Italy has always had a special place in our hearts, and whenever we visit, we seek out the authentic, under-the-radar destinations that many travelers overlook. We love discovering towns where Italian is still the language you hear on the streets (perfect for practicing my Italian!), where tourism feels secondary to daily life, and where local culture shines through. Earlier this year, we found exactly that in Senigallia during our first—though certainly not our last—trip to Italy’s Marche region. If you’re searching for an authentic Italian experience or planning a visit to Le Marche, read on to discover why this charming coastal town captured our hearts.

SENIGALLIA, LE MARCHE

Senigallia is a small city on the Adriatic Sea in Le Marche, one of Italy’s 20 regions. Located just east of Umbria, one of our all-time favorite Italian regions, it shares many of the qualities we love most about central Italy – rolling countryside, far fewer American tourists than the country’s more famous destinations, and incredible food and wine. But Le Marche offers something that landlocked Umbria cannot; a stunning stretch of Adriatic coastline lined with long, sandy beaches, a rarity in much of Italy and Europe.

Situated roughly midway between Ancona, Le Marche’s capital, and Pesaro, Senigallia is beloved by Italians for its beautiful beaches and is regarded, at least amongst those in the know, as one of Italy’s top food destinations. After attending our friends’ wedding in Tuscany, we headed here for a few days of great meals and seaside relaxation, and Senigallia exceeded our expectations.

We visited in late May, just days before the summer season officially began. The town felt like a different side of Italy, one that seemed pleasantly frozen in time. People walked or rode bicycles everywhere, Italian was the language spoken on every street corner, and during our entire stay we spotted only two other Americans. It was authentic, relaxed, and wonderfully refreshing.

HOW TO GET TO SENIGALLIA

Senigallia has its own regional train station in the heart of town. It is located about 30 minutes from Ancona via train and an hour from Rimini via train, at both of which train stations you can board a Frecciarossa (the fast train) to go elsewhere. Of note, the Senigallia train station does not have an elevator or escalator, and it is necessary to go down/up stairs.

One word of caution, however, the regional trains in the area can get insanely crowded in high season. We could barely get off with our large luggage in May (and we are very seasoned Italian train travelers). If returning, I would likely book a car transfer to Ancona and take a fast train (with a reserved seat) directly from there rather than dealing with the overcrowded local trains.

Another option is to drive to Senigallia, which is connected to the rest of Italy via decent highways. Once in Senigallia, you can walk most places, but many people ride bicycles. Our hotel even had loaner bicycles for guests to use.

WHERE TO STAY IN SENIGALLIA

Senigallia has loads of hotels and rentals, ranging from very reasonable to hotels costing several hundred euro per night. That being said, I did not see any true luxury, luxury hotels when we visited.

We opted to stay at Terrazza Marconi Hotel & SpaMarine. Located just off the main Senigallia beach, or the “Lungomare”, Terrazza Marconi has a great location, its own beach club across the street, and lots of amenities for guests, including complimentary access to the beach club, a pool at the beach club, and a rooftop breakfast offering stunning views of Senigallia.

I would absolutely stay here again, but next time I would splurge for a room with a balcony. I have also heard that the Raffaello Hotel and Visionair Suites are nice. When selecting a property in Senigallia, I strongly recommend staying on or just off the Lungomare or in Senigallia’s historic old town for location purposes.

WHAT TO DO IN SENIGALLIA

Senigallia’s Velvet Beach.  If you have done much traveling in Italy in the Summer, you likely know that while beautiful, its beaches are typically small and rocky. Well, not in Senigallia. Senigallia is home to 13 kilometers of wide, sandy beaches. It’s beautiful and unlike most other Italian beaches. The sea off these beaches is also generally calm and shallow. You will see people wading far out into the water due to its shallowness.

Senigallia’s Beach Clubs. Because of its Velvet Beach, beach clubs are insanely popular in Senigallia. And what are beach clubs? Basically, it is a “club” on the beach that you pay to enter for the day, with the entrance fee providing you with a beach chair, umbrella, sometimes a towel, and the club’s other amenities. For example, Terrazza Marconi’s beach club has a pool, a volleyball court, a restaurant, and each beach chair contains a wireless charger for your phone and a safe to store belongings when you get in the water. You can’t miss the beach clubs in Senigallia. Each colorful cluster of umbrellas is a different beach club.

The Lungomare. Senigallia’s lungomare is the promenade that runs along its main beach, from Uliassi down to Terrazza Marconi. In the evenings, especially on the weekend, many people stroll, or “promenade” up and down the lungomare to see and be seen. It’s a fun experience.

Old Town Senigallia: While Senigallia’s lungomare is popular, so is its historic center, located about a 10 minute walk from Terrazza Marconi. Home to many restaurants and shops, Senigallia’s old town is worth a visit, especially in the evening when it is bustling with people. I would note, however, in true old school fashion, stores close for siesta in the afternoon, opening up for the evening around 4:30 PM/

La Rotonda. Built in the 1930s, La Rotonda sul mare is a rotunda built out over the ocean in the middle of Senigallia. It has been used for many things over the years but when we visited in May, it was closed. It is popular to walk out along its catwalk to the Rotonda.

La Rocca Roveresca: Located in the historic part of Senigallia, La Rocca is Senigallia’s old fortress. You can go inside and visit, but we skipped it.

The Food. For some reason, Senigallia is a foodie town. Italians know this well, but Americans have not yet caught on. For example, this small town has a three star and a two star Michelin restaurant. In addition to these starred restaurants, Senigallia is home to what many consider the best gelato in Italy and numerous other terribly delicious restaurants. You need to eat everything in Senigallia.

Aperitivo. Aperitivo hits different in Senigallia. It is easy to participate in, as all the beach bars off the lungomare offer aperitivo. We had a nightly aperitivo.

WHERE TO EAT IN SENIGALLIA

As I mentioned, Senigallia is as much a foodie destination as it is a beach destination. We did not have a bad meal during our visit. I would love to return and try more restaurants.

Uliassi. Uliassi is Senigallia’s three Michelin star restaurant. It offers three tasting menus. Everything, including the service, was excellent. Separate post on this coming soon.

Madonnina del Pescatore. Madonnina del Pescatore is Senigallia’s two Michelin starred restaurant. We did not eat here, but I would prioritize it next time.

Tajamare. Tajamare is an excellent seafood restaurant located on the lungomare. Tajamare prepares fresh seafood dishes with seafood caught the same day. Don’t miss its handmade pasta, which is simply incredible.

O’Sarracin. Recommended by a contact in Senigalla, O’Sarracin is a pizza restaurant in the old part of town, and it was incredibly delicious. It was packed with locals on a Saturday evening. The sausage on this pizza was outstanding.

Gelateria Paolo Brunelli. Some say this is the best gelato in Italy. I’d believe it. Paolo Brunelli’s gelateria is located in Senigallia’s old town in a modern space. The gelato flavors change often, and everything we tried was delicious. Don’t miss its complimentary house made cream, or “panna.” Go during the day to avoid lines in the evening.

Chiringuito Beach Club Senigallia. We lunched at Chiringuito one day and ordered a sausage and eggplant pizza. I was honestly not expecting much from this lunch, but the pizza was ridiculously good. The pizza was square with crunchy crust. The sausage, cheese, and tomato sauce on the pizza was really high quality.

Baretto Rosso. We lunched here one afternoon and enjoyed a Piadina sandwich, which is similar to a wrap, fried mozzarella bites, and frites, all of which were quite good. We came back, however, for its very tasty sparkling wine on tap.

Amaro. While not a restaurant, the local amaro, Canaja, is from Senigallia. You can find it everywhere. Don’t miss it in Senigallia. We had not previously seen it.

Salame Ciauscolo. Finally, this pork sausage, made with pork and fat and spiced with black pepper, garlic, and white wine, from Le Marche also gets a mention. Find it in Le Marche and eat it all. It is incredibly delicious. You can also find it in neighboring Umbria.

HOW LONG TO STAY IN SENIGALLIA

That’s really up to you. We stayed 3.5 days, but we could have easily stayed a week. While there is not a lot to “do” in Senigallia, it is relaxing and the time seems just to fly by. And, if you are coming with children, there are loads of family friendly activities on the beach in the summer.

If you are adults only (as we are), there are numerous day trips that you can take from Senigallia. For example, we took a wine tour with Marcos Way, which was incredibly enjoyable and gave us the opportunity to see more of Le Marche.

Next time, I definitely want to visit Urbino, a gorgeous town about an hour and a half’s drive away. Some people also visit San Marino, a totally separate country landlocked within Italy, also about an hour away. We stopped in San Marino on our way in, so we did not visit from Senigallia. It would make good day trip from Senigallia, as it is located on a hilltop and is totally different vibes than Senigallia.

STEAL OUR TRIP

Terrazza Marconi Hotel & SpaMarine: Lungomare G. Marconi, 37, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy.

Marcos Way: Marco of Marcos Way did our wine tour, and he also offers various tours around Le Marche. He is fluent in English. Highly recommend reaching out to him.

Ristorante Uliassi: Banchina di Levante, 6, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Open Wednesday – Sunday for lunch and dinner.

Madonnina del Pescatore: Via, Lungomare Italia, 11, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy.

Tajamare Osteria di Mare: Lungomare G. Marconi, 13, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Open daily all day.

O’Sarracin: Via Fratelli Bandiera, 70, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Open for dinner Wednesday – Monday. Closed Tuesday. Reservations highly recommended.

Gelateria Paolo Brunelli: Via Giosuè Carducci, 7, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Open daily all day.

Baretto Rosso: Lungomare G. Marconi, 28bis, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Closed Monday. Open Tuesday – Sunday all day. Note, during not high season, pizza is only served in the evenings.

Chiringuito Beach Club Senigallia: Lungomare G. Marconi, 44, 60019 Senigallia AN, Italy. Closed Monday. Open Tuesday – Friday from 12:00 to late, Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 – late.