4th STAGE: Itri – Sanctuary of the Madonna della Civita (21 km)

Thelast stage of the Aurunci Mountains Walk leads to the discovery of a completely intact section of the Via Appia Antica, the queen of Roman consular roads.
Walking on the original and perfectly preserved cobblestones, this part of the path at the gates of Itri allows you to immerse yourself in history. In fact, important archaeological evidence is encountered along the way: from the Fortino di Sant’Andrea, built on the ashes of the Roman temple of Apollo and the scene of battles by the brigand Frà Diavolo in the service of the Bourbons, to the remains of theancient post office, shelter for wayfarers and horses, and the Viceroy’s Bridge of Ribera.

The route then continues through the Forest of St. Archangel, ending at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Civita, a destination of ancient pilgrimages.

Technical description:
From Itri ‘s main square, walk down Corso Appio Claudio to the Museum of Brigandage. Continue to the end of the road, which joins the SS7 Appia Nuova. Follow the road to the right to reach the Itri cemetery (km 3).

From here continue on the road for 500 meters, and then take the Via Appia Antica on the right.
You follow it downhill, taking the small detour on the left (km 4.2) marked as CAI trail No. 925.
The route continues with a long descent on Roman cobblestones, reaching historical points of interest such as the Fort of St. Andrew and the Viceroy de Ribera Bridge.
At km 6.4 it intersects the Appia Nuova again, which you follow for 200 meters before joining path No. 923 on the right in the direction of Sant’Arcangelo Forest.

The road after a few hundred meters becomes unpaved and so continues gradually uphill to theBotanical Garden (km 13). Here we take trail No. 919, which leads first to the ruins of San Vennitto and then, through a downhill valley, to the dirt road that leads to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Civita, the final finish line of the entire Camino.

Length: 21 km
Height difference in ascent: 1030 m
Downhill elevation gain: 580 m
Highest point: 1200 m
Lowest point: 350 m
Type of surface: mixed

Technical advice:
The route includes sections of the trail where there is no GPRS phone signal, so the use of a GPS with a track of the route is recommended.

Place of departure: Itri
Place of departure: Itri
Municipality of arrival: Itri
Place of arrival: Itri, Sanctuary of the Madonna della Civita

Recommended period:
All year round. The best times are spring and fall.

Where to park:
In Itri, at the free parking lot in Piazzale Carabinieri d’Italia

Useful links:
https://www.camminodegliaurunci.org/