Sentiero 301 - Traversata del Conero to Due Sorelle viewpoint

Sentiero 301, the Traversata del Conero, is the signature hiking route of the Parco Regionale del Conero, the wooded limestone headland that interrupts the long flat Adriatic coast just south of Ancona and rises to 572 metres directly above the sea. The traverse runs roughly 11 kilometres point to point, commonly walked from the village of Poggio above Sirolo, where there is parking near the cemetery and the Osteria del Poggio, north toward the Fonte d'Olio area, with around 500 metres of cumulative climbing over four to five hours. From Poggio the path climbs a dirt track through dense holm-oak forest and aromatic Mediterranean scrub to Pian Grande, a panoramic clearing that opens a sweeping view over the Portonovo bay and the curve of the coast. The route then traces the upper slopes of Monte Conero, passing near a former monastery, with repeated viewpoints where the forest breaks to reveal the cliffs falling away to the turquoise sea. The most celebrated moment is the clifftop clearing high above the Due Sorelle beach, where the two limestone sea stacks and the white-pebble cove appear directly below, hundreds of metres down the sheer face; the beach itself cannot be reached from here, only admired. Trail surfaces vary from forest dirt road to narrower rooty path and a few rockier sections, with no scrambling, though the ridge is exposed to sun and the Mediterranean scrub offers limited shade in the open stretches. The headland is hot in midsummer, so an early start, sun protection, and at least two litres of water per person are essential, as there are no reliable fountains along the higher route. Waymarking follows the Italian CAI red-and-white blazes and the numbered park signage at junctions, and a downloaded GPS track is useful where paths braid in the forest. Because the route is point to point, walkers either arrange a return shuttle, retrace their steps, or link it with the shorter Sentiero 302 that descends steeply to the Due Sorelle beach itself. Spring brings wildflowers and flowering broom, autumn cooler air and clear long-distance views, while summer rewards an early-morning walk with a swim afterward at one of the Conero beaches below. Combining sea panoramas, forest, and the unforgettable overlook of Due Sorelle, this is the finest coastal hike in the Marche.