from Santa Maria Nuova to Offagna
Another beautiful stage of the TraversaMarche tour, through the gentle, green hills of the Vallesina, with a mix of roads and streets, paved and unpaved.
It starts from Santa Maria Nuova, crosses the hamlet of Monti, passes a short distance from the hamlet of Rustico, and reaches Polverigi, a small and charming village. We it crosses the depression that separates Polverigi from Offagna, the destination of the journey, a town renowned for its imposing and splendid fortress.
Go along Via Scarpara Alta northwards for about 50 m, turn right into Via Roma, and after about 300 m, at the junction with Via San Francesco, continue to the left along Via Roma:
After about another 400 m, at the crossroads, continue straight along Via Matteotti:
About 300 m further on, after passing the Monument to the Fallen and the Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova,
you continue straight ahead along Corso Garibaldi,
so you reach the small square in front of the City Hall:
You exit the square to the north-east,
then descend for less than 100 m to a roundabout,
beyond which you take Via Primo Maggio, down a staircase:
After about 200 m, you will soon come to Viale della Repubblica, and take it to the left, towards the east:
At the exit from Santa Maria Nuova, turning slightly to the left, you avoid Via Risorgimento, and continue along Via della Repubblica:
Beautiful hillside views on the left:
Via della Repubblica continues as Via Querciabella. At the next junction, you turn slightly left into Via Fratelli Rosselli, heading north-east,
which then turns eastwards as Via Monti, which has a sort of pedestrian and cycle track on its right:
Continue straight on until you reach and pass the town of Monti:
Continue straight onto the SP 4, little or no traffic,
admiring the broad views:
The road continues as Via Rustico,
and still offers green visuals:
At a wide curve to the right, which leads to Via Rustico to turn east, you leave it, turning left into Via Traversa,
and shortly afterwards left again, on a country road:
The little road, no longer paved, descends gently,
between extensive fields:
About 1000 m after the previous turn, you take to the right,
continuing between the green fields and a few rows of trees:
At an intersection you continue straight,
crossing the countryside again:
Polverigi can be viewed,
you continue,
until the road merges into Via Baiana, and shortly after turn left,
following the branch that heads north-east,
until you reach Via dell'Industria, which you take to the right:
Not far away, before a large roundabout, you turn off to a walkable track on the left,
and continue uphill through Via Brodolini,
Via Matteotti, and Via Vittorio Emanuele II, until you reach the center of Polverigi:
Going beyond the portal of the City Hall you enter a small oval-shaped road in the center of the town:
Continuing eastwards along Via Marconi, you exit the village, heading east, past the Tower of Piazza Ragnini,
and the Church of the Holy Sacrament:
You reach Via Circonvallazione, and a large roundabout, that you cross,
to take Via della Perna right away, heading south-east:
You can already see Offagna,
while continuing along Via della Perna,
until the end,
where there are a couple of houses on the right:
Polverigi is now well behind:
After passing the houses, take Via Polverigi, a country lane, initially downhill,
and continue on that,
down to the bottom of the valley, where a bridge allows you to pass a canal:
The road, which heads east, bends to the south-south-east, and then turns left again towards the east, when it crosses another road. You continue uphill, along the valley, towards Offagna:
The panorama becomes wider as you rise:
On the outskirts of Offagna, Via Polverigi meets SP 6, where you turn right:
Shortly after, you turn slightly right again, towards the historic center,
uphill:
You go past the Church of Santa Lucia,
go up Via dell'Arengo,
until you reach Piazza del Comune,
and a little futther up Piazza del Maniero, at the base of the wonderful fortress:
Various panoramic points around the fortress offer a splendid panorama all around, with views towards Osimo,
Montesicuro,
Monte Conero, and Camerano.
You go back on your steps, turning right near the Church of Santa Lucia, to descend along Via dell'Arengo to a roundabout, where you proceed straight ahead for a short stretch of the SP 28,
before turning left, at a capital, by Via Pago:
After 500m or slightly further, slightly downhill, you reach the B&B Il Punto Magico :
Offagna is well connected with Osimo by bus, so you have the opportunity to visit the fascinating village, especially the historic center, the walls, the caves, and the belvedere.
Consult the bus timetable on the ATMA website .
■ gb, 2019-05-31