Gabicce Mare and Gabicce Monte

At a glance

• Position: northern end of the Marche, bordering Cattolica
• Main hamlets: Gabicce Mare (coast), Gabicce Monte (historic village), Vallugola (bay)
• Beach: fine sand, Blue Flag, fifty lidos
• Historic village: Gabicce Monte at 150 m above sea level
• Canal harbour: at the mouth of the Tavollo, active for fishing and pleasure boating
• Distance from Vallugola: 4 km
• Distance from Cattolica: pedestrian bridge, immediate crossing

Gabicce Mare: the seaside resort

The lower part of the municipality grew on the coast from the 1930s onwards, with the construction of the Tavollo canal harbour. In 1942 the town hall was moved from Gabicce Monte to Gabicce Mare, sealing the shift of the vital centre towards the coast.

What you find in Gabicce Mare:

• Sandy beach with fifty lidos and three free stretches. FEE Blue Flag and Paediatricians' Green Flag. See the Beach of Gabicce Mare page.
• Two-level pedestrian seafront with bars, ice-cream parlours, restaurants and shops
• Canal harbour at the mouth of the Tavollo, active for fishing and pleasure boating
• Pedestrian-cycle bridge over the Tavollo, opened in 2008, linking Cattolica directly to Gabicce Mare
• Full accommodation: hotels of every category, residences, B&Bs

In high season, events, entertainment and nightlife concentrate on the seafront and the inland side streets.

Gabicce Monte: the historic village

At 150 metres above sea level, on a natural terrace of the promontory, Gabicce Monte preserves the historical identity of the municipality. The village is a few minutes' drive from the coast along a panoramic road.

It is known for two things: the panoramic belvederes over the Riviera (from the Rimini coast to the north to the Conero to the south on clear days) and the panoramic restaurants facing the sea, particularly busy at sunset.

What to see:

• Church of Sant'Ermete, documented from 775 AD. It holds the painting of the Madonna del Latte (between the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century) and a fifteenth-century wooden Crucifix
• Piazza Valbruna, dedicated to the legendary city of Vallugola Bay
• Panoramic belvederes on the seafront
• Craft workshops and the legacy of the village's ceramic tradition (the Lanfranco potters, active between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, are present in the collections of Italian and foreign museums, including the British Museum)

For sunset, the belvedere of Gabicce Monte is one of the most popular points in the area: see Sunsets and sunrises at Vallugola.

What to do in the area

Beach. The beach of Gabicce Mare is among the most family-friendly on the Adriatic. The beach of Vallugola, 4 km away, is pebble and inside the park.

Walks. From Gabicce Monte the main paths of the San Bartolo Park start or pass through, including the 151 which crosses the whole park to Pesaro. See Paths and walks.

Cycle tourism. The SP 44 Panoramica Adriatica is one of the benchmark cycling routes of central Italy. On Sunday mornings, from June to September, it is closed to motor traffic from 6 am to 12:30 pm.

Tourist trains. In the summer season, two tourist lines link Gabicce to nearby destinations: - Blue line: Gabicce Mare-Gabicce Monte along the Panoramica - Red line: Gabicce Mare-Gradara, taking in the castle

Cattolica Aquarium. 1 km from the centre of Gabicce, reached on foot across the bridge over the Tavollo, it is the largest aquarium on the Adriatic.

How to reach Vallugola from Gabicce

Vallugola Bay is about 4 km from the centre of Gabicce Mare.

By car. SP 44 Panoramica southbound for 2 km, turn-off for Vallugola, descent to the harbour. Time: around 10 minutes.

On foot. From Gabicce Monte, path 151 southbound for 2 km to the 151d junction, then down to the harbour. Time: around 1 hour.

By bicycle. Along the Panoramica, with a total elevation gain of around 200 metres on the return trip.

Useful distances