Le Marche 6 Day Itinerary (feedback and recs)

Actually...maybe I'll switch Urbino and Pesaro, and take the train from Pesaro to Bologna on the last day if that is a good train and it leaves early enough. It looks like it only takes an hour and 30 minutes to take the train from Pesaro to Bologna (although I'm not sure about whether the train goes directly to the airport)...so as long as I can drop off my rental car in Pesaro, that could work better.

If you're looking for a coastal town, check out Senigallica. Beautiful beaches. This would be a spot to spend the night.

On your way up the Coast between
AP and Senigallica you could stop and check out Porto San Gigorio. Though it's a port town there's some good sites to visit.

Not to piggyback or hijack this thread, and I am glad that xtpanza is stopping in Ascoli Piceno for a couple of nights. With it being a medieval town and all the travertine, it seems absolutely fascinating! We are planning on doing the same thing eventually, coming from Venice, and then heading to Puglia from there, all by train.

But I'd like to know...how reliable are the trains in that neck of the woods? Our trip requires a couple changes between Venice/Ascoli Piceno, then moving on a couple more between Ascoli Piceno/Polignano a Mare. We are used to the efficiency/accuracy of German and Swiss trains, and wonder how the Intercity and Regionales fare in that respect.

Thanks in advance!

July 8th - drive to Pesaro, explore for the day, spend one night (1 day)
July 9th - drive to Urbino, explore town and surrounding area (3 days)

Pesaro will be chock-a-block with beachgoers in July, FYI. The beach is all there is, basically. It is a good way to experience Italian beach culture, which is unlike anything I have ever seen.

Urbino is worth a day, IMO. With a car, you can explore, but I am not sure Urbino is a good base. You'll need to identify exactly where you want to go on ay trips.

Another vote for Senigallia as a stop along the Adriatic coast. Much smaller than Pesaro, it’s a charming town with a daily market.

The train station is just a couple of blocks from the beach, where you’ll find hotels and restaurants (try La Tartana, where you can sit at a table on the sand & enjoy a glass of wine with generous free snacks). There are a couple of Michelin-starred restaurants if you want to splurge. Miles of golden sandy beach.

Day trips from Senigallia include the 14th century walled hill town of Corinaldo, accessible by bus. Or the Caverns of Frassasi, which you can visit by train.

Jay — regarding the trains — we took them up and down the Adriatic coast and found them very reliable. We even had a 1-minute (!) connection going from Lecce to Otranto, with no problem.

cool, I didn't realize public transportation could be an option, will look more into that. If Urbino isn't a good base for a few days, what would anyone suggest as a good option for home base(s)/lodging in Le Marche, keeping in mind that I'd like to explore Ascoli Piceno, I'd like to see a coastal town, and I'd like to explore Urbino. I'm open to staying anywhere in Le Marche really, there seems to be SO MUCH to explore, I can't imagine anywhere that wouldn't be lovely. But I do need to figure out where to book lodging for this trip and it helps to know the area I should be looking in!!

OR...does one NOT need to book lodging in advance to tour this region?

Someone on this board was telling me in a PM that Rimini is one of the most popular beach resorts in season, to the point of being overrun. Seems that Russians find Rimini just to their liking and frequent there. Off-season, it's deserted and perfect for travelers that time of year, although not that much is open.

In July, I would book lodging in advance. Also keep in mind that public transportation is inexpensive and reliable, but you have to give up some flexibility. Do some sample searches on Trenitalia and see if trains would work for you.

thanks. I am glad to hear public transportation is reliable, and may be willing to give up some flexibility there, although with only 6 days I think I'd really need to think about where the best base should be if relying on public transportation. Any suggestions there? Seems like maybe we should just pick one or MAYBE two bases if not renting a car.

I'd definitely check and compare the
Train journeys VS car travel. We found a car gave us better options and less travel time between locations.

We love Urbino, have been there three times and have only been there via public transportation. If you will have a car, then three days to explore the area will certainly not be too long. (For us, three days there via public transportation would also not be too long. It's just such a lovely town to explore.)