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Starting from Comunanza, your journey continues through woodland and chalk-limestone roads.
Leaving the village and the province of Ascoli Piceno, you come to the Church of St Peter in Castagna, founded in the Longobard period (9th century). The sandstone bas-reliefs adorning the portal are a classic example of the fine style of that period.
Just beyond the church, you reach the hermitage of Our Lady of Grace. It is a haven for silence and prayer, with two small rooms accommodating no more than four pilgrims. The building, solitary and surrounded by the green countryside, was constructed as a sacred shrine in the 14th century, later becoming a church and then a hermitage.
Through dense vegetation, along mule tracks and Roman bridges, you continue the journey until you reach the fortified mill - a building of strategic importance for the rural economy and of fine architectural workmanship. The mill stood guard on the road leading to the town, watching over the water reserves, grain silos and the nearby bridge. Please note: the 13th-century Romanesque humpback bridge is currently not passable, and you will need to follow the GPX route.
Continuing your pilgrimage, you come to Amandola, a town with a characteristic medieval layout. It is the gateway to the Sibillini Mountains National Park and a holder of the Touring Club Orange Flag. Its historic monuments include the Church of St Augustine - now the Sanctuary of Blessed Anthony - dating back to the 15th century and characterised by a Venetian-inspired Gothic-style portal. Another notable building is the Church of St Francis, unfortunately closed at the moment due to damage from the 2016 earthquake. From Piazza Umberto I, known by the people of Amandola as Piazza Alta, you can admire one of the most beautiful views of the Sibillini mountain range.
Leaving Amandola, you return to the Salaria Gallica, the ancient Roman road of the Ager Gallicus, on which numerous stretches of cobblestones are still evident. Walking through the woods with your feet on a Roman pavement, along a road unknown even to most of the area's inhabitants, is a unique experience.
The route continues along the Via dei Mercatali, an ancient medieval route used since antiquity by merchants on their way to Sarnano for the livestock fairs. A gentle descent through the woods then leads to the hamlet of Grassetti.
From here, the path crosses the countryside until it reaches the medieval village
