A trip to the edge of the heel - the coast of Italy

Italian Cossack

Who, who loves the warm sea, wide and sandy beaches and the sun, does not dream of getting to know the Italian coast? And it is not about a blissful holiday with a drink with a palm tree, but about intense sightseeing. What if you took a few days' trip along the famous Italian shoe? Experience the power of adventures, meet a lot of great places and enjoy the sun? The more that before you get to that shoe, you still have to drive many kilometers along its "upper". You can start your journey from the city of Trieste in northeastern Italy. It is a picturesque town with a magnificent town hall, a romantic lighthouse and the mighty Miramare Castle , standing right on the seashore, not far from the city. Trieste prides itself on its monuments, especially the pretty buildings in the old part of the city. It is really worth paying attention to it and spending more time here.

Later in the journey we will visit Padua . On the way, we will touch a subtle part of Venice, i.e. Mestre, but it deserves its own story. We will come back here again. Meanwhile, we will focus on Padua, which also deserves attention because of the beauty of its architecture. Churches, basilicas and palaces built on a grand scale - invariably arouse the admiration of visitors. The majestic St. Anthony , the Palace of Della Regione or the statue of Gattamelata created by Donatello himself are only a fraction of the numerous attractions that attract tourists to the city. It is worth knowing that in Padua there is a 16th-century botanical garden, considered to be the oldest university garden in the world. The next point of your trip will be Ferrara , with its monumental Gothic cathedral. Then we head towards the coast to finally start the proper part of the trip - a journey overlooking the azure sea.

Along the coast - Ravenna and Rimini

We reach Ravenna , famous for its intricate mosaic. Particularly beautiful mosaic works can be seen on the vault of the Orthodox Baptistery. The temple is one of the best-preserved baptiseries built in the 5th century. In addition to the sacred monuments, which are abundant here, Ravenna attracts visitors also (or perhaps above all) as a tourist resort with the Marina di Ravenna bathing area. The local infrastructure is perfectly prepared - there are plenty of bars and cafes right next to the beach, which you can use during breaks between lounging on the sand.

Even more famous and popular is Rimini , located less than 30 minutes from San Marino. For such a small town, it is perfectly prepared to receive a large number of tourists - it has six railway stations, three airports serve them, and a nice, worn-out trolleybus runs around the city. There are many monuments here, such as the majestic Ponte di Tiberio , a solid bridge, but the main attractions of Rimini are undoubtedly the beaches and bathing areas. Every year crowds of holidaymakers come here. One of the most popular Disco Italo performers from the 80's, singer Ken Laszlo, dedicated the song "Welcome To Rimini" to this nice town.

Beaches surrounded by greenery, that is, we are already in Pesaro

Wandering along the coast, it is impossible not to stop for a moment in a very interesting city - Pesaro . It has a beautiful 7 km long beach, and in close proximity to Monte San Bartolo National Park. It is a holiday destination ideal for families with children, because the water is shallow, the beaches are clean (they have been awarded the Blue Flag several times, including in 2012), and they are green and peaceful around - although not in high season. There is also a seaport in Pesaro, from which you can get to the other side of the Adriatic Sea in less than two hours. Lovers of monuments will also be pleased - the historic center with beautiful churches, museums and fortresses will keep their attention for a long time.

From the wide beaches, it is quite close to the picturesque coastal hills on which another city - Ancona stands. Being here, before entering the beach, we can see one of the greatest attractions in the area, the Trajan's triumphal arch from around 115 AD. The ornate portal of the church of St. Francis. Many monuments are gone, because in 1972 the city was hit by a series of repeated powerful earthquakes. Ancona also has a fairly large port, thanks to ferry crossings connecting it with Croatia and Greece. The surrounding beaches are described by many tourists as heavenly because of their beauty. An additional advantage, attracting vacationers, is the Conero Regional Park (Parco Regionale del Conero) located right next to the city. It is a protected area of exceptional beauty, with numerous romantic coves and rich fauna.

The route from Trieste to Ancona through the places described above is approx. 560 km long

Ancona and the first long stop

Another point of our trip will be the delicious baroque Lecce . Meanwhile, before we continue our route, we will use the accommodation at the Rocca Mare campsite (Via Aspromonte 2, Falconara Marittima), where the price for a motorhome is from 6 to 10.50 euro / day, while an adult costs 3.5-5, 5 euro / day. There are also other equally attractive campsites in the area, which is not surprising given the beauty of the local landscapes. And these beaches… Indeed, you can feel like you are in paradise.