At the end of the route, reach Rome on foot and feel that you are signing something very unique and significant that you have done. That would be incredibly useful. They don't write where you started walking or how many kilometers you traveled but still another nice souvenir in the end. And apparently you're looking for a Via Francigena guide to help you - well, you've come to the right people. I got my local SIM through the wind3 company for 25 euros. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But from our ridiculous mistakes, we learned what works. Not ideal when you want to walk the whole way who wants to carry a library on their back? As mentioned, I did not start the journey from England, so I can recommend the section I did from Switzerland to Rome. Via Francigena - Heart of Tuscany Walk the ancient pilgrim path to Rome through enchanting Tuscan landscapes, with Sienna and San Gimignano - the Manhattan of Tuscany - just two of the highlights. We walked through August and the key is to get up early and be walking by between 5 and 6am. It led from Canterbury in England through northwestern France, Switzerland (Lake Geneva), and northern Italy (Lombardy and Tuscany) to Rome. You can either walk or cycle the Via Francigena. Terre guide is great for Italy, highly recommend it. Good luck! We want to return to Asia and explore more solely on foot. Although mostly quiet, every now and then wed find ourselves walking down a BUSY road, lorries alarmingly close. Dinner can cost around 20-25 euros per person, light lunch or pizza around 10 euros. I have just completed the Camino Frances, St Jean to Santiago, on my own at 63, the first time I have ever done anything like this. . Malaysia: Mt Kinabalu (including the Via Feratta) You become stronger, think clearer, and impress yourself. Best to ring/e-mail ahead and secure private rooms if possible. After I walked the Camino de Santiago (Camino Frances) last year. How often this happens depends on the route you take, and is worth considering when you think road walking is the easier option. Brought back memories. By and large, the Via Francigena takes a safe path through all four countries. Just trying to picture how much of your pack was filled with electronics, cords and batteries. I thought maybe to walk the Camino del Norte or Camino Portuguese. There were lots about, mostly behind gates, or entirely uninterested. Apologies for the incredibly delayed response, Karl. One of the world's most rewarding walking trails, the historic Via Francigena is an ancient road and pilgrim's route stretching more than a thousand kilometres through France, Switzerland and Italy, finishing up in the Eternal City of Rome. Through France we camped a lot and our average daily spend was closer to 40 euros per day, which helped with Italy where theres less camping available. If youre more adventurous, then off-roading it will be preferable and probably prettier, but maybe tougher. Japan: Nakasendo Had been maybe 6 month ago. Hi Cori, sorry for the little delay in replying, were out on the trail currently walking in south west Portugal. Montefiascone Via Francigena History and Culture Montefiascone has played an important role in history of the Via Francigena pilgrimage. However, a lot of other people said they were using the SloWays app in Italy and were impressed by it. Exactly where we stayed? You should know that there is a lot of walking on asphalt or sometimes near a highway and also in urban areas, especially when leaving and entering big cities. The road will be closed in November and the paths wont be suitable. Your guide has bolstered my resolve, Thanks will keep dipping into your site bfor advice and inspiration. Happy planning, and well get the GPX out there soon! We were hoping to budget, on average, less than $50/day for the both of us. This is the equivalent of "Compostela" which is obtained upon completion of the Camino de Santiago. We ended up writing one for the Cathar Way though in southern France which is now published. Each stage has a post, and on each of those posts theres a map link. Via Francigena: From Montefiascone to Rome - Orbisways The Canterbury Trail to Rome is 2,000 KM. Copyright Luke & Nell, What if we walked?, 2017-2023 | All rights reserved - photography and written content cannot be used without our permission | Our Privacy & Cookies Policy. It can ruin large parts of the journey. Via Francigena: A Beginner Guide For A Pilgrimage To Rome and wait it out!- and one tip we have for you is get up early (like really early) to walk in the coolest part of the day. Which Camino Will You Choose? Luke, Hi Luke 6 / When you walk on roads, walk facing traffic but watch behind for cars passing other cars. Thanks for your efforts in putting this site together. Some of the places to stay for pilgrims close on October 31st and it makes sense because there are a few pilgrims. Double room in a hotel or B&B, expect to pay about 50 euros per night for 2 person. Hola Pelerins!! Im considering buying the Scarpa Terra GTX boots, did you find that they ran a size small? This is the recommended time to cross the Saint Bernard Pass, so you should orient yourself to cross the pass between these times of the year. The rain is easier to deal with than the heat -unless the rain is torrential, in which case haul up in a cafe (youll always be able to find one!) I walked from Lausanne to Rome in October-November of 2022. Certain sections such as Tuscany and the regions closer to Rome will be the most popular and where you will be more likely to encounter fellow pilgrims. The pilgrims' passport will also buy you various discounts along the route, such as in museums, at the entrance to cathedrals, trains in Italy that pass along the route, and more. We found the French to be so incredibly friendly and welcoming! Sept to Dec would be the ideal time for us to do the walk; do you think this would be ok? For more information about cycling or walking the Via Francigena, the Camino to Rome, or to book your trip, contact our travel specialists. Maybe because the Via Francigena is not popular there are quite a few places that require you to walk on asphalt and sometimes right next to a highway. Youll be fine with the ebook guides you have. If you are traveling on a budget, you can buy vegetables, eggs, and pasta and cook dinner. Aosta Valley and, of course, the wonderful Tuscany. Were thinking of doing our own however to be sent out to people who subscribe (for free) so let us know if that would interest you! Please allow for extra time to find accommodation. We also walked the Coleridge Way over three days, using all our camping equipment (a good idea if youve never used any of it before). 200 for the both of us per week Happy planning! Buying groceries - in every town, you can stock up on groceries for sandwiches or ingredients to prepare a cooked meal if you want to cook and not eat out. (I will publish a detailed post soon with my full packing list for the via Francigena). Once again I will be walking alone as a mid 60ish person do you think this is a problem? Great news that youre going on the VF. Nowadays a lot of the guidebook publishers provide GPX as part of your purchase (like Cicerone, for example). Many restaurants close in the afternoon and open again in the evening. It's worth remembering: in the first day or two or even the first week, the body hurts from the journey and the many kilometers and hours of walking, but after that, the body gets used to it. Thanks so much for this informative guide! So, four months it is! It will make your life much easier and more rewarding. Ive hiked the AT, the Camino and various other long and short distance trails. We could cook basic things when we camped, and bakeries became our haunt of choice for food on the go. We are sorry to say we do not speak French or Italian. Some places don't open their doors until 3pm-4pm. Take your time and enjoy the way. Glad you found us and got to look back on your journey As for your next challenge, happy searching and planning we loved the Rota Vicentina in south-west Portugal. You can email most places you want to stay and use google translate, plus also youll find people speak at least a little English so itll be fine. The first course is usually pasta in a variety of sauces and toppings. Happy New Year to you both. Were campsites close to route, or were you wild? We went offline for a while! You can find the reception point just before climbing the stairs that access the portico of the basilica, on the right. On Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. until 6 pm. Best wishes, I am thinking I will bring just a solo tent, plate and utensils and opt out of cooking. The meal is always finished with something sweet. The best time to walk the Via Francigena is from May to the end of October. No we didnt use GPS, purely because we already had a lot of stuff to charge at the end of every day! // Another thing you should know is the dogs in Italy. Are they available in the towns that I will pass through? Part of the magic of this route is the rolling countryside. Hiking the Via Francigena: Italy's Camino - Globetrotting Booklovers Moved it to the top of the list . We believe this was the right choice. I started walking in October, which is already considered off-season. Thanks for your help. Visit well-preserved medieval towns such as Sutri, Vetralla, and Formello. If you can, it is recommended to do a short hike of two or three days with a backpack to get used to walking and the weight of the backpack. We had rest days pretty much every two weeks, and took 5l of water with us every day, also stopping regularly for top up drinks in cafes. Also, it is highly recommended to be equipped with some basic Italian phrases when communicating with the hosts. And it gave us a bit of confidence also good. In terms of the varied landscapes and changing terrain along the way. Experience a 7-day self-guided pilgrimage on Italy's Via Francigena route. The weight becomes significant, so don't take more than you need because you will have to carry it. Entering via the Rectory, we were security checked by the Swiss Guards (make sure youre dressed appropriately for the Vatican, ie, no shoulders or shorts). Subscribe to the blog if you dont want to miss it! Im a very detailed and prepper kinda guy. But actually we found it a not-that-bad uphill, with some breath-taking moments and sights. (1,004 km). Read our lips: the walk is not that hard. Your blog has reassured me. A great experience that I recommend to everyone! We have a pilgrim passport which is actually a document that you will sign along the way. Highlights. sounds amazing! Enjoy excellent local cuisine & wine. I would quite like to write a guide book of sorts for the VF though. This historical European route that crosses Tuscany represents a unique opportunity to discover almost 400 km . While most of the sections will be suitable to walk in the Winter (apart from the mountain regions) it will be a more solitary experience and some hotels and guest houses particularly in rural areas might be close so additional transfers might be needed (always check with our team). Great walking, and much else. Here you have a complete beginner guide to Via Francigena. Luke & Nell. We walked in our new boots which was good. The road is around 2,000 kilometres long and one afternoon, I decided to walk the 20km stretch from Monteriggioni to Siena in Tuscany. We started doing longer day walks from January (to leave in May remember), carrying a bit more weight each time. She adores Santiago, where she studied Journalism at Santiago de Compostela University. Others skip a few days or weeks in the middle by taking a bus or train, in order to walk the highlights of the route in a shorter time. Karl The pilgrims faced difficult roads and risked robbery, and many of them died on the way from disease or exhaustion. Just wondering when you said around 200 Pound a week was that for both of you or per person ? Via Francigena (Gallicano nel Lazio) - All You Need to - Tripadvisor Historically this document was important because when a pilgrim returned home he could prove that the pilgrimage had taken place. Love your pictures! See their site for inspiring ideas. Then what followed was a surreal journey through several sanctums of the bureaucratic part of the Vatican. Try to avoid summer and give May or September a go. The SIM is usually valid for one month, and it can be renewed for 10 euros for the same package. I hope this guide to the Via Francigena has helped and inspired you to walk this way or at least know more about the experience of pilgrimage to Rome. There are certainly places along the route. These just disappeared after about a month, never to return. Would love to hear how it was will reply a bit quicker next time..! You will find a mixture of hotels, B&B, churches, and monasteries along the via Francigena. Our Via Francigena highlights | the 6 best bits - What if we walked? Thank you for getting in touch! I got to know their coffee culture, the aperitivo time, how important pasta is for them, and more. Follow that link and export the GPX from there. Best wishes, Isnt generally advised. I have about 2 Months of walking and am hoping on covering 20 miles or so a day. The Via Francigena takes an ancient route through the UK, France, Switzerland and Italy. 9 / Be prepared for loneliness. We camped when we could. Thank you for so much knowledgeable information. Click here to check the list where you can see where you can purchase the pilgrims' passports. Look out for some blog and Instagram posts soon! One of the reasons, Walking in this weather You also have an option to 'split' the longest walking days in two in certain sections, taking you . Any questions let us know, 70 gigabytes of Data and unlimited local calls. Shoes - You must have good walking shoes that you have been walking in for at least a few months before going on the trip. But not the same amount of people as on the Camino. Weve thrown in everything we learned about planning and going on a walk like this. Further afield: any part of the Alps section, the Lavaux vineyards near Lausanne, and the Jura Mountains section. A network of roads led to Rome from France, Germany, and England. How did you manage when camping if you needed to use a toilet? the English language Terre di Mezzo guidebook, all about the places you can stay on the Via Francigena here, Our Via Francigena highlights | the 6 best bits, Water bladders (5l all together) heavy but SO useful, One pan, one plate, one set of cutlery (no more). Some communities in remote villages offer basic sleeping quarters to pilgrims for a fixed fee in monasteries, schools, or convents. May 2022 will be my goal to start in Canterbury and I plan to go all the way. This will also be the best time to travel most of the St Francis Way, the Cammino di Francesco, across the Apennine Mountains. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I will look into that. I wonder if the new guide will be out soon??? The more hotels and meals out you want though. There were days when I didn't meet anyone during the day, and I was often the only person in Ostello at night.
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