The Torre dei Gualtieri: symbol of Il Paese Alto since the 13th century

The hexagonal form allowed more defenders than a round tower

The quiet streets of Il Paese Alto, far from the busy seafront

The abbey church of San Benedetto Martire, namesake of the town

5 kilometres of seafront, from Rotonda Giorgini to Rotonda D’Acquisto

Around 8,000 palm trees gave the Riviera delle Palme its name

The wide sandy beach of the Riviera delle Palme on the Adriatic Sea

The fishing fleet in the harbour, one of the most important in Italy

The day’s catch at the Mercato Ittico all’Ingrosso

Palazzo Piacentini, home of the Pinacoteca del Mare

Sculptures carved into the breakwaters of the southern pier

More than 140 works by artists from dozens of countries

View over the harbour and coast from the southern pier

The Riserva Naturale Sentina: a resting place for more than 180 bird species

The Torre sul Porto (1543), once used to signal pirate ships

The Palazzina Azzurra, the municipal exhibition centre on the seafront

Brodetto alla Sambenedettese: the traditional fishermen’s soup

San Benedetto del Tronto in Pictures