Back to Trip
Report Index Page list at
bottom of page

Italy 2023: Final walks around Fano

As our trip to Italy wound down, we took some time to wander around Fano. We did a bit of wandering by ourselves, and Francesco and Doni joined us for some other wandering. We previously showed you the Porta Maggiore (see page 29), the southwest-facing main entrance in the old city wall. In the east corner of the old city are the remains of another fortification, Sangallo Bastion (Bastione Sangallo). This dates from 1552 and protected the city from attacks coming from the Adriatic Sea. Although we read that it is sometimes open to the public, we were not there at one of those times. But even the exterior has interest. The walls were very tall when seen from the exterior, and even from the interior of the city.

View of a very tall wall viewed from outside of the fortified area

Looking at a corner of an old fort. It continues around a corner. There are vines growing up the side, and some parts seem damaged, but overall it still looks solid. In the foreground is a wooden post fence that leads to the lower street.

Looking along a stone wall to the fort. Beyond the fort a tower can be seen. There is a large upper story recessed opening in the fort wall from this direction.

We were able to peak through an opening to see a bit of the interior. The walls were extremely thick.

Looking down an arch-covered area into an open square, with other arches visible. The arched areas are very thick.

On our walk heading back away from the wall we saw an apartment building atrium parking area with an impressive, although not working, statue that perhaps is of a Fanesan fishermen fighting off a sea beast.

A stone or cement statue of a man with a raised arm, sitting on rocks, looking down at a creature coming out of the fountain below.

As we had done on page 4 of this trip report, we walked over to Canale Albani but this time further up the canal. Over a half mile up from the water the canal is no longer navigable for boats since the water exits a power generation plant (only in use at some times of the year).

View down a narrow canal that widens; some boats can be seen in the wider section. It is a sunny day with a partly cloudy sky.

A wooden post fence is in the foreground. A gull can be seen through the posts, and some ducks are in the greenish water above the posts.

Two ducks with grass behind them. The male on the left has a green head. The female on the right is tand and black.

A view down a canal with small boats on each side.

A couple of pink flowers and mostly spent flowers with water and a canal going off into the distance behind them.

This part of the canal is at a traffic circle just outside of the city wall, which has a large opening here for authorized vehicles (residents and delivery vehicles).

A traffic circtly with a green section in the middle. On the far side is an ancient stone wall.

We had not yet had a Moretta this trip, so we found a bar advertising that they had them (Bar Del Faro). These particular ones were too sweet; fortunately Francesco brought us to another bar (dapeppe piadineria osteria) that serves a proper Moretta the following day. We make the best morettas in Middleboro (and perhaps in Massachusetts) but they look nothing like these; how they get the layers is beyond us.

Paul is sitting at a table, wearing a black puffy coat, with two drinks in front of him.

One of the drinks from the previous picture. It has a clear layer on the bottom, then a dark coffee layer, and is topped by a coffee foam layer.

After having the morettas with Francesco and Doni, the four of us walked down the shoreline. This colorful building is the Astoria Hotel. Why does this merit a picture? Because that little tower at the top is actually a webcam that we have viewed from back in the United States.

A building with many closed windows, and with blocks of blue, red, gree, or orange paint.

A bit further down the shore is the outlet of Torrente Arzilla. This little river is at times quiet and at times a torrent. The notable aspect for us is that upstream it passes Paul's cousin Filippo's restaurant. And, unfortunately, the river has flooded his restaurant some years.

A pedestrian bridge over a wide shallow looking river.

Looking at a clear sky with sunset over the Adriatic Sea.

Looking at the Adriatid Sea. There is a canopy tent on the right and 3 people can be seen near the edge of the water.

Francesco, Paul, and Doni in front of water.

Francesco then brought us back to the canal to show us the Fisherfolk's Quarter, known as Le Gugùl in the local dialect. The name comes from the fishing net that was once used for eel fishing. The street is a dead end, just like the nets. When we were there, the road was being redone with new stones laid out in an arching pattern.

Francesco and Paul are reading a sight while standing next to a small front-loader. There is a pile of stones in the foreground. A sign that says El Gugul in on a fence.

The end of a road that has nice flagstones in an arched pattern.

Decorations on a wall with gren vines.

A wall along a street that has a mural of rowboats painted on it.

It was time to head back. We had been on the other side of the train tracks. Rather than having to walk all the way back to the way we had come down to the water, they let us to a secret tunnel. This cheerful walkway has a poem painted on the wall written in the local dialect. Francesco was able to read it but we cannot.

Paul is standing at the endtrance to an undergound walkway.