Fermo

The town of Fermo rests atop the summit of a hill, overlooking the Tenna River and providing a breathtaking view of the countryside. The antiquity of the town is perhaps its most striking feature; remains of cyclopean walls, ancient architectural sites, and an intricate system of thirty well-preserved Roman cisterns all contribute to the historical richness of Fermo. Its rich ancient heritage, beautiful architecture and landscape, and exciting social lifestyle make Fermo a very attractive tourist destination, especially for those tourists who prefer to travel “off the beaten path.”

Fermo has no railway station of its own; the nearest stop is Porto San Giorgio–Fermo on the Adriatic coastal line, from which the hill town is reached by bus or taxi for the final uphill stretch. By car, exit the A14 Adriatic motorway at Porto San Giorgio and follow the road inland and uphill to the historic centre.

The historic centre sits atop Sabulo (Sabatino) hill and is compact enough to explore on foot; expect uphill walking from any point outside the old town.

The Roman cisterns (Cisterne Romane), built in the 1st century AD under Augustus, are a network of around thirty vaulted underground chambers that once held the city's water supply and are among the best-preserved of their kind in Italy. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta stands on the highest point of the hill with a Romanesque-Gothic façade, a Neoclassical interior, and the remains of an earlier Paleochristian basilica beneath it. Piazza del Popolo is the town's main square, lined with Renaissance-era buildings and cafés, and the Palazzo dei Priori on the square houses the civic art gallery and museum.