Ancona

Ancona's cost of living is in line with the mid-sized capitals of central Italy: rents lower than Bologna or Florence, average grocery costs, cheap urban transport. The priciest zones are the centre, viale della Vittoria and the Passetto; the most affordable are the southern and western districts and the towns of the urban area.

The historic centre and viale della Vittoria are the most sought-after zones; Piano and Grazie the working-class, multi-ethnic ones; Torrette and Brecce Bianche serve the hospital and university; Posatora and the north-west require attention to the landslide area. Public housing through ERAP Marche and the Comune; student housing through ERDIS.

Registry and municipal services are at the town hall and online with SPID/CIE. AnconAmbiente manages waste collection, with door-to-door service in most of the city. Water is managed by Viva Servizi and is drinkable. Shopping happens at the Mercato delle Erbe, the Piano market and supermarkets; the Benincasa municipal library is in the centre.

To enter with a dog, cat or ferret you need a microchip, an EU pet passport or health certificate and a valid rabies vaccination. Mandatory registration in the regional pet register, lead at all times and a muzzle to hand. Pets allowed on trains under Trenitalia rules and in apartment buildings by law.

Rules depend on who is arriving: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens (no visa, registration with the Comune after three months), non-EU citizens for stays up to 90 days (Schengen rule, type C visa where required) and for long stays (national type D visa and a residence permit within eight working days of arrival).

Conerobus runs urban and suburban buses, the Passetto lifts and the summer shuttle to Portonovo. The central station is on the Adriatic line; the Marche airport at Falconara is linked by the Aerobus. Ferries to Greece, Croatia and Albania leave from the port. The historic centre has a gated ZTL.

Euro, cards accepted almost everywhere, a legal cash limit. Anyone living in Italy for most of the year is tax resident and taxed on worldwide income under three IRPEF brackets; specific regimes exist for the self-employed (forfettario), inbound workers, foreign pensioners and new residents. Contributions go to INPS; annual return with the 730 or Redditi form.

Ancona concentrates the Marche's high-specialty care: the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria delle Marche runs the region's only level-II emergency department (DEA) at Torrette and the paediatric and gynaecological ERs at the Salesi. The city also hosts the IRCCS INRCA, dedicated to geriatrics. Bookings via the single regional CUP, online with MyCUPMarche.

Non-EU pensioners enter with the elective residence visa, EU pensioners through free movement; public healthcare is accessible by compulsory or voluntary registration. Optional 7% regime on foreign income for those moving to small southern municipalities. Cheap houses in villages, services concentrated in cities.

Ancona's economy is made of port and logistics, shipbuilding (Fincantieri) and boating, regional public administration, health (regional hospital) and university, with the Marche's manufacturing in the province. Employment rates above the national average, a mid-sized labour market.

A VAT number (partita IVA) from the Agenzia delle Entrate for freelancers; for businesses the Comunicazione Unica to the Registro delle Imprese, which also notifies the Agenzia, INPS, INAIL and SUAP. Main forms: sole proprietorship, SNC/SAS, SRL and SRLS, SPA. Compulsory PEC, annual chamber fee, e-invoicing. Invitalia incentives; non-EU citizens need a self-employment permit or the investor visa.

The Marche Polytechnic University is the city's university, with engineering, sciences and agriculture at Monte Dago, medicine at Torrette next to the regional hospital and economics in the centre. Student support is run by ERDIS Marche. Student life is concentrated between Monte Dago, the centre and the Piano district.

Ancona is the capital of the Marche region and of the Province of Ancona, seat of the regional offices and the Prefecture. The patron saint is San Ciriaco, city holiday on 4 May with its fair. The Ancona dialect is a transitional speech between Gallo-Italic and central varieties. The port, founded by Greeks from Syracuse, is the historic core of the city.

Temperate Adriatic-coast climate: hot breezy summers, damp winters with bora winds and occasional snow, rain spread through the year with autumn peaks. Hydrogeological risk is the local issue: the landslide of 13 December 1982 involved a whole strip of the city to the north-west (Posatora, Borghetto) and is now monitored by a municipal early-warning system.

Ancona is visited in one or two days: the Cathedral of San Ciriaco on the hill, the ancient port with Trajan's Arch, the Mole Vanvitelliana, the Passetto with the fishermen's caves. The Conero Park, with Portonovo and the beaches of Mezzavalle and Due Sorelle, is the summer destination. High season June to September; many visitors are in transit to the ferries.

Seafood cooking: brodetto and stockfish all'anconetana, Portonovo moscioli (wild mussels, a Slow Food presidium); from inland vincisgrassi and ciauscolo. The Mercato delle Erbe is the centre's covered market. Sea at the Passetto and Portonovo, Conero trails. Ancona play at the Del Conero stadium. Evenings at piazza del Papa and the old port.