Riva Verde

As fab as it is, it's worth peeling yourselves away from the beach now and then to meander further along the Marche coast. Top picks for chilled-out coastal ambles nearby are Grottammare’s gorgeous Old Town and truffling out the alfresco sculptures dotted around San Benedetto del Tronto; both are around 20 minutes' drive from the site. On a somewhat larger scale is the city of Ancona, 45 minutes away. Folk planning extensive European excursions can pick up ferries to Croatia and Greece from the port here, but there’s a whole load more to the place than simply onward travels – beaches, museums and the cathedral are all fine visits. Away from the coast, head to the hills for historic wanderings in the Roman tunnels and archaeology museum 15 minutes' drive away in Fermo or the Roman theatre in Urbisaglia (40 minutes). If natural scenes are more your thing, take to the trails of Monti Sibillini National Park (an hour’s drive) or delve into the Frasassi Caves (an hour and 15 minutes).