Preparing for Via Francigena and Rome 5.9.26

Thirteen years ago, my family and I took our first trip to continental Europe.  We had been to the British Isles several times, but our trip in 2013 was our first to the continent.  We landed in London and took the Chunnel to Paris. After a few days in Paris, we took the train to Colmar, spent some time in Alsace, before taking a train through Switzerland to Milan, Italy.  We then spent the rest of our trip in Northern Tuscany with time in Florence, Lucca, the Mediterranean Coast and the small walled hill town of Monteriggioni, nestled between the cities of Florence and Siena. 

While in Monteriggioni, Davis and I ventured out of town one day and stumbled upon a trail, which we discovered was part of the famous Via Francigena – a historic, 1,200-mile pilgrimage route stretching from Canterbury, England, to Rome, Italy. We walked about a mile of the trail before heading back to Monteriggioni.  Afterwards, Davis told me that he wanted to go back to Italy one day and hike a segment of this famous camino.  At the time I thought that would never happen.  Well, we are about to do that exact thing…

This is happening because I announced this past Christmas that would take each of our sons every three years to any place they want to visit in the world. So, Davis, Jack and Carter would be able to take a one-on-one trip with me of their choosing every three years. Davis decided he wanted to hike the Via Francigena through the Italian regions of Tuscany and Lazio.

After landing in Florence on May 19th, we will travel to Monteriggione, where Davis made that announcement thirteen years ago. We will be spending 7 full days on the trail, hiking over 100 miles, with two 19-mile days. We start in Monteriggioni in Tuscany and finish in Montefiascone in Lazio. On our hike we will be stopping or passing through the towns of Siena, Buonconvento, San Quirico d’Orcia, Gallina, Radicofani, Proceno, Bolsena and Montefiascone. After our hike, we spend three days in Rome, before returning to the states.

We will be following a portion of Archbishop Sigeric’s 990 A.D. journey. His journey took him through the Alps, including the Great St. Bernard Pass. Our part of the journey includes hiking through the Tuscany and Lazio regions of Italy. Highlights of the Tuscany section of the Via Francigena route include the Castello Bibbiano in Buonconvento, the Palazzo Chigi in San Quirico d’Orcia, and Torre Alfina in the city of Acquapendente. After crossing from Tuscany, we will be traversing through the little-visited region of Lazio, north of Rome. Davis and I are looking forward to drinking unique local wines, tasting fresh local cuisine, and learning of rich cultural practices of towns that may differ greatly over even a few miles.

Wish us a “Buon cammino”!