August 30, 2022 - Last day of the walk and I feel the usual melancholy that accompanies the end of a journey. Although the tratturo ends in Foggia, I intend to stop in Lucera. The stretch between Lucera and Foggia has in fact been used to build a 4-lane road, and the alternatives I found are not at all attractive. On the page dedicated to the tracks, I propose one possible path for those who really want to walk all the way to Foggia.

Today we descend towards the Tavoliere delle Puglie through a comfortable dirt road that ends in SP5. As I descend, I see the Devil's Chair on the hill to the right, which I had already met at the end of tratturo Castel di Sangro - Lucera. Seen from this side, it does not look like a chair at all. Conversely, it is evidently a partially collapsed building. Yesterday, Caterina explained to me that it is what remains of a tower that stood on the ruins of the ancient cathedral of Sant'Alberto. Every year, on May 16, it is the endpoint of the "palii" procession, a pilgrimage in honor of the Saint. It is composed by three separate processions that start from the towns of Motta Montecorvino, Volturino, and Pietramontecorvino.

When I reach SP5, the descent ends, and the walk to Lucera is all on flat surface. Unfortunately, the first kilometer is right on SP5 and I couldn't find any alternatives, so... patience is needed. The rest is a succession of secondary roads, partly paved, partly not.

Leaving SP5 behind, I initially cross olive groves, then a succession of open fields. The landscape doesn't offer any particular inspirations, so the mind is left free to wander. I had no doubts, but the magic of the walks newly repeated. The faces of the people I met, the situations I had to manage (I don't know why, but dogs keep coming to my mind, both in good and bad), and the landscapes seen they all come back to mind. The weather this year has been more benevolent. Although the temperatures remained well above 30°C, they never exceeded 40°C: given the past experiences, I almost didn't expect it! Finally, every time it rained, it always did so after I arrived at my destination.

While I'm lost in these thoughts, the walls of the Lucera fortress appear in the distance. Unlike the last time, I arrive in the town from below. The closer I get to the base of the hill on which it stands, the more majestic the walls seem. The last climb awaits me and my transhumance can finally be considered concluded: the tratturo from Celano to Foggia has finally been completed after 9 years since the first attempt.

Upon arriving at the B&B, I meet Giuseppe, the lively manager who runs the accommodation together with his mother and sister. Once again, I find myself immersed in a pleasant family welcome. Giuseppe is generous with suggestions about what to see in Lucera. Having already visited the city in the past, I have already seen many of its sights, but some are new to me (for example, the narrowest alley in the world), so after a nap, I go out to explore. Giuseppe himself takes me to visit the Circolo Unione Lucera - 1860, a cultural association founded in 1860 and still very active: it feels like entering another world and another era.

In the evening, the closing dinner awaits me. To celebrate, this time I opt for fish dishes, no more carbohydrates!