01Pesaro at a glance
Pesaro is the birthplace of Gioachino Rossini, a UNESCO Creative City of Music and Italian Capital of Culture 2024: a Renaissance old town and a long beach, not far from Rimini.
From Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini, it's 48 km, about 50 minutes by car: set off after breakfast and you'll be back by the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. For more ideas, see our villages to visit in the hills page.
| Where | Casa Rossini (Rossini's birthplace), Via Rossini 34, 61121 Pesaro (PU) |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 48 km, about 50 minutes |
| When to go | all year; August for the Rossini Opera Festival |
02History
- It began as a Picene village at the end of the 6th century BC, and in 184 BC became the Roman colony of Pisaurum, linked to the Via Flaminia.
- In the Middle Ages it was part of the Pentapoli marittima (the five maritime cities); the mosaics in the Duomo date from this period.
- In the Renaissance it was ruled in turn by the Malatesta, the Sforza and the Della Rovere, who chose Pesaro as the seat of the court of the Duchy of Urbino.
- From the late 14th century the ceramics craft flourished, and it is still one of the city's trademarks today.
- Gioachino Rossini was born here on 29 February 1792. In 1980 the town council founded the Rossini Opera Festival.
- In 2017 UNESCO named it a Creative City of Music, and in 2024 it was Italian Capital of Culture.
03What to see
Casa Rossini, at Via Rossini 34, is the house where the composer was born on 29 February 1792. The town council bought it in 1892 and in 1904 it was declared a national monument. Inside are prints, portraits and caricatures of Rossini, a fortepiano built in Venice in 1809, some of his autograph scores and multimedia points where you can listen to his music.
The Museo Nazionale Rossini (National Rossini Museum), opened in 2019 in Palazzo Montani Antaldi at Via Passeri 72, tells the composer's life story in ten rooms laid out like an opera. The Pleyel piano that belonged to Rossini is on show in the Sala degli Specchi (Hall of Mirrors).
Piazza del Popolo is the city's living room. Overlooking it is the Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace), built for Alessandro Sforza in the second half of the 15th century, with its six-arched portico; today it houses the Prefettura. In the middle of the square is the Fontana dei Tritoni (Triton Fountain), which locals call "la Pupilla".
The Musei Civici (city museums) in Palazzo Mosca hold one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance: Giovanni Bellini's Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece, painted around 1475. The collection also includes majolica from the old Duchy of Urbino, Guido Reni's Fall of the Giants and works by the Pesaro painter Simone Cantarini.
The Villa Imperiale, on the San Bartolo hill, takes its name from Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg, who laid its first stone in 1469. Begun by Alessandro Sforza, it was extended in the 16th century by Girolamo Genga for Francesco Maria I della Rovere and Eleonora Gonzaga, with rooms decorated by artists such as Bronzino. It is privately owned and can only be visited at certain times of year, by booking.
The Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta has a Romanesque front from 1282-1312, but it keeps two mosaic floors one above the other, the remains of two early Christian churches from the 4th and 6th centuries. From the centre it's a few minutes to the seafront, with a beach that has held the Blue Flag since 2005, the Ciclovia Adriatica cycle path towards Fano and, in Piazzale della Libertà, Arnaldo Pomodoro's Sfera grande (Large Sphere).
Sources: pesaromusei.it · it.wikipedia.org · rossinioperafestival.it · fondazionearnaldopomodoro.it Information checked in October 2026.
04Festivals and food fairs
- Rossini Opera Festival (August; in 2026: 11–23 August): The international festival dedicated to Rossini, founded in 1980, with operas at the Teatro Rossini and the Auditorium Scavolini.
Dates change every year, so always check before you set off. Sources: rossinioperafestival.it
05Visitor information
Casa Rossini, Via Rossini 34: from September to March open Tuesday to Thursday 10:00-13:00, Friday to Sunday and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00. In April and May, Tuesday to Thursday 10:00-13:00, Friday to Sunday and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00. From June to August, Monday 10:00-13:00, Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00, plus late opening on Thursday 21:00-23:00. Closed on 25 December and 1 January. Musei Civici di Palazzo Mosca, Piazza Mosca 29: from September to March, Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00. Prices from July 2026: Casa Rossini €7 full and €4 reduced, Palazzo Mosca €10 full and €7 reduced. The combined ticket for all the museums in the Pesaro Musei network costs €14 (€12 reduced) and is valid for a month. Free entry for under-18s. Information: tel. 0721 387541, info@pesaromusei.it (Casa Rossini: 0721 387357). Rossini Opera Festival: tel. +39 0721 3800294, boxoffice@rossinioperafestival.it.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: pesaromusei.it · rossinioperafestival.it Information checked in October 2026.
06How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 48 km, about 50 minutes. At reception we'll suggest the best route and where to park, and we can make you a packed lunch if you ask.
Your space back at the hotel stays free in our private car park, which is fenced and has CCTV. You'll find other places to see on the same day below.
07Nearby
All the villages on one page: villages to visit in the hills. For more ideas, see things to do in Rimini.
08What our guests say
What our guests say about their day trips.
Day trips
«You can book trips inland with the help of the reception staff»
Sea and hills
«great view from the balcony, towards the sea on one side and the hinterland on the other»
09FAQ
How much does it cost to visit Casa Rossini, and when is it open?
From July 2026 a ticket for Casa Rossini costs €7 full and €4 reduced; for €14 the combined ticket covers all the museums in the Pesaro Musei network for a month. From September to March it's open Tuesday to Thursday in the morning (10am-1pm) and Friday to Sunday in the afternoon too (3pm-6pm). Under-18s get in free.
How long should I allow for Pesaro?
Half a day is enough for the old town: Casa Rossini, Piazza del Popolo, Palazzo Mosca and the Duomo are all a short walk from each other. With a full day you can add the Museo Nazionale Rossini and a stroll along the seafront.
When is the Rossini Opera Festival?
Every year in August. The 2026 festival ran from 11 to 23 August; the provisional programme for 2027 gives the dates as 12 to 24 August. For tickets: boxoffice@rossinioperafestival.it, tel. +39 0721 3800294.
Can you visit the Villa Imperiale?
The villa is privately owned and can only be visited at certain times of year, by booking. It's best to check the dates with the Pesaro tourist office before you go.
Why is Pesaro linked to music?
Gioachino Rossini was born here in 1792. Because of its wealth of Rossini events, UNESCO named Pesaro a Creative City of Music in 2017, and in 2024 the city was Italian Capital of Culture.
How far is Pesaro from Hotel Viking?
48 km, about 50 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
Where should I stay to visit Pesaro?
Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini is a 3-star hotel 150 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year and well placed for day trips.
