Departure from the Basilica dell'Addolorata in Castelpetroso, the spiritual heart of Molise
The itinerary, over low-traffic roads in the provinces of Isernia and Campobasso, connects two important centres of worship: it starts from the Basilica Minore dell’Addolorata in Castelpetroso, patron saint of Molise, and arrives at the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Libera in Cercemaggiore.
The basilica is a neo-Gothic shrine from the 19th century, built with offerings from Molise emigrants on the site of the apparition of the Virgin Mary. From here you descend to Santa Maria del Molise, cycling past waterways and mills.
The Water Cycle Route continues to Cantalupo del Sannio and Bojano and the Colagrosso Palace Archaeological Museum. Heading up towards San Polo Matese, you will pass through dense, lush vegetation then on to Campochiaro, a small village nestled in the countryside, where you will find the Angevin Tower.
Arrival in Cercemaggiore in front of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Libera
After a short stop, the itinerary continues downhill in the last part, crossing the WWF Nature Reserve Oasis of Guardiaregia-Campochiario, one of the wildest oases managed by the WWF in Italy. Continuing, you arrive at the Sepino Archaeological Park, where the ruins of Saepinum, the “little Pompeii” of Molise, stand in the locality of Altilia.
The last kilometres of the route end in Cercemaggiore in front of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Libera, one of the most visited religious complexes in the region.
