Aoife’s Diary: The Via Francigena on foot “You won’t know yourself once you start driving”,“Cycling will save you so much time.” These are the words of persuasion that I hear on a daily basis. Urging me to ditch my favoured mode of transport. They are words motivated by the capitalisation of time and centred on moving quicker. …
Food on the Via Francigena: 4 things to know Many of you have asked about the specifics of food on the Via Francigena. In today’s blog we’re going to cover food in Italy, including meal times, courses, etiquette, and what to expect, in general when dining on the Italian regions of the Via Francigena. Italy is …
Walk the Via Francigena, meet the Pope & receive the Testimonium Walk the last 100km of the Via Francigena pilgrim trail in Italy to obtain your Testimonium certificate and experience an audience with the Pope. The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrim trail starting in Canterbury, UK, and finishing in Rome. This trail, covering nearly …
Walk the Via Francigena & receive the Testimonium Read More »
What are the Via Francigena stages? FAQ Well, today we’re going to answer exactly that. First, let’s start off with a little introduction to the trail. For those of you who don’t know, the Via Francigena is an ancient heritage trail that sets off from Canterbury in the South of England, traverses through France and …
Carnival on the Via Francigena The festival of Carnival has become synonymous worldwide with the South American nation of Brazil. But Carnival is actually celebrated in towns and villages all across Europe. In this week’s blog post we’ll take a look at Carnival on the Via Francigena, with a round-up of the most traditional and unusual traditions to be …
Walking from San Miniato to Siena The camera can never do justice to the beauty that reveals itself with each mile walked on the Via Francigena from San Miniato to Siena, in Tuscany. The CaminoWays.com team set off this past Autumn to see what all the fuss was about and produced this video to give those …
VIDEO: Walking the Via Francigena from San Miniato to Siena Read More »
Vegetarians on the Via Francigena in Tuscany Vegetarians on the Via Francigena rejoice, with such a selection of meat-free dishes en route, the only problem you’ll face is knowing which one to choose! Here are some of my favourite Tuscan staples senza carne, in light of my recent trip walking the Via Francigena in Tuscany. The Mighty …
Must-see: unique San Gimignano The towers of San Gimignano, perched on a pretty Tuscan hilltop, are one of the most magnificent and unusual views pilgrims will encounter as they make their way along the Via Francigena trail. The medieval skyscrapers of San Gimignano are a fascinating reminder of the might and power of local feuding …
FAQ: tourist tax in Italy When you are travelling the Via Francigena in Italy, you will find in some cities and historic towns you will have to pay a local tourist tax, what is called ‘Tassa di soggiorno’. This local tax is collected by hotels on behalf of the local authorities and they are charged …
FAQ: Types of Via Francigena Accommodation There are various types of accommodation available when walking the route from Canterbury to Rome. You will find a mixture of luxurious hotels, rustic hotels and agriturismo (farmhouses) along the way. Due to the long distance that the route covers we won’t be covering every style of accommodation but …
History of the Via Francigena The history of the Via Francigena pilgrim route dates back to the Middle Ages. The full Via Francigena pilgrimage is from Canterbury to Rome, covering 1,700 km, passing through France and Switzerland along the way. The pilgrimage from northern Europe to Rome was first illustrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury in …
Must-See: medieval Viterbo The city of Viterbo, in the region of Lazio in Italy, is a popular starting point for Via Francigena pilgrims as it marks the last 100kms of the ‘Camino to Rome’. Viterbo is a small city of just over 60,000 inhabitants and home to one of the best preserved medieval centres in …
Francigena: Cycling in Tuscany Tuscany is world renowned as being one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. The Via Francigena route which passes through Tuscany offers the perfect opportunity to experience the region by bike. The Via Francigena passes through Tuscany as the Via makes its way from Canterbury to Rome. Along the way you …
How long is the Via Francigena? The Via Francigena, or Camino to Rome, covers over 2000kms from Canterbury in the UK to Rome in Italy. This epic trail, following the pilgrimage route taken by Sigeric the Serious, Archbishop of Canterbury, back in the 10th century, crosses regions of spectacular beauty, such as the Alps and …