37. Città della Pieve – Ficulle

Short and easy stage. First you descend from Città della Pieve and take a beautiful tree-lined cart track. Then you get to Fabro and go up Ficulle, to the top of the hill.

You leave Città della Pieve at Porta Orvieto. A gravel road going downhill leads to the valley of the Chiani stream. Underpassed the SP 308 go down for about 4 km. Halfway there, the Madonna degli Angeli church is worth a visit. At the end of the descent you pass under two railway lines and follow a nice level road. Thus we arrive in the small village of Santa Maria, a hamlet of Monteleone d’Orvieto. (cyclists stay on the SS 71 up to Fabro Scalo). On foot, take a gravel road that leads to the equipped path of the artistic park and you reach Fabro Scalo.

1 – TO VISIT: here you can go up to Fabro capital (the castle is interesting, today the town hall)
2 – TO VISIT: or go up to the fortress village of Carnaiola. The center as a whole is suggestive, the Palazzo dei Conti Marsciano is very beautiful.

After a break, the journey can resume from Fabro Scalo, passing under the fortress of Carnaiola. Follow the SP 52 for Parrano and then cross the Chiani stream. (cyclists continue on the SP 52, Via del Molino, up to Ficulle for about 3km). Take a gravel road (here cyclists go straight on as far as Ficulle), then turn on to a road that runs alongside a wood. In Via del Molino continue for a few kilometers to reach Ficulle.

OLEVOLE VARIANT: alternatively, after crossing a small bridge after leaving the SP 52, follow the embankment and after a few detours you cross the road that descends from Olevole. We arrive at the Badia San Nicola which we can visit. Then go up to the crossroads with the SS 71 which leads to the center of Ficulle.

The section between S.Maria and Fabro Scalo is partially unsafe and uninhabitable. The variant sends pilgrims to the Chiana Reclamation bike path (between point 5 and point 6 of the Guide and map). An easy route, all flat. It skips the village of S.Maria. The bike path comes out onto the provincial road of Fabro, which we ride for a few hundred meters. Then we find ourselves in the center of Fabro Scalo (point 8 of the Guide and map) and resume the indicated route.