← ColleMar-athon·Day trip

Fano: A Slow Day in the Finish Town

A flat recovery day in the town where the ColleMar-athon ends, with a Roman arch, a central square, a stretch of ancient wall and a long beach promenade.

DurationDay trip
TransitOn foot from the finish area
DepartsFano

After the ColleMar-athon: Fano

The Route: Arco d'Augusto → Piazza XX Settembre → Roman walls → Seafront Logistics: Everything is within about 2 km of the finish and the streets are level. No transport is needed. Marathon Month: May Duration: Day trip

Arco d'Augusto ──(walk 5 mins)──> Piazza XX Settembre ──(walk 15 mins)──> Seafront

The ColleMar-athon drops runners about 300 m from the hills of Barchi to the Adriatic, and the last nine kilometres run along the flat coastal plain into Fano. By the time you reach the finish at the Arco d'Augusto, the quads have stopped negotiating. The next day, Fano suits them: it is a compact town, and nearly everything worth seeing is on the flat.

May in Fano: mild and often bright, with daytime temperatures in the high teens and a breeze off the sea. Beach clubs open for the season around this time, but some may still be closing up or opening late.

The day

The Arco d'Augusto is a Roman arch dating from the first century AD, and the old town grew around the Via Flaminia, the road that once ran from Rome to the Adriatic. It stands at the edge of the historic centre and you can walk under it. It is free and the paving is level.

From the arch, the main street runs to Piazza XX Settembre, the central square, where the Fontana della Fortuna has a small bronze statue of Fortune on top of a fountain. The square has benches and cafes, and is a good place to sit. Fano's local coffee is the moretta, a small hot drink of espresso with anise liqueur, rum and lemon zest. Order one after a marathon at your own risk.

The Corte Malatestiana is a fifteenth-century palace of the Malatesta family and holds the civic museum. Check its opening days and ticket prices before you go, since small Italian museums often close on Mondays.

Stretches of the Augustan walls survive around the old town, and a walk along them is level, quiet and free. The Pincio, near the finish, is a small park at the edge of the centre.

The seafront, at the edge of the town, has a long flat promenade and sandy beaches. Walk along it slowly for a kilometre or two. Some beach venues may not be open in early May, so take a drink with you.

For lunch, Fano's classic dish is brodetto, a fish stew made in the local style. Book a table and check that your chosen restaurant is open on a Monday.

Getting on

Fano railway station is on the Adriatic coast line, and trains run north to Pesaro and south to Ancona. Check trenitalia.com for the timetable.