STAGE 3: Tolentino – Civitanova Marche (50 km)

At Tolentino we leave the route of the old State Highway 77 and with an easy up and down scenic drive over the Vasari Hills we arrive atAbbadia di Fiastra.
The Nature Reserve in which the Cistercian monastery is set is a place of extraordinary beauty, perfect for taking a restful break. There are multiple things you can do: visit the Abbey but also the nearby excavations of the ancient Roman city of Urbs Salvia, or walk in the centuries-old Selva and immerse yourself in the rolling hills of the Marche countryside.

Once you have finished visiting the area, you get back on your bike to continue on back roads to the industrial area of Corridonia, which you cross before crossing to the other side of the Chienti River.
After a short, rather busy stretch, we return to the solitude of the Marche countryside. We advance through fields of wheat and sunflowers, following the signs for the Abbeys bike path. Along the way are the striking Abbeys of San Claudio and Santa Maria a Piè di Chienti.

Arriving on the outskirts of Civitanova Marche, we cross it, paying attention to the traffic, which, especially during rush hour, can be heavy. The end point of the stage and of the entire tour is the center of Civitanova, with its lidos, lighthouse and marina, the symbolic goal of the journey.

Length: 50 km
Height difference in ascent: 220 m
Downhill elevation gain: 430 m
Highest point: 265 m
Lowest point: 0 m
Type of surface: mixed

Technical tips:
To return to the starting point of the tour, there are 3 options:

• By train: about 2.30 h, connecting at Fabriano or Ancona (info on schedule and cost see Trenitalia website).
• Train+bike formula: from Civitanova to Tolentino by train, and then continue to Foligno by bike on the same route as the outward journey (about 75 km); from Civitanova to Castelraimondo by train, and then continue by bike in the direction of Pioraco/Passo del Cornello/Nocera Umbra (about 65 km), or in the direction of Pioraco/valico di Montelago/Serravalle del Chienti (about 80 km).
• By bus: the public transportation company Contram has set up a special summer route, with bike transportation available (info on schedule and cost see Contram website).

Municipality of departure: Macerata
Place of departure: Tolentino
Municipality of arrival: Macerata
Place of arrival: Civitanova Marche

Recommended period:
March to October

Useful links:
http://www.sibillinibikemap.it/ciclovia-della-val-di-chienti/

State Road 77 of the Val di Chienti has always been an important road connecting Foligno (Umbria) to Civitanova Marche (Marche Adriatic coast), bypassing the Apennine ridge at the Colfiorito Pass (821 m).
With the opening of the modern Val di Chienti freeway, the old state highway route, now almost entirely traffic-free, quickly became a busy cycle route connecting Umbria and the Adriatic Sea.

The entire route of the Val di Chienti Ciclovia is 128 km long, which can be divided into three daily stages.