Ancona, Marche

Ancona is one of Italy's largest port towns located in the Marche region of central Italy on the Adriatic Coast.  The town has been an important port since the time of the Greek refugees who had fled Greece for greener pastures during the time of Magna Grecia around 450 years BC and in fact the name Ancona comes fromt eh Greek word for 'elbow' - 'Ankon' because the harbor takes a similar shape, set between the promitory of Mt. Conero further south and Mt. Astagano, the site of Ancona's impressive citadel (the head quarter of Italy's 7th Army) and at the other, Mouth Guasco, where the Romanesque Duomo of Ancona. 

For the full history of Ancona, you can read about it on our sister site, VisitsItaly:  http://www.visitsitaly.com/marche/ancona/index.htm