The sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto, Palazzo Leopardi with the poet's library and the Hill of the Infinite.
Two neighbouring towns on the hills above Conero. Loreto is one of the most important Marian shrines in the world, with the Madonna's house from Nazareth enclosed in a Renaissance marble casing. Recanati is the town of Giacomo Leopardi: his house, the library where he studied as a boy and the hill where he wrote L'infinito.
Length from Porto Garibaldi8 h 15 Full day
Driving5 h 15 · 453 km there and back
Visits and stops3 h 00
When to goAll year round
The plan from Porto Garibaldi
Leave Porto Garibaldi for Loreto2 h 25 driving, 218 km
Loreto1 h 20 of visits: Basilica and Holy House
Drive on to Recanati15 min driving, 9 km
Recanati1 h 40 of visits: Palazzo Leopardi and the library, The Hill of the Infinite, Piazza Leopardi and the centre
Drive back to Porto Garibaldi2 h 35 driving, 226 km
Back in Porto Garibaldi
Times are a guide: driving times are worked out without traffic, then come the visits and ten minutes at every stop to park. In summer towards the coast and at rush hour allow extra time.
What you will see
1Loreto
Basilica and Holy House 60 min
According to tradition, the house in Nazareth where the Madonna received the Annunciation was brought here in 1294. Its three stone walls are inside the basilica, enclosed in a carved marble casing designed by Bramante, with scenes from Mary's life. Above, the dome by Giuliano da Sangallo; in the rooms, frescoes by Melozzo da Forlì and Luca Signorelli. The Madonna of Loreto is the patron saint of aviators.
Free admission; you enter the Holy House in silence and often in a queue.
2Recanati
Palazzo Leopardi and the library 45 min
The house where Giacomo Leopardi was born in 1798, still inhabited by his descendants. You visit the library of his father Monaldo, over twenty thousand volumes, where the boy spent 'seven years of mad and most desperate study'. In front, the little square of Sabato del villaggio and Silvia's house.
Guided visits at set times with ticket: book ahead for groups.
The Hill of the Infinite 15 min
The 'lonely hill' with the hedge that 'excludes the view of so much of the farthest horizon': here the young Leopardi wrote L'infinito in 1819. Today it is a garden with views over the hills as far as the Monti Sibillini.
Admission to the garden with the study centre ticket or free, depending on the time.
Piazza Leopardi and the centre 10 min
The large square with the monument to the poet and the Torre del Borgo. The tenor Beniamino Gigli was also born in Recanati, and in the civic museum of Villa Colloredo Mels there is the Annunciation by Lorenzo Lotto with the famous frightened cat, if you want to add a visit.
Tips
From Pesaro and Gabicce this is one of the longer trips in this area: set off early or make it a full day with lunch on Conero.
If you want to attend Mass in the Holy House, check the times beforehand.
The same trip from other towns
How long it takes from each town, the drive back included. Tap a town to see the plan from there.
Almost every old town has a limited traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside and walk in. The fine reaches your home, abroad too. ZTL and car parks town by town
This trip with a driver
Romagna Transfer picks you up at your hotel, drops you in front of every stop and brings you back: no parking, no ZTL, and the wine is yours to enjoy.
Trips written by our editors from the facts of our monument pages and the official sites. Opening days and hours change: the note under every place tells you what to check before you leave. No prices: you find them on the museums' sites.
