Via Francigena, 2025

 Tiring day, even though I tried to break this 20+ mi day into bite-size pieces. It’s the distance and the climb at the end that made this leg a real killer. A start at about 7:00 am revealed a beautiful sunrise amidst a cloudy sky and a steep downhill brought me back to the main Via Francigena.

The trail was varied from rocky, gravelly, dirt, clever stream crossing, to portions along the country road (yet separated by a good safety margin). Toward the end I got my dreaded glimpse of the day’s endgame climb that I had to psyche myself up for.

How difficult can it be to find your hotel especially when your 50 meters away—EXTREMELY, so you have to ask someone. 
BTW, the hotel’s included breakfast was the skimpiest so far! Dinner, however, at Radicofani was fabulous: homemade thick spaghetti!

This post covers my rest day in San Quirico d’Orcia (day 12) as well as my walk to Castiglione dʼOrcia (day 13). The relatively short walk was intended to shave some mileage off of a 20+mi day from San Quirico d’Orcia to Radicofani. It took me a bit out of the way and challenged me to a hefty climb, but on balance, it will make tomorrow’s walk at least 5 miles shorter.

The morning of my rest day was very rainy but it cleared up by late afternoon allowing me to eat a healthy dinner at the square in front of the Church of Madonna di Vitaleta and breakfast at the same place the next morning. I essentially hibernated in my room all day except for the evening meal.

The walk on Thursday (day 13) was characterized by steep descents 15% and a particularly steep climb up to Castiglione most of which I avoided by walking with the cars on the paved road. Staying here took me off the via Francigena anyway, so it didn’t really matter how I negotiated this last mile.

A rest stop at Bagno Vignon at about 10:00 made me aware that these little towns of no more than one or two thousand are being used by tour groups as a 3- or 4-day base camp from which to do day hikes and bus excursions, and then move on. One of the pics captures such a group, all English speaking.

Out the door by 7:30 trying to beat the rain forecast for the afternoon. The cloud cover kept the temperature down in the 70s, but walking nearly all of the day in the open still made it warm. Vineyards were all around and so were places for wine tasting as I passed through the Montalcino Area (only a mile from Montalcino, famous for its world-renowned Brunello di Montalcino wine). I tasted some of the Sangiovese grapes waiting to be picked to become Brunello wine—VERY sweet, almost like raisins.

At the 7-mile mark I spotted my lunch break point—all downhill for another mile. Lots of pellegrinos had the same idea. I met one in particular from Utah, a fellow APOC pilgrim, Kathy, who has a near 2K following on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@kbhothothot?si=G57ucGT9kfz2Osfb The picture includes Kathy who interviewed me regarding my long walk from the Ukraine-Polish border to Santiago. 

The insalada mista was the first I’ve had on this journey with tuna and egg—ever so grateful since I didn’t venture out for dinner in the rain.

The last five or six miles had some serious hills and, in particular, the last mile came with the long promised rain that made finding my hotel with Google Maps a real challenge—smartphone screens don’t like wet fingers.

Great hiking day (Day 11), even though it reached 80 for the last few miles—and broke 100 cum miles today, now well over a third of the way! The gently rolling hills of Tuscany were so impressive today, probably because the trail took you around them as well as over them and views of the hills were spectacular. Much less walking through forests and more walking in the open. Didn’t see but one vineyard, but many fields lying fallow right now waiting to be harrowed for the next planting season.

It’s interesting that the town of Buonconvento is apparently a source of inspiration for poets, writers, ancient and modern painters, and photographers; a recurring subject for postcards, posters, and calendars; and a favored setting for films and advertisements. Can’t argue with that, although I’m not quite getting those vibes.

So much to experience in Siena, but I was ready to move on. Today’s contrast was stark, and yesterday’s memories lingered. Took one last picture of il Campo, Siena’s prime plaza.

For the first time, I saw dozens of pellegrinos on the trail—nine alone in the picture I took. They all seemed to stop at the next coffee bar where I chatted with four Canadian ladies. We suddenly realized we had only 3 miles to go. The day flew by and I checked into my hotel by 1:30. I skipped dinner out tonight since the nearest restaurant was half a mile away; still had some food from breakfast.

A magical day: Today (day 9) on Sep 6, Siena celebrated its Titular Feast (the legend of how it came to be called Siena), the Feast of the She-wolf. I was swallowed up by the procession of hundreds of celebrants on their way to the Siena Cathedral.

Wikipedia’s history has it that the city of Siena was founded by the sons of Remus, Aschio and Senio who, to escape the wrath of their uncle Romulus, fled Rome, taking the Capitoline she-wolf with them, stealing it from the temple of Apollo. The lore also wants that, having arrived on the Tuscan hills, Senio founded Siena (in Latin Sena) and Aschio the village of Asciano.

I ordered tickets for the Cathedral Complex the day before, picked them up at about 9:45 and was one of the first to enter the Church—before leaving, 100s had swarmed into the Cathedral. It’s Siena’s main attraction! The pics speak for themselves—the marble art of the floor is over the top astounding!

After the cathedral, my ticket also allowed entrance into the OPA Museum (Opera della Metropolitana) that houses stuff that was originally in the Cathedral. The HIGHLIGHT for me was the 14th century Maesta altarpiece by Duccio di Buoninsegna—first altarpiece to have both a front and back side. BTW, it was discovered to be Duccio’s work when it was removed piece by piece from the altar in 1943 to protect it from WW II damage!

To quote Wikipedia: “Though it took a generation for its effect to be truly felt, Duccio's Maestà set Italian painting on a course leading away from the hieratic representations of the Italo-Byzantine style towards more direct presentations of reality, as developed in the course of the Trecento associated predominantly with Giotto who presumably was Duccio's pupil.” In today’s lingo, we call it truly a DISRUPTER.

Then I had an Aperol Spritz at Piazza del Campo, “the main public space of the historic center of Siena, a city in Tuscany, Italy. Its name comes from the Italianword campanilismo, which translates to "local pride" and campanile "bell tower."[1] The campo is regarded as one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. It is renowned worldwide for its beauty and architectural integrity.” (Wikipedia)

Last stop was Basilica Cateriniana di San Domenico, begun in 1226. St Catherine was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461; she was declared a patron saint of Rome in 1866 by Pope Pius IX, and of Italy (together with Francis of Assisi) in 1939 by Pope Pius XII. She was the second woman to be declared a Doctor of the Church, on 4 October 1970 by Pope Paul VI – only days after Teresa of Ávila. In 1999 Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Patron Saint of Europe. (Wikipedia)

Got started on day 8 at 8:00 and reached the Siena city limit at 1:20, but then it took me another 1 1/2 hrs to arrive at Hotel Duomo—rest break before a killer hill of at least 20% incline and 80 deg (27C) and a coo-down break once in the outskirts. Hilltop towns are great for medieval defense but not for pilgrims!

At breakfast, I spotted two great posters of Siena Palios and their famous horse races in the city center on the Campo (main square) (I encountered my first such festival at Gambassi Terme on day 3). Took a good pic of the back side of Monteriggioni’s wall, but my most curious find was a smoother serpentine trail for several kilometers along the Francigena specifically for wheelchairs—pretty cool! Then a stop at a super friendly, donativo rest stop and later at cemetery helped break up the day’s 13.7 mi.

It was soon obvious that Siena is very POPULAR, both day and evening (pic of beer festival a block from my hotel). Tomorrow is a rest day to see some of the many sites.

 Got started on day 7 at 8:30 and checked into my rustic room at 1:30—another hill-top town with the last half mile really steep. I departed Colle di Val d'Elsa in a series of sharp switchbacks until reaching the valley floor that surrounds this hilltop town. The trail was a mix of country roads, gravelly backroads and shaded trails through forests some dotted with outcrops of stone that made foot placement quite challenging.

Although the temperature hit low 80s, I managed to rest along the way to cool down periodically. The town of about 10,000 has a rich history going back to the 1200s. As a walled bastion, Siena built it and used it as a forward defense against Florentine advances. My hotel, called Rooms and Wine al Castello, has a rustic touches inside along with ultramodern bathroom plumbing. It’s located on the hilltop’s single square lined with its church and numerous restaurants. 

At 5:00 pm, the hotel provided a wine tasting for its five guests (2 Dutch, 2 UK, and me) that centered on their own vineyards producing Chiantis —very informative.

Split this day into more manageable pieces and it turned out perfectly for walking: easy distance of 8+ mi even with some respectable hills, temp of high 70s, end-stretch of 2 miles were actually down hill, and I enjoyed a beer while waiting for the reception to open.

I’m staying at the Hotel Palazzo Renieri here and what a surprise at how modern it is—wow. AND the Internet is super fast! Can’t wait to check out their breakfast.

The trail had some really rugged parts and even had two stream crossings that I took very carefully (my balance is very poor, but I manage with the poles). At about midway, a welcome rest spot appeared with shaded tables and chairs and snacks/ drinks available. The host offered us local figs and a peeled fruit the size of a kiwi with sweet flesh that had seeds similar to grape seeds. I found out that they’re prickly pears—I ate 4 of them—really yummy. These grow wild in CA, and I never had one! A friendly English couple provided company and even treated.

I rested this 5th day in San Gimignano with all its remaining medieval towers that were built by wealthy and noble families to show their immense wealth and power during this period. These "tower-houses" also served as fortified homes and a means of defense against rivals and attackers, with height being a direct symbol of a family's status.

It amazes me that a little town with only 7000 to 8,000 people can become such a tourist Mecca. I asked myself what I was actually seeing—it seems a stage with thousands of people visiting a place they felt they needed to visit. And because they’re here, it’s turning my simple stopover into a much richer experience.

The main church here is a so-called Collegiate Church, never becoming a cathedral, a bishop’s seat, but gaining significant importance. The defining feature is the college or chapter of clerics (canons) attached to it. Historically, Collegiate Churches served both religious duties and were associated with educational institutions like universities or colleges, especially after the Reformation.

Happy Labor Day! Today, day 4, was soooooo much easier—half the distance and fewer hills. I arrived at my destination a little after noon, definitely a hilltop, tourist town, checked into my fabulous hotel and began my 44-hr rest and maintenance phase (laundry, blogging, mail, you name it). So happy I planned the rest days.

Along the way it amazes me how the “trail” integrity is maintained as number one priority—it goes under churches and under your house (if your property lies on both sides of it). Their garbage bins are in five categories and pretty conveniently placed everywhere. And the vineyards and olive orchards kept me company—such delightful companions. I’m seeing more and more “pilgrims” along the way, maybe a couple dozen throughout the day. Am comfortably making reservations one day ahead.

Hardest day so far with all the ups and downs and many of the ups were very steep and just drained me of energy (no shade and temp at 80+ didn’t help). Ended up walking nearly 10 hours and for the last two miles, needed to rest every five to ten minutes—really pathetic, but I made it. Oh, and when I arrived at the Town Center, I was momentarily blocked by a policeman from going to the hotel only 20 meters away: Big Festival going on. (They’re called Palio Festivals, that involve traditional games competition among its four historic districts.) They didn’t have to do this for me!

Along the way (see the pics below), there was a metal 20-days to Rome marker, to indicate to pilgrims that they have 20 more days of walking! Then I ran into my first grape vines that have pretty much been all around me since. And the fountains (I think there were 3) were a savior: they helped cool me off by splashing over my head and adding to my water supply.

I saw Olive trees/ orchards planted near vineyards, a long tradition in Italy for multiple reasons, including their natural ability to act as windbreaks, protect against heat and frost, and provide shade for grapevines, which improves pollination and fruit development. It’s also known as companion planting.

I feel like a seasoned pilgrim after today’s 18 mi, some respectable hills along with 5 stamps in my pilgrim’s passport—love these hill-top towns at the end of the day when you’re already tired and find you have to climb another steep 500 ft to reach your destination. I didn’t set any records: started walking at about 8:00 am and arrived at my B&B at about 4:30 pm. And, I even took a few shortcuts from the official route to save my energy and stop at a grocery store. 

The gentle drizzle along with cloud cover much of the time made for a comfortable trek. On the other hand, my pants and sandals ended up muddy and I took care not to slip and fall in the mud. The trail consisted mostly of gravel covered with runoff clay.

Didn’t do much sightseeing. Had a great Tagliolini with black truffle for dinner at the Piccola Osteria del Tartufo restaurant (the Little Truffle Tavern) along with a glass of local Chianti. All the restaurants didn’t open for dinner until 7:00 pm. I sat a stone’s throw from the Church of St Domenico, easily recognizable by the unfinished facade—they’ve had since 1330 to complete it. (Pics include dinner and this church.)

My walk today served as my initiation to the Via Francigena. Got most of it in before it hit 80. The last mile or so challenged me and three other pilgrims behind me in that a huge tree fell across the trail, which for maybe a quarter of a mile had turned into a real dirt trail (whereas the first 10 miles were either sidewalks or country road shoulders). To get around it, I had to battle branches along with wild thorny runners: 20 minutes to get through 30 feet of it! In another tenth of a mile I rested by a hostel and met 3 fellow pilgrims (two from Ohio and one from the Czech Republic).

From a pilgrim’s standpoint, today’s destination of Altopascio (pop ~15K) revealed something quite fascinating. A little research tells me that the Order of Saint James of Altopascio (Italian: Ordine di San Giacomo d'Altopascio or Ordine dei Frati Ospitalieri di San Jacopo), also called the Knights of the Tau (Cavalieri del Tau) or Hospitallers of Saint James, was founded here at Altopascio at around 1070. It’s a military order, perhaps the earliest Christian institution to combine the protection and assistance of pilgrims, the staffing of hospitals, and a military wing.

My guess is that today’s church of San Iacopo in Altopascio (St James in Altopascio) is probably where the order was actually founded. The church’s history apparently changed in 1988, when the remains of an earlier worship building, dating from the late 11th century, were found. From these - which included part of the facade and apse - it can be deduced that the original temple was smaller in size than the one built in the second half of the 12th century. The beautiful crenellated bell tower can be dated accurately back to 1280. Wow!

Spent 1 1/2 days exploring Lucca, my springboard for the last third of the Fracigena. Steeped in history, Lucca is replete with middle-age churches that were built over its predecessors and still standing as proof of these awesome accomplishments. Such welcome sites in our modern dizzying world—their timelessness is so calming. It’s worth the price of admission! I’m ready for my first day tomorrow.

My last meal inside Lucca’s surrounding wall was aptly a late lunch on top of the wall almost a stone’s throw to my hotel (Hotel Rex), a cozy place five minutes from the train station. And I enjoyed lunch while pondering the Cathedral where I start my adventure tomorrow. 

Am counting Day 1, as my first day on  the Via Francigena, which will be Friday 8/29). Spent yesterday after arrival in Rome getting acclimated to the time change and the throngs of people. Stayed Antica Dimora Delle Cinque Lune, a small boutique hotel just a block away from the Tiber River from where I could see St Peter’s Basilica. I took a walk to Trevi Fountain, passing the Pantheon and a massive peaceful anti-Gaza protest on the way. This morning I’m completely caught up on sleep and energy and will continue take the train to Lucca.

Just testing my blog—thanks go out to Douglas  who is behind it all👍❤️. Today is my last day of training. Flight leaves Monday 8/25 with Air Canada (strike is over). 

All prepped, packed and ready to go. Training complete. Flight leaves on Monday.