Pesaro's centre is compact and walkable. The Piazza del Popolo, flanked by the Ducal Palace and the Musei Civici, is where most of the sightseeing concentrates — and Rossini's presence is felt everywhere, from the birthplace museum to the Teatro Rossini and the festival held each August. The beach a few minutes' walk to the east is a classic Italian Adriatic resort, but the hills above the city, Monte San Bartolo and the Villa Imperiale, offer an escape from the striped sun-loungers.