20 Jul 8 reasons to visit Fano
August 4, 2022
Fano is a small town in the Province of Pesaro Urbino. Also called the city of fortune (Fanum Fortunae), Fano is probably known to most for its Carnival, for the brunette and for the Brodetto Festival. But that’s not all: Fano is cheerful, lively, rich in history and monuments and if you are planning a weekend in the upper Marche we recommend you to include it in the list of “places to see”. Make yourself comfortable and discover with us the 8 reasons why you should come to Fano at least once.
1. Marina dei Cesari. The city has a long maritime tradition and when you arrive at the port you will be aware. Walking between the harbor area and the beach you will notice the Trabucchi Fano, the long beaches (both sandy and pebbly) and the many restaurants and clubs that make this city even more alive. I advise you to take the Lisippo Walk, at the end of which you will come across a statue: it is a copy of an ancient Greek work of art found by Fano fishermen in 1961 and made by the sculptor Lisippo (the original is in the Getty Museum in California).
2. Brodetto Festival. The food and wine part is also important: if you come to the Marche region, a dish that you will surely have to taste is Fanese fish Brodetto. What does fish broth consist of? It is a typical dish of the Adriatic seafaring cuisine and, as indicated by the Accademia del Brodetto, there are at least 4 typical official recipes in the Marches: the recipe for the broth of Ancona, that of Porto Recanati, San Benedetto and that of Fano. The Brodetto must be prepared only with fresh fish caught in the Adriatic and can have variations related to the seasonality of the presence of some species and the catch of the day. But what is the real recipe of Brodetto Fano?
“The recipe for broth does not exist: just as there is no recipe for Milanese risotto and Neapolitan pizza. There is the creation of the artist, always the same and always new, found every time in front of the stove. The real soup is what the Fano makes, a work of art that wants study and intelligence, passion and feeling, a soup that is everything … fish, love and fantasy! … “So writes Leandro Castellani on” Fano Graffiti “ed. Cultural Circle J. Maritain.
3. The “moretta” (brunette). Let’s make it clear: we’re not talking about women. According to tradition, Moretta is a drink that originated among the sailors and fishermen of the port of Fano in the colder winters. These, just before going out on the boat for daily fishing, used to prepare correct and very hot drinks to warm up and reinvigorate themselves. La Moretta was therefore born from the remnants of advanced liqueurs that were put together. It is a drink based on coffee, rum, anise and brandy … it is more difficult to explain it than to drink it! A must try 🙂
4. The Malatesta Fortress. Among the symbols of the city, it testifies to the Malatesta domination. It stands at the north corner of the Roman city walls, of which he presumably incorporated a keep. The fortress was designed following the “circle” defensive canons dictated by Leon Battista Alberti: inside the main fortification there was an additional defensive structure, the rocchetta, which in turn incorporated the keep. In summer it is often a place for events and exhibitions. If you want to visit it, first take a look at the official website fanorocca.it.
5. The underground Fano. This beautiful archaeological area of the city also deserves to be visited, which can be discovered through a series of routes and itineraries that are held during the summer, from June to September, when temperatures allow you to enjoy the best of an evening in the open air. The tour, which lasts about two hours, usually starts from the former convent of S.Agostino in Via Vitruvio, which is now home to some municipal offices, and runs along other focal points of the city. During the walk it is possible to admire the ancient Roman ruins: interesting, for example, the underground where a market was present at the time of the Romans and which is currently located below the Montanari Media Library. The Roman amphitheater located at the end of Corso Matteotti is also very beautiful.
6. Ex Church of San Francesco and Malatesta Tomb. It is one of the oldest monuments in the city and dates back, roughly, to the second half of the thirteenth century. It is located in one of the streets adjacent to Piazza XX Settembre and itself contains many artistic styles, evidence of the various historical periods of which it bears the signs. The most evident and suggestive thing is that this monument is devoid of coverage. It really fascinates all this former sacred place that has a lawn as its floor and the sky as its ceiling. In the portico the tombs of Pandolfo III Malatesta and his first wife Paola Bianca. The monumental tomb of Paola Bianca is an authentic masterpiece of late Gothic sculpture, the work of the Venetian sculptor Filippo di Domenico, also present the tombs of Bonetto da Castelfranco and that of Pandolfo III Malatesta.
7. The Malatesta Court. The graceful Renaissance ensemble (15th century), consisting of a courtyard garden and a palace, gives body to a very theatrical scenario. The building houses the civic museum: archeology, numismatics, sculptures and paintings. Today this beautiful place on several occasions becomes the ideal setting for musical and theatrical performances, as well as lyrical and prose performances, concerts and ballets.
8. Fortuna Theater. To close we cannot fail to point out the Teatro di Fano. It is located in Piazza XX Settembre and it shows off in this square to be admired. In Piazza XX Settembre is the Fontana della Fortuna, with its statue placed in the center of its marble lions, raised above the street floor with some steps.
The Teatro della Fortuna a little further on had been damaged quite heavily during the Second World War and was reopened to the public only in 1998 after long and important restoration operations. The showroom with over 700 seats and decorations make it even more precious. If you want more info on the works, consult the official website.
How about we convinced you?
We hope so and we hope to see our city always full of tourists as it is every year! To stay in Fano you just have to contact us by email asking for a personalized quote for the period you prefer. You can do it at this link. See you soon!
NB: If you come in summer when the beach is open you will have your umbrella and sun bed INCLUDED in the price.
