Pesaro

This beautiful town lies on the north coast of the Marche region, where the long stretches of sandy coastline are flanked by two green promontories overlooking the sea: Colle Ardizio between Pesaro and Fano, and Monte San Bartolo between Pesaro and Gabicce Mare. It’s the birthplace of composer Gioacchino Rossini, to whom the famous Rossini Opera Festival is dedicated, one of the most famous festivals of its kind in the world. The composer’s house, which has been transformed into a multimedia museum, is also well worth visiting. The town’s historic centre is small and elegant, and the waterfront features various Art Nouveaux-style villas. Visitors to the area won’t be able to resist snapping photos of one of the town most famous symbols: the Big Sphere by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro, which the citizens of Pesaro jokingly refer to as the Palla (the “Ball”).