The best traffic-free bike rides in Sito D'Importanza Comunitaria ''Gessi Di Lentella''

Connection of the Adriatic cycle path with San Salvo

Strolling along the Cristoforo Colombo seafront, you can indulge in a regenerating break, lulled by the breeze and the colors of the Adriatic coast.

In Casalbordino they await the completion of the Via Verde of the Costa dei Trabocchi. The cycle/pedestrian path, opened in parts last year, will finally arrive in Casalbordino Lido.

The forest is made up of a series of progressively decreasing river terraces. The first is the one on which the farmhouse stands and is the one where forests have been deforested to make room for crops, it is also the largest and covers the entire Sinello valley. The second, at a difference in altitude of about 7 metres, is the one that hosts the current residual forest. In winter and spring it is often flooded and puddles form, while in the hottest months of the year the ground is completely dry. The next terrace is the one where the Sinello, when in flood, flows and hosts very heterogeneous vegetation. One meter below is the last terrace made up of the river bed made up of limestone and gravel. The climate of the forest is Mediterranean, the average temperature throughout the year is 16°, while the average temperature in July is 25° and in January 6°. The most important tree species are present on the second terrace and are the Cerro, the English oak, the white hornbeam and the ash. There are specimens of trees that reach 25 meters in height. Inside the forest and also in the part of the river that passes through it, a delicate ecosystem survives, in the waters of the Sinello we can find Brasche, Buttercups, Water Celery, Watercress. There are submerged colonies of vegetation that give the waters their characteristic blue-green colour. The fauna of the area is represented by the various migratory birds frequent in the temperate coastal areas, by foxes and badgers, as well as moles and hedgehogs.

Pollutri can boast the presence, in its territory, of the Don Venanzio forest: a delicate and precious, as well as rare, example of a plain forest, towards which scientists and ecologists have turned their attention, in fact the Don Venanzio forest is one of the last strips of lowland forest on the Adriatic coast. Unfortunately what we can see today is nothing more than what remains of a much larger and more extensive forest near the Sinello river. The Forest card Location: 1 km from the exit Vast North of the A14 Extent: approximately 78 ha Height: 30 m above sea level Owner: Municipality of Pollutri Reserve since: 29/11/1999 LR 128 Structure: Tall forest, spread over a series of river terraces. Vegetation: White poplar, Black poplar, Downy oak, Turkey oak, Ash, White hornbeam and English oak. Shrubs: Dogwood, Ivy, Pendulum sedge, Cornioo, Undergrowth: Apennine anemone, Butcher's broom, Red lily and others. Entrance to the site is free, on request it is possible to take a guided tour. Info: 0872/50357 – 338/5728304 There.

The reserve is always open, while the restaurant and bar respect closing days and periods.

The basilica is located in Miracoli, in the municipality of Casalbordino. It is built in a neo-Renaissance style and dates back to the 16th century. It is the destination of a pilgrimage (from 9 to 11 June). The Abruzzese poet Gabriele D'Annunzio describes it in his novel "The Triumph of Death".

It's a popular cycle path and it would be inadvisable to whiz around at 40 km/h on a racing bike. Pedaling accompanied by the smell of pine trees and the scent of the sea is a far greater emotion than monitoring your average speed on your bike's GPS. Enjoy it!