Anywhere Italy
Stemma di Senigallia

Marche · Ancona

Senigallia

Thirteen kilometers of fine sand on the Adriatic that earned the Spiaggia di Velluto name, hometown of photographer Mario Giacomelli and chef Mauro Uliassi.

Known for

  • SPIAGGIA DI VELLUTO

    Thirteen kilometers of fine sand along the Adriatic, awarded Bandiera Blu, named for the velvet softness of the grain.

  • MARIO GIACOMELLI

    Born here in 1925, one of the great photographers of the twentieth century; the Palazzo del Duca holds his permanent section.

  • ULIASSI

    Three-Michelin-star restaurant on the southern beach, founded 1990 by Mauro and Catia Uliassi, ranked among the world's top fifteen.

When to visit

Best · May–Sep

  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

The festa: Paolino di Nola, 4 May

Why come

Senigallia sits at the mouth of the Misa river on the Adriatic, twenty-five kilometers north of Ancona. The Spiaggia di Velluto, the Velvet Beach, stretches thirteen kilometers of fine sand along the coast and gives the town its Bandiera Blu and most of its summer economy. The Rocca Roveresca, in the centro storico, layers a 1450 Malatesta keep over Egidio Albornoz's fourteenth-century Rocchetta and was completed by Giovanni della Rovere using the architects Luciano Laurana and Baccio Pontelli.

The Rotonda a Mare, an art-deco pier pavilion completed in 1933, sits on iron piles above the water at the center of the beachfront. Mario Giacomelli, one of the great photographers of the twentieth century, was born here in 1925 and worked here all his life; the Palazzo del Duca holds a permanent section of his prints. The Uliassi restaurant on the southern beach holds three Michelin stars and has been ranked among the world's top fifteen by the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

The Sunday letter

We haven’t written Senigallia’s letter yet.

One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.

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Senigallia — photo 1
Senigallia — photo 2

What to see

  • Spiaggia di Velluto

    Thirteen kilometers of fine sand running along the Adriatic, awarded Bandiera Blu, the working spine of Senigallia's summer.

  • Rocca Roveresca

    Layered fortress combining Albornoz's fourteenth-century Rocchetta, the 1450 Malatesta keep and the Della Rovere completion by Laurana and Pontelli.

  • Rotonda a Mare

    Art-deco pier pavilion completed 1933, set on iron piles above the water at the center of the beachfront, restored and used for exhibitions and weddings.

  • Mario Giacomelli section, Palazzo del Duca

    Permanent display of prints by Mario Giacomelli, born in Senigallia in 1925, including the Scanno series and the seminary priests in snow.

  • Foro Annonario

    Neoclassical circular market arcade built 1834 by Pietro Ghinelli, still used as the central food market of the town.

  • Portici Ercolani

    Twenty-six arcades in white Istrian stone running along the right bank of the Misa river in the centro storico, built mid-eighteenth century.

The slow-trip planner

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We recommend

Where to eat and stay

Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to — a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.

  • UliassiRistorante

    Uliassi has the number 43 spot on the World's 50 Best, three Michelin stars and three Gambero Rosso forks (95/100), among other nods.

  • Madonnina del PescatoreRistorante

    Madonnina del Pescatore has two Michelin stars, three Gambero Rosso forks (94/100) and a place in L'Espresso's Top 300, among other nods.

  • Vino e CiboTrattoria

    Vino e Cibo carries three Gambero Rosso prawns, a Slow Food snail, plus a place in L'Espresso's Top 300.

  • Mercato Trattoria PopTrattoria

    Mercato Trattoria Pop carries two Gambero Rosso prawns, plus a Slow Food snail.

  • Sepia by NikoRistorante

    Sepia by Niko carries two Gambero Rosso forks (80/100), plus a place in L'Espresso's Top 300.

  • Cuoco di BordoRistorante

    A spot in the Michelin Guide, at Cuoco di Bordo.

  • Nana Piccolo BistròBistrot

    Nana Piccolo Bistrò holds three Gambero Rosso tables.

Living here

  • Population 44,019
  • A local hubi
  • Pharmacy in town
  • High school within a 30-minute drive
  • Train station in the comune
  • Nearest airport Ancona / Pescara, 28 min drive
  • Regional capital Ancona, 41 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

The numbers

  • Elevation: 5 m
  • Population: 44,019
  • Surface area: 117.77 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

Close by

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🟦 Bandiera Blu

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