My 21st day on the “Camino.” Completed my Stage I to Padua and just had a beautiful first hiking day on the Assisi Way (Camino Francigena) covering 14 miles (22 km) with 2000 ft of climbing. The trail surfaces varied from normal sidewalks to leave Florence (that took over an hour) to paved farm roads to rocky and dirt surfaces (not many of these).
The scenery was rich in olive orchards and Tuscany grapevines.
Couldn’t resist a ciabatta with prosciutto at the snack bar set up at a local street market—especially since it was just before the second thousand-foot climb. That’s to Italy as the hamburger is to the USA. Compare this stand to where I had lunch yesterday in Florence at the Mercato di San Lorenzo with crowds of people.
Pictures:
1. Lunch yesterday at the crowded Mercato di San Lorenzo
2. 3. 4. 7. The path through the countryside.
5. 6. A snack bar stand in small town with street market; ciabatta with prosciutto
8. Grapevines
9. Looking at Florence in the distance over olive orchards