Pesaro, Fano, Gabicce Mare and Cartoceto (northern coast and hills)
Pesaro is a seaside city with a long promenade and Rossini's birthplace. Fano, just south, has a Roman arch and a broad sandy beach. Gabicce Mare sits under the cliffs of the Monte San Bartolo park, and the coast road over the headland to Pesaro has wide sea views. Inland, Cartoceto and Orciano are olive and wine villages. Rimini airport is around 30 to 45 minutes away and Ancona about an hour.
Best for: Families who want sandy beaches with towns close by
Not for you if: You want wild, empty beaches: this coast is lined with organised lidos and sunbeds in summer.
Porto Recanati, Loreto and Morrovalle (south of the Conero)
Porto Recanati has more of our Marche villas than any other single town, with a long pebble beach and a seafront of fish restaurants. Loreto, a few minutes inland, is built around the basilica of the Holy House, a major pilgrimage site. Recanati, the poet Leopardi's home town, is on the next hill. The Conero headland, with Sirolo and Numana, is about 20 minutes north. Ancona airport is around 40 minutes away.
Best for: Pebble beaches, the Conero cliffs and an easy base for Recanati
Not for you if: You want soft sand: the beaches here are mostly pebbles and coarse shingle.
Urbino, Cagli, Acqualagna and Pergola (Montefeltro and inland Pesaro)
Urbino's Ducal Palace holds the National Gallery of the Marche, with works by Piero della Francesca and Raphael, who was born in the town. Acqualagna is known for truffles and holds a large truffle fair in the autumn, and the Furlo gorge is just outside it. Cagli is a quiet stone town and Pergola has a museum of gilded Roman bronzes. Ancona airport is around an hour and a quarter away.
Best for: Renaissance art, truffles and walking in the Apennine foothills
Not for you if: You want the beach every day: the coast is an hour or more from Cagli and Pergola.
Senigallia, Ostra, Belvedere Ostrense and Arcevia (Misa valley)
Senigallia's long beach of fine sand is known as the velvet beach, and the town has a fish market and a moated castle. The Misa valley climbs inland past Ostra and Belvedere Ostrense to Arcevia, a walled hill town ringed by small fortified hamlets. Monte San Vito is near the Verdicchio wine country around Jesi. Ancona airport is around 20 to 30 minutes from Senigallia.
Best for: A sandy beach town with wine villages behind it
Not for you if: You want hilltop quiet in August: Senigallia's beach is packed for its summer festivals.
Ancona, Falconara Marittima and Marcelli (Conero coast)
Ancona is the regional capital, a working port with ferries to Croatia and Greece. South of it the Conero headland drops steeply into the sea, and boats from Numana and Marcelli run to the Due Sorelle beach, which you cannot reach by road. Marcelli itself has a sandy beach and a busy summer seafront. Falconara is the practical choice for an early flight: the airport is on its edge.
Best for: Short transfers and boat trips along the Conero cliffs
Not for you if: You want a quiet village feel: Ancona is a busy port and Falconara sits by the airport and a refinery.
Fermo, Magliano di Tenna, Montelparo and Ripatransone (southern hills)
Fermo is a hill city with a large piazza and Roman cisterns under the cathedral hill. Inland, Magliano di Tenna and Montelparo look west to the Sibillini mountains, and Carassai and Ripatransone sit on ridges above the sea. The coast at San Benedetto del Tronto and Cupra Marittima, with palm-lined promenades and sandy beaches, is 20 to 40 minutes away. Pescara and Ancona airports are each about an hour from San Benedetto.
Best for: Hill villages, mountain views and a quieter, cheaper Marche
Not for you if: You want lots of restaurants and nightlife: many villages are tiny and close early.
Cessapalombo (Sibillini mountains)
Cessapalombo is a small village on the edge of the Monti Sibillini national park. The Fiastrone gorge nearby has a popular walk to a waterfall pool, and Lake Fiastra has swimming and paddle boards in summer. Sarnano, a short drive south, has a small ski area for winter. Ancona airport is around an hour and a quarter away.
Best for: Hikers and families who want lakes and cool mountain air
Not for you if: You want a full range of shops and services: parts of this area are still rebuilding after the 2016 earthquakes.
