Numana is a seaside town on the Conero Riviera in Marche, about 20 km south of Ancona. Its old fishing village sits on a cliff above the harbor, with two calm coves below it and a long family beach running south to Marcelli. Come for clear water, the Costarella steps, sea turtles and Rosso Conero wine.
Numana: key facts
- Region and province: Marche, province of Ancona, on the Conero Riviera at the foot of Monte Conero (Italia.it)
- From Ancona: about 20 km south; the RENI bus from Ancona Centrale station takes about 45 minutes (Numana official tourism site)
- From Rome: train on the Rome to Ancona line, then the RENI bus or a car from Ancona; there is no railway in Numana itself (Numana official tourism site)
- Nearest airport: Marche Airport in Falconara, about 30 km away (Numana official tourism site)
- Beaches: Blue Flag in 2026 (Ministry of Tourism, Blue Flag 2026 map); all fine gravel, not sand (Numana official tourism site)
- Best for: calm-water swimming, families, boat trips along the Conero, seafood and wine
- How long to spend: one full day, or two to four nights as a beach base for the Conero coast
We live in Marche and design private Marche tours, and Numana is where we send guests who want the Conero sea without giving up a real town with a harbor, an old center and an evening passeggiata. This guide covers the beaches, the old town, how to get there and where to swim on each kind of day.
Where is Numana, Italy?
Numana is on the Adriatic coast of central Italy, in the province of Ancona, on the southern side of the Conero promontory. Monte Conero rises to 572 meters right behind the town, which is why this short stretch of coast mixes white limestone cliffs, Mediterranean scrub and open sea (Numana official tourism site).
The town has two parts. Numana Alta is the old fishing village on the cliff, with narrow lanes and colorful houses. Numana Bassa is the newer, livelier lower town around the harbor, and its seafront continues south to the beaches of Marcelli, which is also part of the municipality (Riviera del Conero tourism board). Sirolo, the other famous Conero village, is right next door; we cover it in our guide to Sirolo and Portonovo.
Is Numana worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you want an easy, swimmable Conero beach with a real town around it. Numana’s beaches hold the Blue Flag for 2026 (Ministry of Tourism), and the family beaches of Numana Bassa also carry the Green Flag given to child-friendly beaches (Riviera del Conero tourism board).
What we like most is the range. In one day you can swim in a sheltered cove under the cliffs, walk up an old fishermen’s staircase into the village, see a 6th-century BC royal burial in a small state museum and take a boat to the Due Sorelle. Out of season it becomes a quiet fishing town again, and the old center is lovely for a walk and a seafood lunch.
What are the best beaches in Numana?
It depends on what you want: the two coves of Numana Alta for calm, clear water and scenery, or the long beach of Numana Bassa and Marcelli for space, services and children. Every beach in Numana is fine gravel; the Numana Alta coves are more intimate and sheltered, while Numana Bassa and Marcelli are wider and breezier (Numana official tourism site).
La Spiaggiola
The Spiaggiola is a natural pool in a bay protected by rocks, where the sea is almost always calm (Numana official tourism site). There is a beach club with a bar and restaurant, and free beach at both ends. Walk down the path from Piazza Nuova or cross the harbor heading north; in summer a free minibus runs from the old center and the tourist office.
Spiaggia del Frate (Sottosanta)
The second Numana Alta cove, also called Sottosanta, can only be reached on foot: about five minutes down the path from Piazza Nuova behind the Sanctuary, or by walking north across the harbor and the Spiaggiola (Numana official tourism site). It is the one we choose on a quiet weekday morning.
Numana Bassa and Marcelli
South of the harbor, a long beach with beach clubs, restaurants and children’s play areas stretches to Marcelli, with stretches of free beach between the clubs (Numana official tourism site). A seafront promenade of about 4 km joins the harbor to Marcelli, good for an evening walk or a bike ride (Numana official tourism site). There is also an accessible free beach and a dog beach at the southern end, after the Numana Blu club.
Where can you swim on the Conero from Numana?
From Numana you can swim in the town’s own coves, or take a boat from the harbor to the Due Sorelle beach. The Due Sorelle cannot be reached on foot; boats leave from Numana’s harbor as a daily ferry, as organized excursions or as private hire (Numana official tourism site). The Traghettatori del Conero ferry from Numana runs only on reservation (Riviera del Conero).
Our simple rule for guests: if the sea is choppy, stay in the Numana Alta coves, which are protected by rocky barriers. On a flat, clear day, book the boat to the Due Sorelle early in the morning and bring water and shade, because that beach has no services.
What to see in Numana’s old town
The old town is small and best seen on foot in an hour or two, from the harbor up the Costarella to the belvedere and the Sanctuary.
La Costarella. A long staircase that fishermen once walked down every morning at dawn to reach the harbor (Riviera del Conero tourism board). Today it is the prettiest street in town, lined with houses and potted flowers.
Arco di Torre and the fisherman monument. At the top of the promontory, above the harbor, stands the arch that remains of an old bell tower or watchtower, next to a bronze monument to fishermen. The belvedere nearby has the view along the coast and, in summer, a constant breeze (Italia.it).
Sanctuary of the Crucifix. Inside is a cedar wood crucifix, a 13th-century Byzantine work (Italia.it). Nearby, the Town Hall occupies a 1773 building that was the summer residence of the bishops of Ancona (Italia.it).
Antiquarium Statale. This small state museum, founded in 1974, tells the story of ancient Numana and the Conero coast from prehistory through the Iron Age to Roman times (Marche Region museums). Its highlight is the grave goods of the Tomb of the Queen of Sirolo, from the 6th century BC (Italia.it), including two chariots and a two-wheeled cart (CoopCulture). It opens Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:45 pm, on the first Sunday of the month from 8:30 am and on other Sundays from 2 pm to 7:45 pm, and is closed on Mondays. Full tickets are €5, €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25, and free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of the month (CoopCulture, official ticketing).
Numana sights at a glance
| Sight | What it is | Time needed | Our tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Spiaggiola | Sheltered cove with a beach club | Half a day | Free minibus from the old center in summer |
| Spiaggia del Frate | Second Numana Alta cove, on foot only | 2 to 3 hours | Go early; 5-minute path from Piazza Nuova |
| La Costarella | Fishermen’s staircase to the harbor | 15 minutes | Walk it uphill at sunset |
| Arco di Torre and belvedere | Arch, fisherman monument, coast view | 20 minutes | Best light in the evening |
| Antiquarium Statale | Picene and Roman finds, Queen of Sirolo tomb | 1 hour | Closed Mondays; free first Sunday |
| Turtle bay | Fenced sea area for rescued turtles | 20 minutes | Between the Spiaggiola and the Frate |
| Boat to the Due Sorelle | Beach reached only by sea | Half day | Book ahead; no services on the beach |
Why is Numana called the city of turtles?
Because the town rescues and rehabilitates sea turtles. Numana works with the Fondazione Cetacea of Riccione, and recovered turtles spend time in a fenced area of sea near the harbor, watched by marine biologists and volunteers before they are released (Italia.it). This turtle bay, between the Spiaggiola and the Spiaggia dei Frati, opened in June 2013 and can be visited on foot from the harbor (Riviera del Conero tourism board).
Every summer, at least once a month, the Tarta Day release takes a boat from Numana’s harbor to the Due Sorelle beach, where the turtles are set free. It sells out, so book a few days ahead at the ferry office in the harbor (Riviera del Conero tourism board).
Want to see Numana as part of a private Marche trip? We can arrange a private boat day along the Conero, a table for mussels by the sea and a winery visit on the Rosso Conero hills, then continue to the hill towns inland. See our private Marche tours.
How do you get to Numana?
Fly or take the train to Ancona, then continue about 20 km south by bus, taxi or car. Numana has no railway station and no fast road through it (Numana official tourism site).
- By train and bus: trains on the Milan to Lecce and Rome to Ancona lines stop at Ancona Centrale; from there the RENI bus takes about 45 minutes (Numana official tourism site).
- By plane: Marche Airport in Falconara is about 30 km away; the Aerobus Raffaello links it to Ancona station, where you change to the RENI bus (Numana official tourism site).
- By car: on the A14, exit at Ancona Sud from the north or Loreto-Porto Recanati from the south (Numana official tourism site).
- Getting around: in summer free shuttles link the old center, the harbor, the beaches and Marcelli; in 2026 the old-town minibus to the Numana Alta beaches ran daily from 27 June to 13 September, and the evening line from 4 July to 30 August (Numana official tourism site).
When guests travel with us, our own drivers take them from the airport or station straight to their hotel, and on to the next stop of the trip. If you are planning without a car, our guide to two weeks in Marche without a car shows how the buses and trains fit together.
What to eat and drink in Numana
Seafood, above all the mussels of the Conero coast, and a glass of Rosso Conero. The town’s tourism site presents mussels as typical of the Conero Riviera (Numana official tourism site), and in our guide to Sirolo and Portonovo we explain the wild moscioli you will see on menus in season.
Numana sits on the Rosso Conero wine route, which runs between Ancona and Osimo through Numana, Sirolo, Camerano, Offagna and Castelfidardo. About twenty wineries make Rosso Conero DOC and Rosso Conero Riserva DOCG from Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes (Italia.it). A winery lunch in the hills behind the coast is one of our favorite ways to end a beach morning; see our Italy food and wine tours.
What to do in Numana in one day
This is the day we would plan for guests in June or September, when the sea is warm and the shuttles are running.
- 8:30 am: coffee in the old center, then down the path from Piazza Nuova to the Spiaggia del Frate for a swim while it is quiet.
- 10:30 am: walk north to south along the coves, past the turtle bay, to the Spiaggiola.
- 12:30 pm: seafood lunch near the harbor.
- 2:30 pm: the Antiquarium (from 2 pm on Sundays, closed Mondays), or a boat to the Due Sorelle if the sea is flat.
- 5:30 pm: back to the beach of Numana Bassa, or a winery visit on the Rosso Conero route.
- 7:30 pm: climb the Costarella to the belvedere and the Arco di Torre for the evening light, then dinner in the old town.
When is the best time to visit Numana?
June and September are our favorites: warm sea and open beach clubs, with fewer people than July and August. The free shuttles run in summer only, and the main summer events program ran from 13 June to 5 September in 2026 (Riviera del Conero tourism board).
Autumn and winter are quiet, which suits a walk in the old town, the Antiquarium and a seafood lunch. The town keeps a small calendar going: Halloween in Piazza del Santuario on 31 October 2026, and the “Storie” series of talks and shows from 6 November 2026 to 12 March 2027 (Numana official tourism site).
What is near Numana?
Sirolo is next door, Portonovo and Ancona are just north, and Loreto is a short trip south. From Numana the RENI bus also reaches Sirolo, Loreto, Porto Recanati, the Camerano Caves, Castelfidardo and Osimo (Numana official tourism site). On foot, the Conero Park has 18 paths to discover (Numana official tourism site).
- Sirolo and Portonovo: our guide to the neighboring village and bay, and to the Due Sorelle
- Ancona: the regional capital and its port, about 20 km north
- Ancona and Conero beaches: Mezzavalle, Portonovo and the rest of the coast
- Senigallia: the beach town farther north along the coast
For a longer trip, our list of towns to visit in Marche and our guide to how many days to spend in Marche will help you balance the coast with the hill towns.
Frequently asked questions about Numana
Is Numana, Italy worth visiting?
Yes. Numana combines Blue Flag beaches, two calm coves under the Conero cliffs, an old fishing village with the Costarella staircase, a small state archaeological museum and boats to the Due Sorelle. It works for a day trip or as a beach base.
Where is Numana in Italy?
Numana is on the Adriatic coast in the Marche region, in the province of Ancona, at the southern foot of Monte Conero. It is about 20 km south of Ancona and about 30 km from Marche Airport in Falconara.
What are the best beaches in Numana?
For calm water and scenery, the two Numana Alta coves: La Spiaggiola and the Spiaggia del Frate, also called Sottosanta. For families and space, the long beach of Numana Bassa that runs south to Marcelli.
Are Numana’s beaches sandy?
No. All the beaches of Numana and Marcelli are fine gravel. The Numana Alta coves are sheltered and calm, while Numana Bassa and Marcelli are wider and breezier.
How do I get to Numana from Ancona without a car?
Take the RENI bus from Ancona Centrale station; the trip takes about 45 minutes. From Marche Airport, the Aerobus Raffaello goes to Ancona station, where you change to the RENI bus.
Can you reach the Due Sorelle beach from Numana?
Yes, but only by boat. Ferries, organized excursions and private boats leave from Numana’s harbor. The Traghettatori del Conero ferry runs on reservation only, and the beach has no services.
Is Numana better than Sirolo?
They are neighbors with different characters. Numana has the harbor, the turtle bay, the family beach to Marcelli and the boats to the Due Sorelle; Sirolo is the neighboring village, with its own old center and beaches. Many travelers stay in one and visit the other.
Plan your Numana stay with locals
Sweet Life Italy is a certified incoming tour operator of the Marche Region, based in Castelraimondo and founded by Marco and Ilaria, who live in Marche. We design private, tailor-made trips for 1 to 7 guests across Marche and the rest of Italy, with licensed guides, local food experiences and our own drivers, and we bring more than 13 years in luxury tourism to every itinerary. Numana can be the seaside chapter of a private Marche tour or part of one of our private luxury tours of Italy.
Tell us about your trip and we will start with a free video call. After that we send a day-by-day proposal and a free first estimate. Please allow at least 8 weeks before your travel dates.
