A coastal resort town at the southern end of the Conero Riviera, with clear turquoise water, a small harbour and gravel beaches beneath the wooded slopes of Monte Conero.
Numana is a pretty resort town at the southern end of the Conero Riviera, in the province of Ancona in the Marche region, set where the wooded slopes of Monte Conero descend to the Adriatic. Built on two levels, the upper town of Numana Alta with its viewpoints and the lower town of Numana Bassa around the small harbour, it offers a combination of clear turquoise water, pale gravel beaches and the green backdrop of the Conero promontory that makes it one of the most photogenic stretches of the Marche coast. Because the beaches and harbour face east over the open Adriatic, the prize photographic moment is sunrise, when the low sun lifts directly out of the sea and lights the turquoise shallows, the moored boats and the view back toward the cliffs of Monte Conero; the calm, windless water of early morning holds soft reflections before the day's breeze and the bathers arrive. The frames to chase include the harbour and its boats against the headland, the long sweep of beach beneath the wooded slopes, and the clear water from the viewpoints of the upper town. Late spring through early autumn brings the warmest light and the liveliest beach life, while the shoulder seasons give emptier sands and cleaner compositions. Light haze or scattered cloud over the horizon deepens the sunrise colour. From Numana the ferries run in summer to the otherwise inaccessible Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle, so the town also serves as a gateway to the Conero's most famous cove. The seafront and harbour are reached on the level, and the upper-town belvederes give elevated views without a long climb, making Numana an easy and rewarding base for coastal photography on the Riviera del Conero.
Shooting notes
- Equipment
- Standard zoom (24-70mm) for the harbour and coast; a graduated ND filter to balance bright sky and beach; tripod for dawn exposures.
Location
Highlights
- Clear turquoise Adriatic water and pale gravel beaches
- Small harbour and moored boats against the Conero headland
- Wooded slopes of Monte Conero as a green backdrop
- Sunrise light over the east-facing beaches and water
- Gateway by summer ferry to the Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle
Tips for visiting
- Shoot at sunrise when the east-facing beaches and harbour are directly lit
- Frame the harbour boats against the Monte Conero headland
- Use the upper-town belvederes for elevated views of the turquoise water
- Visit in the shoulder seasons for emptier sands and cleaner compositions
- Take the summer ferry to the Due Sorelle cove for the Conero's famous beach
When to visit
Sunrise lights the east-facing beaches and water; late spring to early autumn brings warm light, while the shoulder seasons give emptier, cleaner scenes.
Accessibility
The seafront and harbour are largely level and reachable, with boardwalk access at some beach entrances; the upper-town viewpoints involve some slopes and steps, and gravel beaches can be hard for wheelchairs.
Frequently asked questions
Why shoot Numana at sunrise?
The beaches and harbour face east over the Adriatic, so the sun rises directly out of the sea and lights the turquoise water and boats, with calm early water for reflections.
Where are the best viewpoints?
The harbour and beach at sea level for the headland and boats, and the belvederes of the upper town for elevated views over the turquoise water.
Can you reach the Due Sorelle cove from Numana?
Yes. In summer ferries run from Numana to the otherwise road-inaccessible Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle along the Conero coast.