10 tips for fun rainy days in Senigallia
Discover the beauty of Senigallia even when the sun isn't shining
Senigallia offers many attractions to visit when the weather isn’t cooperating. When the heavens open, it’s your chance to discover the gems that surround you. Fill what would have been a dull afternoon with castles and stories of battles, churches housing artistic treasures and museums where you can broaden your cultural horizons.
There’s a whole world to discover in this gem of the Adriatic Riviera, beyond just the seaside. Here are 10 tips for fun rainy days in Senigallia and its surroundings.
1. Roveresca Fortress
The fortress that was stormed by Cesare Borgia
Categoría: Historia, Foto
Roveresca Fortress (Rocca Roveresca) was an important military site in the past that today is a space dedicated to art exhibitions and cultural events. In the 16th century, artillery school lessons took place within its walls, while rooms were created as the residence for nobles in the safety of the large halls.
The building’s appearance highlights the fortress’s defensive purpose; it’s a solid structure in a quadrilateral shape, reinforced at every angle by imposing towers and surrounded by a huge moat. It seems impregnable, yet Cesare Borgia managed to conquer it during a historic battle. It is possible to visit the inside as well as the cellars where the dungeons were located.
Ubicación: Piazza del Duca, 2, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: June and September: Tuesday–Sunday from 2.20 pm to 7.40 pm. July and August: Tuesday–Saturday from 4.20 pm to 7.40 pm, Sundays from 2.20 pm to 7.40 pm
Teléfono: +39 071 632 58
Roveresca Fortress
2. Diocesan Art Gallery
Works of art in the bishops’ quarters
Categoría: Historia, Económico
The Diocesan Art Gallery (Pinacoteca Diocesana) is housed in the sophisticated rooms of the Palazzo Vescovile (Bishop’s Palace) house. The paintings comprise sacred art from the 16th to 19th centuries, with a particular focus on masters from the Marche and Romagna regions. The tour includes a visit to the rooms that were once the residence of the Bishops of Senigallia.
The walls are covered in elegant decorations, and the rooms house furnishings, sacred objects, vestments and silverware. The exhibition space is on the top floor of the palace, accessed via an imposing staircase. Entry is free, as are the guided tours. It’s an unmissable opportunity!
Ubicación: Piazza Garibaldi, 3, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Thursday–Sunday from 9 pm to midnight
Teléfono: +39 071 792 0709
Diocesan Art Gallery
3. La Fenice Archaeological Area
Walking the streets of Roman Senigallia
Categoría: Historia, Foto
La Fenice Archaeological Area (Area Archeologica La Fenice) lets you see the remains of ancient streets from Roman times that were once lined with homes and taverns. These streets ran through the original settlement called ‘Sena’.
The finds were discovered in the late 1980s during construction of the new La Fenice Theatre and have stirred great archaeological interest thanks to the optimal conservation status of the paving of both the public spaces and the buildings. During your visit, you can also see what was unearthed during the excavations displayed in illuminated cases around the excavation area.
Ubicación: Viale G. Leopardi, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Tuesday–Sunday from 5 pm to 11 pm
Teléfono: +39 071 662 9203
La Fenice Archaeological Area
4. Pius IX Museum
A visit to the pope’s residence
Categoría: Historia
The Pius IX Museum features clothing, vestments, artworks and sacred and everyday objects that belonged to the pope. Having spent over 31 years holding the papal office, Pius IX boasts one of the longest tenures in the history of the Catholic Church. The future pope was born in Senigallia in the late 18th century into the Mastai Ferretti family, who had settled in the city during the Renaissance.
The museum tour includes the various rooms of the residence, including the Salone di Rappresentanza (Ceremonial Hall) adorned with paintings, and an elegant space where official ceremonies took place and important figures were received. There’s also a private chapel and a room with a collection of relics.
Ubicación: Via Mastai, 14, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Monday–Saturday from 9 am to noon and 5 pm to 7 pm
Teléfono: +39 071 606 49
Pius IX Museum
5. Exhibitions at the Rotonda a Mare
Modern art at the symbol of Senigallia
Categoría: Historia, Foto
Exhibitions at the Rotonda a Mare feature an art gallery where the beauty of the artworks is amplified by the windows that allow the brightness of the Adriatic to flood in. The rotunda stands on a pier in Senigallia that dates back to the 1930s. It’s a very evocative spot, especially when the lights go on in the evening, and has become a symbol of the city.
Originally constructed for hydrotherapy and recreational purposes, the rotunda has always been a point of reference for nights spent socialising on the seafront. After a period of decline in the 1980s and ‘90s, the rotunda has returned to its former splendour.
Ubicación: Piazzale della Libertà, 23, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Daily from 6pm to midnight
Teléfono: +39 071 603 22
Exhibitions at the Rotonda a Mare
6. Church and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie
An altar with painting by Perugino
Categoría: Historia, Foto, Económico
The Church and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is an inland monastery built for a community of Franciscan friars that’s ideal for art lovers. You’ll immediately see that the buildings reflect the simplicity and chasteness of the order’s rules. Inside, behind the altar, is Perugino’s painting ‘Madonna con Santi’ (’The Virgin and Saints’), dating back to the 15th century.
The evocative atmosphere and profound silence that fills the cloisters and nave are perfect for spiritual meditation. If you’d like to extend your visit to delve deeper into the rural life of centuries past, you can visit the Museo della Mezzadria (Sharecropping Museum), located in one wing of the convent.
Ubicación: Strada Comunale Grazie, 1, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Saturday from 5 pm to 7 pm, Sunday from 8.30 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 7 pm
Teléfono: +39 071 792 1565
Church and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie
7. Church of the Cross
Golden stuccowork and paintings in a Baroque treasure
Categoría: Historia, Foto, Económico
The Church of the Cross (Chiesa della Croce) is an amazing example of magnificent baroque-style adornments in the city centre. It’s a small building with simple Renaissance forms on the outside, while inside it hides stuccowork and gold beneath an incredible coffered ceiling.
Your jaw will drop as you take in the play between light and shadow, the glittering of the bronze friezes and the bright colours of the decorations. The 6 side altars are embellished with important paintings, while above the main altar hangs a 17th-century altarpiece by Federico Barocci depicting the entombment of Christ.
Ubicación: Via Fagnani, 3, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Daily from 9 am to 8 pm
Teléfono: +39 333 741 2366
Church of the Cross
8. Frasassi Caves
Underground routes surrounded by nature’s sculptures
Categoría: Familias, Foto, De aventura
The Frasassi Caves (Grotte di Frasassi) are a fairy-tale place about 1 hour by car from Senigallia. It’s a subterranean world made up of underground galleries, stalagmites and stalactites carved by water erosion over millions of years, creating small clefts and huge spaces such as the one known as ‘Abisso Ancona’.
The tour takes visitors to the most evocative places, such as the Lago Cristallizzato (Crystallised Lake), Cascata del Niagara (Niagara Falls) and the Castello della Fatina (Fairy Castle). Like adventures? You can participate in speleological visits along unlit paths outside the walkways. You don’t need any specific training or prior experience, but you do need to be in good physical shape.
Ubicación: Località Gola di Frasassi, 60040 Genga, Italy
Teléfono: +39 073 290 090
Frasassi Caves
9. Mondavio Fortress
The fortress that no one dared to attack
Categoría: Historia, Foto
Mondavio Fortress (Rocca di Mondavio) was never involved in any battles or subject to any attacks, which is why it remains intact to this day. Located around 18 miles from Senigallia, it was built to be an impregnable stronghold. The irregular shapes of the keep may seem strange, but they had a very specific purpose: They reinforced the walls to better resist artillery fire, and ensured that every inch could be kept under surveillance.
In the moat, you can get up-close with reproductions of impressive war machines, while original weapons and armour are displayed inside the fortress. One tip: Go up to the bastions to take in the stunning view of the hills of the Marche region.
Ubicación: Viale della Vittoria, 5, 61040 Mondavio, Italy
Horarios: Daily from 9 am to noon and 3 pm to 7 pm (6 pm in winter)
Teléfono: +39 072 184 7564
Mondavio Fortress
10. MUSINF
Museum dedicated to information processing
Categoría: Historia
MUSINF, the Museum of Modern Art, Information and Photography, offers answers to questions about the relationship between words and images. How is the information we receive transmitted and received? What’s the relationship between these processes and art?
The museum is in the centre of Senigallia, inside an elegant building near the La Fenice theatre. Besides the collection of photographs, there’s also an interesting collection of mail art, i.e. graphic creations done on postcards, envelopes and tickets. The civic collection is named after the great photographer Mario Giacomelli.
Ubicación: Via Carlo Pisacane, 84, 60019 Senigallia, Italy
Horarios: Friday–Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm
Teléfono: +39 071 604 24
MUSINF
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