Porto Recanati: Coast, Cycling Routes and Brodetto

Coast and bathing areas

The breakwaters create calm natural swimming areas, including for children. The three main bathing areas are the central coast, the beaches of Scossicci and Pineta Volpini. At the free-access beaches, you can go windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing. Alongside swimming, these offer different ways to enjoy active water sports during a day by the sea.

Cycling routes between river and coast

A cycling route starts on the south bank at the mouth of the Potenza: it runs for more than three kilometres through the Santa Maria in Potenza area and connects to the cycling route on the north bank. Another route, about four kilometres long, starts on Via 29 Marzo. At first, it shares its path with the Banderuola cycling route. From the campervan parking area, it heads north along the coast, passing the Scossicci neighbourhood and continuing to the end of Via Amundsen, where it meets the Banderuola cycling route again. The river route is shorter, at three kilometres, than the approximately four-kilometre coastal route; the two routes also differ in that one follows the riverbank and the other runs along the coast.

Other cycling routes lead to the Banderuola chapel and the Potenza. A coastal route towards Monte Conero offers sea views. Further afield in the region, cycling routes connect Porto Recanati with Loreto and Recanati, passing through towns and the hills of the Marche. The options therefore range from specific routes along the river and coast to routes that explore the wider region.

Brodetto and local tradition

Porto Recanati brodetto is prepared without tomatoes and flavoured with Zafferanella or Zafferanone, the wild saffron of Conero. These ingredients define the local recipe, with its tomato-free preparation and saffron notes. Every year, La settimana del brodetto takes place in the first week of June. Residents and tourists can sample the speciality at a reduced price. If your trip falls during this period, check the dates and programme in advance.

Culture and history in Porto Recanati

The Arena Gigli is located within the walls of the Castello Svevo. The Church of San Giovanni Battista stands on the central Corso Matteotti and is Porto Recanati’s most important religious building. Both places offer different ways to explore the city’s cultural heritage.

In the archaeological area of Potentia, still-visible foundations of public buildings reveal the layout of the ancient city and aspects of its social and administrative organisation. Guided visits offer a way to learn about the history of the area and its role in the Roman context; check the latest dates in advance.

At the mouth of the Potenza, not far from the centre, the traditional practice of casting a large, round fishing net by hand is part of the local seafaring heritage. Nearby is the former Abbazia di Santa Maria in Potenza, which is now a private residence. The apse, with a small colonnaded loggia, and the crypt remain from the Romanesque complex. The crypt contains a triptych and a painting by Cesare Peruzzi.

The wider region also offers a connection to the coastal town of Potentia: a permanent exhibition is devoted to it. The Roman colony was founded at the beginning of the 2nd century BC.

Choose the right focus for your stay

When choosing your holiday apartment, it helps to decide what matters most: would you like your stay to focus mainly on the beach and water sports, cycling routes, or cultural history? If you want to combine several interests, you can also include the regional cycling connections in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Monte Cavallo, Monte San Martino, Pollenza, Pievebovigliana, Penna San Giovanni, Santo Stefano, Cingoli, Morrovalle.

For the main travel overview: Macerata.