Stage 04 bike – Guardiagrele – Casalbordino

From Guardiagrele, where the remains of St. Nicola Greco rest, following the same path that leads to Orsogna, with a steep descent you reach the locality Piana San Bartolomeo and go up to Piano Venna, from where you turn right and on a comfortable road with ups and downs you reach c.da Melone and then to Colle Spedale to then pass with a panoramic view Crognaleto, go down the valley and then by a steep climb you reach Castel Frentano, cross the town on the road leading to Lanciano turning left just before the Torre Marino II viaduct, go down on dirt and asphalt stretches until you reach the small church of Santa Maria dei Mesi; from here, continue in the direction of Lanciano and enter the town at the medieval Torri Montanare. We skirt the stunning Gothic church of Santa Maria Maggiore and arrive in the center at the Shrine of the Eucharistic Miracle. From Lanciano, past the racetrack, we proceed first on a bicycle path, then up and down in a hilly environment we flank the medieval church of San Silvestro and reach the heart of Rocca San Giovanni, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. From the town, following the road Via Nazario Sauro, we pass the town of Fossacesia reaching the grand Benedictine abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, from here we quickly descend to the Adriatic coast and, following a long stretch, cross the Sangro River and enter the “Lecceta di Torino di Sangro” reserve; always uphill, through the woods, we climb the promontory to the Sangro River War Cemetery, a war cemetery of the allied forces. Returning to the ilex grove, we ride it until we get back to the coast, where we pass Trabocco Le Morge, continuing along the coast on a bicycle path to the Lido di Casalbordino, then up the hill full of vineyards to the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli; from here, in a short time, we reach the town of Casalbordino, the conclusion of the stage.