Beautiful hilly stage of TraversaMarche, with modest differences in altitude, quite long, sparsely populated, overall pleasant and relaxing.

The route, which starts in Cupramontana, then runs along gentle, green slopes, partly on asphalted roads and lanes, partly on dirt road, passing through the small hamlet of San Michele, then through San Paolo di Jesi, then continuing for a long stretch in the countryside, until arriving in Santa Maria Nuova.

The route includes some short stretches on provincial roads (not the busiest), where it was difficult to avoid them.

---

Towards San Michele

From the historic center of Cupramontana, you head for the east corner of Piazza IV Novembre, and through a narrow alley you immediately reach another alley with a staircase, which you take downhill on the right,

thus quickly reaching Via Giacomo Leopardi, which you take towards the left

you follow it for 80 m, then turn right onto Via Giovanni Bovio:

About 100 m further on, this soon joins the SP 9, but 70 m further on, before the intersection with Via Spontini, you turn hard right onto Via Valle:

The road, after a bend to the left, descends gently in an east-northeast direction,

crossing green countryside, with hilly views,

and then pointing more directly east.

After 1.2 km, at the end of a straight road,

you turn left at a crossroads, thus entering Via Contrada Colonara, initially heading north, and then north-east:

You proceed on this for 600 m,

until you reach the small hamlet of San Michele:

---

Towards San Paolo di Jesi

About 300 m after the church, you turn sharply right, downhill, onto Via San Michele,

which immediately presents a couple of hairpin bends, and then continues with various curves, always downhill:

About 1.4 km further on, at the crossroads with Contrada Spescia, you turn left onto Via Follonica,

and after a couple of bends, and 560 m, you follow the right branch:

About 1.1 km further on, near some houses, you turn left:

The hilly landscape, illuminated by the morning sun, is at its best:

Cupramontana is increasingly distant:

After another 580 m, at a crossroads, you keep on the right,

always following Via Follonica, as you approach San Paolo di Jesi:

You continue for just over 1.5 km, initially on Via Follonica,

which then bends to the left,

taking the name of Via Peschereccia when entering San Paolo di Jesi:

---

Towards Santa Maria Nuova

Here you turn sharply left onto Via Contrada delle Lame, and 160 m further on you turn right,

to join the SP 35 after about 380 m:

You travel just over 1000 m on the provincial road,

with due attention, although it is not very busy, then at a roundabout turn right, onto Via San Giuseppe, heading south:

You continue for 430 m, passing an industrial warehouse,

and at the next crossroads you take a hard left bend onto Via Contrada Coste:

You continue, in the countryside, always following the same road, for approximately 2.7 km:

Behind the hills, the gaze captures Jesi and its surroundings in the distance:

The road turns right,

and after 290 m it joins the SP 502, which you take to the right:

You follow it for 860 m, with due attention, and then leave it, turning left, heading east, onto a small road:

Now the Jesi area is more visible:

You follow the small road, Via Crete di Grangalia, for 1.9 km, after which it merges onto Via Grangalia Alta:

You follow it, heading east, for approximately 2.3 km,

enjoying the suggestive landscape,

and leaving a large farmhouse on the right:

At the next crossroads, you keep right, remaining on the same street:

You proceed for approximately 1.2 km; beyond some hills with signs of erosion, Santa Maria Nuova can be seen in the distance,

you pass the church of Santa Maria del Colle,

continuing straight, and joining Via Santa Maria del Colle, heading north:

You proceed for approximately 1.1 km,

then turn right onto a dirt road,

where you walk for about 1.1 km, first going up towards a rural house,

which you pass by keeping to the left, on a sheep track,

you pass a passive repeater,

and continue,

until you reach the domes of a small astronomical observatory:

You continue straight, now on a small road, downhill, for 750 m,

until you cross, at a sharp curve, the SP 362, a very busy road:

You cross it with the necessary caution, to take, in front, the branch of Via Minonna that leads towards Santa Maria Nuova, towards the north-east:

You proceed straight for about 1.2 km, first along Via Minonna,

then along Via Jesi, then along Via Roma.

At the crossroads with Via San Francesco, you keep left,

continuing along Via Roma for 400 m, then at the crossroads between Via Morichini and Via Matteotti you keep right, taking the second,

and continue for another 240 m, first along Via Matteotti, then along Corso Garibaldi.

This is how you reach the central Piazza Mazzini: