The two sisters

The seaside town of Sirolo is beautiful. There are two distinct areas to Sirolo: the upper area is a medieval hill town where you can find great places to eat and drink, while down at sea level, there are a series of beaches rated among the best on Italy's Adriatic Coast. Among those beaches is the Spiaggia di Due Sorelle, "Two Sisters Beach", which is often included among lists of the best in Italy. 

Sirolo

One of the most attractive areas of Sirolo is Piazza Vittorio Veneto. This is really the heart and soul of the upper town; a beautifully manicured square where there are lots of places to dine or buy an ice cream, but also edged by a marvelous terrace that offers spectacular views down to the beaches below and further afield along the peninsula. Sirolo's beaches can be accessed via a couple of roads and paths that lead down from the town center. The two beaches closest to the town are Spiaggia Urbani and Spiaggia San Michele, both of which are served by a car park on the road that leads down to them.

The famous Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle can only be reached from the water with a series of ferry links running in the summer months alone from the neighbouring town of Numana and from the closer Spiaggia San Michele. If you simply want to see the beach from a distance, a series of hiking routes provide some spectacular views; head north of the main town area and you reach the forested area of the peninsula where there are paths that lead to the Belvedere Nord and Belvedere Sud, the two panoramic viewpoints north and south of Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle. During the peak summer months of July and particularly August, Sirolo gets busy and it can be difficult to find parking close to the beach unless you arrive very early. 

Lunch on the beach: 

Ristorante La Grotta - Spiaggia Urbani, 60020 Sirolo AN, Italy

Loreto

Also worth a visit is the nearby town of Loreto. The town is famous because the house of Mary (the childhood home of Jesus) is based here.  The “Santa Casa” was flown here from the Holy Land by a group of angels in 1293. In reality, studies have shown that transport by sea in some ships operated by the Crusaders is a more likely possibility. After the Christians were expelled from the Holy Land, the “Holy House” was first transported to Trsat in Croatia (1291), then to Ancona in 1293, and finally to Loreto in December 1294. Then there is the mystery of the Lady of Loreto - the statute of the black Madonna (there are several interesting theories around this…) Since its beginnings, great artists have adorned the Sanctuary one after the other through the centuries: from Cristoforo Roncalli (so-called Pomarancio), to Francesco Selva and Tiburzio Vergelli, architect of the majestic Baptistry. As a result, the sanctuary’s fame diffused rapidly throughout the world, and it became a privileged destination for millions of pilgrims.

Loreto, A symbolic place of Christianity and home to the Holy House of Nazareth where Mary was born. A destination for pilgrims and art lovers.