Città di Fermo, from Lido to the alleys of the Historical Center

 In gravel itineraries, Itinerari gravel

Gravel itinerary very beautiful and complete, with many different situations. The dirt road with the puddles in the countryside at the Tenna river. The silent asphalt on the green hills. The cobblestones of the historical center of Fermo. The asphalted and restful descent towards the Valley of Ete Vivo. The dirt road of Contrada Santa Elisabetta. The cobblestones and the alleys of Torre di Palme. The poetic dirt road on the sea of Marina Palmense …

 

 

Summary table
Length 51,9  km
Estimated elevation gain    what’s that? 870 m
Min elevation 0 m
Max elevation 325 m
Max slope 18%
Distance table  table
GPX track      tutorial download
Main climbs 
Contrada Vallasciano from SP11  altimetry
Fermo Girfalco from Via S. D’Acquisto   altimetry
Contrada Santa Elisabetta from SP206  altimetry

 

fermo-gravel-profilo-altimetrico

 

Living in the beautiful corner of the world called Marche has many advantages. Today I want to talk about how many situations you can face in a single bike ride of just over 50 kilometers, remaining practically always in the shadow of the hill of Fermo, the capital of the homonymous province.

Sunday morning. Cold but not too much. Cloudy but with the sun that occasionally appears, in a  reassuring way. It is winter, but thanks to our Mount Conero, the province of Fermo remains almost always sheltered from the cold wind coming from the North. So I take my gravel bike and go out. The seafront of Lido di Fermo is almost deserted. Tourists on the campgrounds are only a vague memory of last summer. The sea of Winter is not like a black and white film seen on TV, as a famous Italian song says. Today the colors of the Adriatic Sea seem to me more beautiful and interesting than ever and I can not resist the temptation to stop for a moment to admire them.

mare inverno fermo porto san giorgio

The colors of the winter sea at the seafront of Fermo

The Lido di Fermo cycle path is pleasant, but I decide to take advantage of the gravel and immediately take the strip of lawn close to the beach. I continue, always by bike path, to Lido Tre Archi, where I enter the State Road 16. I remain on the busy road for a short while, but this allows me to admire the Tenna River from the bridge that divides the territory of Fermo from Porto Sant’Elpidio.

ciclabile lido di fermo

The beautiful meadow between the bike path and the beach at Lido di Fermo

fiume tenna

Tenna River between Porto S. Elpidio and Fermo

Turn right immediately after the bridge and suddenly I find myself in a quiet and tree-lined road that runs along the river, going towards Contrada Paludi. Soon the bumpy asphalt gives way to the dirt road. On the left a garden center. In the air the barking of dogs.

lungo tenna fermo

Moving towards Contrada Paludi near the River Tenna

A short stretch of provincial road, the SP11 Paludi, and turn right again, along a road that soon becomes a beautiful white road, full of puddles, which describes the perimeter of the airfield, where the plane dedicated to parachuting takes off continuously. That’s a  sport that has been practiced lately here. On the left the hill of Fermo appears.

strada sterrata paludi di fermo

The beautiful and lonely dirt road at Contrada Paludi di Fermo

Go through the Contrada Paludi for a paved road. At a small ramp I see in front of me the terrible uphill dirt road that leads to the Matteucci Tower, more appropriate for a mountain bike than for a gravel bike. I think to face it for a moment. Maybe next time. Returning to the Provincial Road my gaze is attracted by the beautiful Church of San Marco alle Paludi, a small jewel chosen by many couples as a place for their wedding.

The terrible uphill road to the Matteucci Tower of Fermo

san marco alle paludi

The beautiful Church of San Marco alle Paludi

A small stretch of the provincial road and I go to face the first effort of the day: the ascent of Contrada Vallasciano. The first ramp reaches a gradient of 17%. A dog looks at me questioningly from the house on the left. The road is paved, but the silence is total. The traffic is practically absent. The ramps follow each other, alternating with the stretches of breath, where I look at the valley and the summit of Fermo, with the cathedral that dominates the territory and seems to expect me defiantly.

altimetria-salita-vallasciano-paludi

 

The climb ends. A little downhill, then a challenging ramp and go back to the Provincial, in place called Tirassegno. It’s Sunday and the traffic approaching Fermo is really small compared to working days. The flat stretch is short. Begin to climb towards the top of the hill. After a couple of bends, we enter the old town and the asphalt leaves the field to the cobblestones of the main street, now deserted.

altimetria-salita-fermo-girfalco

 

The arrival at Piazza del Popolo is really suggestive, with the light of the sun illuminating the famous Palazzo dei Priori, putting it in contrast with the shadow that reigns in the streets. The square is spectacular, but I do not stop. The hardest part of the ascent, but also the most characteristic, awaits me. Step under the arch that leads to Via Università and turn immediately left. It presents itself to me an insurmountable “wall” at first sight. Just over 200 meters of cobblestones with small steps that make the ascent a real game of balance. The slope remains always double-digit, with peaks at 18%. A couple of tight curves make it even more complicated. Fortunately it ends early and the square of the Girfalco opens in all its splendor.

corso cefalonia fermo

Arriving at Piazza del Popolo from Corso Cefalonia

arco via università

The arch of Piazza del Popolo on Via Università

salita per girifalco fermo

A hairpin bend with cobblestones towards Girfalco

From here the view is exceptional. A natural balcony from which I look at the coast and Monte Conero. The Cathedral, which I have observed from a distance no more than an hour before, now stands majestically above me. I won the challenge. I reached it and now I touch its ancient walls. The numerous trees make the place even more impressive, especially at sunset.

fermo cattedrale

The majestic Cathedral of Fermo

girifalco fermo

The impressive Square of Girfalco on sunset

Start a long descent. Go through the beautiful Piazza del Popolo and take Via Giacomo Leopardi and then Via Perpenti, always on cobblestones. Then, through an arch, Via Cicconi, which leads me out of the walls, back on the asphalt.

fermo piazza del popolo

Piazza del Popolo

via cicconi fermo

Going down on the cobblestones of Via Cicconi

A short stop at the Fonte di San Francesco da Paola to fill the bottle with its fresh water and start going down towards the Ete Vivo river. The descent, at Contrada San Lorenzo, is restful, even if the road surface is not the best.

fonte di san francesco da paola a fermo

La Fonte di San francesco da Paola

contrada san lorenzo di fermo

The descent towards the Ete Vivo at Contrada San Lorenzo

Cross the SP87 and ride in Contrada Camera di Fermo, where I find the last real effort of the day. The gravel climb of Contrada Santa Elisabetta. About four kilometers of dirt road that, along a very scenic ridge, leads to the village of Lapedona. The slope is hard only on some isolated ramps. I enjoy this ascent observing the valley of Ete Vivo and the hill of Fermo now so far, a moment ago so close.

altimetria-salita-santa-elisabetta-ete-vivo

 

contrada santa elisabetta lapedona

Going up to Contrada Santa Elisabetta of Lapedona

fermo da santa elisabetta

The hill of Fermo from Contrada Santa Elisabetta of Lapedona

Reach the asphalt of the SP153 and immediately go down across a rough road on the left. A gravel and uneven ramp brings me in Contrada Piermarano, where I start to go down towards the village of Torre di Palme. The village, fraction of Fermo, is a little gem. Its cobbled streets, the flower boxes, its churches, its little square, a real balcony on the coast below, the exit in its walls with the sighting windows … Everything contributes to making the experience unforgettable.

arrivo a torre di palme

Arriving in Torre di Palme

oratorio di san rocco

Oratorio di San Rocco in the village of Torre di Palme

via duca degli abruzzi torre di palme

Via Duca degli Abruzzi di Torre di Palme

mura torre di palme

The suggestive passage inside the walls of Torre di Palme

The descent to the sea is short. I take an underpass to avoid crossing the State Road 16, here very dangerous, and I enter the village of Marina Palmense. The tour comes to an end and, when everything seems finished, with the melancholy that assails me, I discover another wonderful and poetic place. The dirt road remains just behind the rocks. The sea, with its powerful waves, can not reach it directly, but occasionally some spray arrives. Here the saltiness, the sound of the waves and the cries of the seagulls reign.

fermo gravel lungomare marina palmense

The wonderful dirt road lapped by the waves at Marina Palmense

Reach the Church of Santa Maria a Mare. Begin riding through the territory of Porto San Giorgio, along the seafront. Now it’s really over. Now I just have to think about the next bike ride through the wonderful territory of Fermo.

santa maria a mare

The Church of Santa Maria a Mare

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