to visit.

Have you already chosen a route how to get from the Adriatic to Rome?

Posted by
253 posts

No I haven’t. Just starting to look at. Tks

Posted by
4217 posts

In the Marche region, we especially enjoyed Senigallia and Ascoli Piceno.
As you can see from the map, the train runs along the coast, but to go inland, you will appreciate a car.

Posted by
2165 posts

From Pesaro, consider driving inland about 40 minutes to Urbino - and I recommend spending a day or two. I admit being prejudiced about Urbino, but Let's Go Italy '93 said, "If you only visit one town in Italy, make it Urbino." In the same book where I read that, the author wrote "Some commentators have ventured the opinion that the Renaissance as an intellectual movement really began at Urbino." This was the work of Federico Montefeltro, whose ducal palace is well worth a visit.

Posted by
15043 posts

The coast near Mt. Conero (Ancona) is nice. Puglia is also nice but it might be too far down the coast (the Adriatic Coast is long).

PS: if you tell an Italian about the West Coast or the East Coast, they will think you are trying to head to California or the New Jersey shore. Italians refer to their coasts using the name of the Sea (Adriatic Coast, Tyrrhenian Coast, Ionian Coast) or the name of the region (Romagnola Coast, Abruzzese Coast, Tuscan Coast, Ligurian Coast, etc.).