Fermo is a hilltop city in the southern Marche, about 6 km inland from the Adriatic coast. It sits on a ridge with views that stretch from the sea to the Sibillini Mountains, and its old centre has the layered architecture of a place that's been important since Roman times. Underground, a vast network of Roman cisterns (the Cisterne Romane) is the headline attraction, but the piazza, the cathedral, and the general sense of living in a city that predates most of European civilisation are what make it rewarding. Few British visitors come here, which is part of the appeal.
Why Stay in Fermo
- Roman cisterns — the underground water storage system, dating from the 1st century AD, is one of the largest and best-preserved in Italy. Thirty interconnected chambers with barrel-vaulted ceilings, and barely anyone knows about them.
- Historic piazza — Piazza del Popolo, with its elegant porticoes and the Palazzo dei Priori (housing a 15th-century globe and Rubens painting), is one of the finest town squares in central Italy.
- Beach and mountains, the Adriatic coast is 10 minutes away. The Sibillini Mountains for hiking are 40 minutes inland. Both are easily combined in a day.
- Honest caveat. Fermo is not well known and some visitors may find it quiet. The Adriatic beaches here are long and sandy but functional rather than scenic. There's limited English spoken outside the main tourist sites.
Things to Do in Fermo
Visit the Cisterne Romane. The guided tour takes you through the network of underground chambers, which held water for the Roman colony. It's cool, atmospheric, and genuinely impressive in scale. Booking isn't usually needed, but check at the tourist office on Piazza del Popolo.
The Piazza del Popolo is the town's drawing room. Walk the arcaded loggia, visit the Pinacoteca Civica in the Palazzo dei Priori (the Rubens painting of the Adoration of the Shepherds is the highlight), and have a coffee at one of the pavement cafés.
Climb to the cathedral (Duomo) at the summit of the hill for the best views. The Romanesque façade is elegant, and the view from the terrace encompasses the coast, the rolling countryside, and the mountain backdrop.
For the beach, head to Porto San Giorgio or Lido di Fermo (both 10 minutes). The Adriatic coast here has wide sandy beaches with stabilimenti, good for a simple beach day. For culture, Ascoli Piceno (50 minutes south) is a beautiful travertine city with one of Italy's finest piazzas.
