GTL 7 Lazio from Frosinone to Zagarolo

THE ITINERARY OF THE POPES AND THE OLD ROME FIUGGI RAILWAY

We are on one of the most demanding stages of the entire GTL, 80 km for about 1200 m of elevation gain. However, the route offers the possibility of being further fragmented, since several railway stations are located along the route and you can therefore use the bike transport service by train to shorten the journey.On the other hand, this stage offers a huge historical and cultural heritage, as well as sections of the existing cycle path, the route of the former Rome-Fiuggi railway.Starting from Frosinone, we continue to follow the route of the Eurovelo 5 Romea/Francigena, and we reach the village of Ferentino; from here begins the first of the climbs that characterize the course of the GTL7: the first objective is the village of Fumone, which overlooks the Ernici Mountains, on the top of which stands the imposing Castle owned by the Caetani family, the same as Boniface VIII: here Celestine V was imprisoned and spent his last days, the one who out of cowardice made the great refusal according to Dante; A gloomy and sinister place, it has originated various legends of ghosts over the centuries.From here we continue to the quiet Lake Canterno, until we go up towards Fiuggi, a well-known spa, where we can follow the route of the old railway that until a few decades ago led to Rome: today it is a marked cycle path that passes one after the other the stations of the past, sheltered from the traffic of the Via Prenestina.With a detour it is worth reaching Anagni, another delightful papal village rich in architecture and art.Acuto, Piglio, Serrano, and the route reserved for bicycles is interrupted: avoiding the Prenestina, we continue on Eurovelo 5 which leads us to other wonderful medieval towns such as Gimignano, Genazzano and Cave, ancient papal fiefdoms and a pilgrimage destination for writers such as Gregorovius, and above all Palestrina, whose Temple of Fortuna Primigenia stands out as one of the major pagan sanctuaries of Roman times. From this area there are also many beautiful roads towards the Prenestini Mountains, to deviate from the course of the GTL and challenge the climbs a bit.We hen end the route in Zagarolo, where there is another railway junction for Rome