Practical information for visiting Marche

Coverage for mobile networks is good along the coast and in the valley towns, and weaker in the mountains.

• Cellular data. 4G covers the inhabited areas well; 5G reaches Ancona, Pesaro and the larger coastal towns. Signal drops in the Sibillini, in the gorges around Frasassi and in the upper valleys.
• SIM cards. TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad. A passport is required by law to buy an Italian SIM. EU visitors keep their home allowance under roaming rules.
• Wi-fi. Standard in hotels and common in bars. Hill agriturismi often have slower connections.
• Power. 230 V, 50 Hz, type L and type F sockets.

Marche is a very safe region with low crime, and the realistic risks are environmental or practical.

• Petty theft is uncommon. It occurs mainly at crowded summer beaches and around Ancona's port and station.
• Vehicle break-ins. Leave nothing visible at trailheads, beach car parks and the Frasassi and Conero parking areas.
• Earthquake zone. Tremors occur, and some inland buildings remain scaffolded or closed since 2016. Barriers around damaged structures are there for a reason.
• Mountain weather. The Sibillini change quickly and are exposed; marked routes assume proper footwear and a map. Rescue call-outs are chargeable.
• Conero cliffs and beaches. Some paths down to the beaches are steep, unstable and occasionally closed after rockfall. Due Sorelle is boat-access only and there is no way to walk out.
• Driving inland. Narrow valley and ridge roads with blind bends; slow down for farm traffic.

Healthcare is good, with the main hospital at Ancona and provincial facilities across the region.

• Emergencies:112. Emergency treatment is provided regardless of nationality.
• EU/EEA and Swiss visitors should carry the EHIC or national equivalent; UK visitors the GHIC. Others need travel insurance, and anyone walking in the Sibillini should confirm it covers mountain rescue.
• Pharmacies (farmacia, green cross) are in every town and post an out-of-hours rota in the window.
• Summer heat inland regularly exceeds 33 °C, and the hill towns involve sustained climbing.
• Accessibility. The hill towns are steep and stepped; Urbino in particular is a demanding walk, though it has lifts connecting the lower car parks to the centre.
• Ticks are present in wooded and grazing areas; check after walking.
• Tap water is safe throughout.

Marche is informal and unfussy, with the usual Italian rules and few regional peculiarities.

Rules with real penalties

• ZTL zones cover most historic centres, camera-enforced, with fines forwarded months later by the rental company.
• Beach concessions. Much of the coast is divided into paid lidi, but free public stretches exist by law and are signposted. Portonovo restricts vehicle access in high summer.
• Moscioli. Harvesting the wild Conero mussels requires a licence; buying them does not.
• National park rules in the Sibillini restrict camping, fires and off-path walking.
• Identification. Hotels must register a passport or ID card at check-in.

Etiquette

• Churches expect covered shoulders and knees. Loreto, as an active pilgrimage site, applies this strictly.
• The afternoon closure is real inland — shops commonly shut from 1pm to 4pm, and some close a weekday.
• Coffee standing at the bar costs less than sitting, at a published rate.
• Tipping is not expected; a coperto is a cover charge.
• Opera festivals. Macerata and Pesaro dress up for the evening performances rather more than a visitor might expect.

112 is the single emergency number across Italy, connecting to police, ambulance and fire. Operators generally handle English. The older numbers — 113 police, 118 medical, 115 fire, 1530 coastguard — remain active.

• Coastguard — 1530. Relevant along the Conero coast, where several beaches are boat-access only.
• Mountain rescue — 112. Covers the Sibillini and the Laga. Rescue is chargeable.
• Earthquake information. The INGV publishes seismic activity in real time; tremors are not unusual and are almost always minor.
• Pharmacies on duty — posted in every pharmacy window.
• Consulates. There are none in the region; consular matters are handled from Rome or Bologna.
• Frasassi caves. The guided routes have fixed departure times and a constant temperature of about 14 °C — a jacket is needed whatever the weather outside.