The Practical
Ever since we went on a walking holiday to San Quirico d'Orcia in Tuscany in 2019 have I had at the back of my mind the walk from Lucca to Rome on the Via Francigena. Following walks in the Alta Badia (Corvara), the Sella Ronda and more recently the Alta Via 1 earlier this year I felt fit enough to do the 400km walk to Rome, and October was a good month to try. Little did I know that Italy would be experiencing a heat wave in early October, and the midday temperature would be around 30 degrees centigrade for the first week. This made walking tough and after a few days my feet were like boiled lobsters! By setting off early in the morning and by reducing the distances of two or three of the longer more arduous stages I managed to overcome the hot weather. Even so, I was drinking up to 4 liters of water a day just to keep hydrated.
I was surprised how few pilgrims were walking the route. Apart from a group of 8 ladies from Milan who were out for a few days, I rarely saw more than a handful of pilgrims each day. I had planned to use a mixture of hostels and hotels, but because of the heat wave I opted for hotels on most days. Hotels offer the comfort of your own room with en suite facilities; hostels offer dormitory style accommodation but have the advantage that they are cheaper and there are other pilgrims there to talk to.
People ask "Why?". Why would you want to walk 400 km in 18 days? First of all it is good to have a mental and physical challenge. Secondly you see many new and fascinating things at every turn, and you have the time to free the mind and reflect on things. My motto for this walk came in the form of a three line slogan in Latin written in chalk on the Roman basoli pavement on the way out of Viterbo that is 2,000 years old :-
Ambulo
Ergo
Sum
or
I Walk
Therefore
I Am |
The Outline Plan.
| Stage |
Day |
Date |
From - To |
Km |
Hotel |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Wed |
4 OCT |
Fly to Pisa: Train to Lucca Easyjet EZY8319 ETD 14-10 ETA 17-25
|
|
Hotel Rex, Lucca |
| 1 |
Thurs |
5 OCT |
Lucca to Altopascio |
18.5 |
|
| 2 |
Fri |
6 OCT |
Altopascio to San Miniato |
29 |
Hotel San Miniato, San Miniato |
| 3 |
Sat |
7 OCT |
San Miniato to Gambassi Terme |
24 |
Casa Vecchia, Gambassi Terme |
| 4 |
Sun |
8 OCT |
Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano |
13.4 |
Leon Bianco, San Gimignano
|
| 5 |
Mon |
9 OCT |
Rest Day in San Gimignano |
|
Leon Bianco , San Gimignano |
| 6 |
Tues |
10 OCT |
San Gimignano to Monteriggioni |
27.5 |
Santa Maria Assunta, |
| 7 |
Wed |
11 OCT |
Monteriggioni to Siena |
18.9 |
Hotel Duomo, Siena |
| 8 |
Thurs |
12 OCT |
Siena to Ponte d'Arbia (Buonconvento)
Taxi or bus to Isola d'Arbia; 9km Walk to Buonconvento |
25.8
16.8 |
Hotel Ghibellino, Buonconvento |
| 9 |
Fri |
13 OCT |
Ponte d'Arbia to San Quirico d'Orcia
Buonconvento to San Quirico d'Orcia |
26.1
22.4 |
Hotel Il Garibaldi, San Quirico d'Orcia |
| 10 |
Sat |
14 OCT |
San Quirico d'Orcia to Radicofani |
32 |
Casa Del Ciliegio, Radicofani |
| 11 |
Sun |
15 OCT |
Radicofani to Acquapendente |
24 |
Casa Girolamo, Acquapendente |
| 12 |
Mon |
16 OCT |
Acquapendente to Bolsena |
22.8 |
Hotel Platani, Bolsena |
| 13 |
Tues |
17 OCT |
Bolsena to Montefiascone |
17.7 |
Hotel Urbano V, Montefiascone |
| 14 |
Wed |
18 OCT |
Montefiascone to Viterbo |
18.3 |
Le Undici Rose Hotel, Viterbo |
| 15 |
Thurs |
19 OCT |
Rest Day in Viterbo |
|
Le Undici Rose Hotel, Viterbo |
| 16 |
Fri |
20 OCT |
Viterbo to Vetralla |
16 |
Albergo de Benedetta, Vetralla |
| 17 |
Sat |
21 OCT |
Vetralla to Sutri |
23.5 |
Hotel Sutrium, Sutri |
| 18 |
Sun |
22 OCT |
Sutri to Campagnano di Roma |
24.5 |
Hotel Ristorante Benigni, Campagnano |
| 19 |
Mon |
23 OCT |
Campagnano di Roma to La Storta |
22.8 |
Hotel Cassia, La Storta |
| 20 |
Tues |
24 OCT |
La Storta to Rome |
19.1 |
Hotel Madison, Roma Termini |
| 21 |
Wed |
25 OCT |
Return to UK Easyjet EZY 8324 ETD 10-50
ETA Gatwick 12-35 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
404.2 |
|
The Detailed Distance Chart
| Stage |
To |
Distance |
Time |
Elevation in meters |
| |
|
Km |
Cum
Km |
Elapsed
Hrs-Mins |
Moving
Hrs-Mins |
Gain |
Loss |
Max |
Min |
| 1 |
Altopascio |
19.47 |
19.47 |
5H00 |
3H42 |
71 |
78 |
11 |
31 |
| 2 |
San Miniato |
30.83 |
50.3 |
8H08 |
6H11 |
390 |
262 |
10 |
153 |
| 3 |
Gambassi Terme |
27.8 |
78.10 |
7H48 |
6H01 |
791 |
551 |
78 |
386 |
| |
Down/Up/Down to Accommodation |
4.74 |
82.84 |
|
|
70 |
140 |
|
|
| 4 |
San Gimignano |
14.8 |
97.64 |
4H15 |
3H10 |
445 |
416 |
112 |
394 |
| |
San Gimignano Rest Day |
6.0 |
103.64 |
3H00 |
3H00 |
150 |
150 |
|
|
| 5 |
Monteriggioni via Val d'Elsa |
17.57 |
121.21 |
5H04 |
3H19 |
275 |
167 |
161 |
285 |
| 6 |
Siena |
23.33 |
144.41 |
6H49 |
4H59 |
734 |
650 |
241 |
359 |
| 7 |
Buonconvento |
20.37 |
164.78 |
4H39 |
3H41 |
242 |
262 |
139 |
229 |
| 8 |
San Quirico d'Orcia |
22.73 |
187.51 |
5H39 |
4H38 |
618 |
351 |
137 |
419 |
| 9 |
Radicofani |
17.34 |
204.85 |
5H10 |
3H54 |
593 |
107 |
307 |
806 |
| 10 |
Acquapendente via Centeno |
24.35 |
229.2 |
6H26 |
4H56 |
302 |
706 |
247 |
792 |
| 11 |
Bolsena |
24.58 |
253.78 |
6H45 |
5H01 |
357 |
424 |
321 |
501 |
| 12 |
Montefiascone |
17.48 |
271.26 |
4H55 |
3H53 |
563 |
283 |
320 |
602 |
| 13 |
Viterbo |
18.77 |
290.03 |
4H17 |
3H38 |
151 |
452 |
305 |
619 |
| |
Rest Day in Viterbo |
12.2 |
302.23 |
5H20 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 14 |
Vetralla |
17.29 |
319.52 |
4H28 |
3H54 |
257 |
281 |
227 |
344 |
| 15 |
Sutri |
25.51 |
344.72 |
7H14 |
5H12 |
424 |
429 |
265 |
501 |
| 16 |
Campagnano di Roma |
25.8 |
370.52 |
6H41 |
5H07 |
387 |
408 |
165 |
304 |
| 17 |
La Storta |
22.81 |
393.33 |
6H22 |
4H43 |
592 |
717 |
74 |
383 |
| 18 |
Rome |
19.52 |
412.85 |
4H34 |
4H01 |
332 |
463 |
19 |
173 |
| |
Rome |
3.0 |
415.85 |
0H45 |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Total |
416.16 |
|
|
|
7,734 |
7,297 |
|
|
Pisa Airport to Pisa Railway Station and Lucca
It is really easy to get from the airport to Pisa railway station by the "PisaMover", a shuttle which takes 5 minutes and operates from 6 a.m. to midnight. The cost is Euro 5 and there are automatic ticket machines available with "English" as a language option. They are really easy to use.
https://pisa-mover.com/en/shuttle-service/ |
PisaMover ticket machines..... easy to use
Pisa Mover shuttle
Look stylish with some new socks from Pisa Station!
Pisa Central Station
Pisa Central Station
Need a room for the night at Pisa Station? nh Hotels is just opposite the main station entrance
Automatic ticked machines with "English" option at Pisa Station. Very easy to use.
I took the 18:20 local train to Lucca from Platform 3 for Euro 3.90
Arriving in Lucca
Accommodation
Hotel Rex,
Piazzale B. Ricasoli, 19,
55100 Lucca
Phone: +39 0583 955443
Hotel Rex, 20 meters from the Station and about 200 meters away from Porta S. Pietro into the walled city of Lucca
Spacious room if a little "brown" and outdated
Clean and bright breakfast room
Postal Service
Just a short distance away from the Rex Hotel on the way to the Porta S. Pietro gate is a Post Office, and to my surprise it was open at 08-30 hrs. The weight of my rucksack was about 8 kilos without water and was not a problem, but clothes that I had brought to travel home in took up valuable space. For 10 euros I purchased a large envelope at the Post Office and mailed some clothes to the Madison Hotel in Rome to await my arrival on 24th October. |
Route Finding on The Via Francigena
As you will see from the photos in this write up, route finding on the Via Francigena was not a problem. Via Francigena signs were everywhere and you could probably walk the route without a guide book or an App without any difficulty. I used the Terre di Mezzo "The Via Francigena" guidebook for general information and for the overall maps, and the Via Francigena official App on my iPhone. I only used the App occasionally when I was in doubt exactly where I was, and whether I was on or near the trail. When loading the App be sure to allow "Location Services When The App is In Use". I used google maps App to guide me for the last half kilometer or so when searching for my accommodation. |
As the weather was so hot, the markings for water points on
this map proved to be very useful
Official Via Francigena App
Bag Transfer
| I carried all of my stuff with me in my rucksack; the weight was about 8 kilos, 10 kilos with two liters of water. Some people I spoke to used a bag transfer service. |
Review of Accommodation
| 4th October |
Hotel Rex, Lucca
- 20 meters from Lucca Station so very convenient
- Rooms are a little tired but adequate
- Breakfast room is light and airy
- The breakfast is reasonable without being extra special
- About 200m from the Porta S. Pietro to go inside the walled |
Euro 110 inc breakfast |
| 5th October |
Hotel Paola, Altopascio
- Conveniently placed on the Via Francigena as you enter Altopascio
- Rooms nice with high ceilings and air conditioning
- Owners very helpful in giving local advice such as restaurants
- They do not use the front door due to heavy traffic on the road in front
- Some rumbling traffic noise in the night; earplugs recommended
|
Euro 79 excl breakfast |
| 6th October |
Hotel San Miniato, San Miniato
- Good location close to center
- Very nice and trendy hotel
-
Spacious comfortable single room
- Good breakfast in pleasant surroundings
- Highly recommended
|
Euro 70 inc brekfast |
| 7th October |
Casa Vecchia, Gambassi Terme
- Rather like Air B&B; rooms with no one in attendance
- Accommodation reasonable for the price
- Shared bathroom
- However, it is not located 350 m from the center but 1.5 km from the center..... virtually the last house in the town.... with a 70 m climb up a hill. This is not convenient as you have to walk back down again for dinner.
- Misrepresented on www.booking.com
|
Euro 51 excl breakfast |
| 8th/9th October |
Leon Bianco, San Gimignano
- Nice hotel in an excellent central location
- Nice pavement bar area to chill and watch the world go by
- Good breakfast |
Euro 191 for 2 nights excl breakfast |
| 10th October |
Santa Maria Assunta Hostal, Monteriggioni
- Very basic but comfortable room; I had one of my best night's sleep here
- Price high for facilities but then not much available in Monteriggioni
|
Euro 60 for single room excl breakfast |
| 11th October |
Hotel Duomo, Siena
- In some ways a strange hotel with no street presence and a bit of a labyrinth inside, but I have stayed there several times and better the devil you know!
-
Good location for The Campo, the Cathedral and a nearby laundrette
- Good breakfast |
Euro 119 inc breakfast |
| 12th October |
Hotel Ghibellino, Buonconvento
- Newly built hotel with good facilities
- Spacious room and good bathroom facilities
- Good location for the town center and the Via Francigena
- Reasonable breakfast |
Euro 65 inc breakfast |
| 13th October |
Il Garibaldi, San Quirico d'Orcia
- Building is part of a petrol station site and it a bit like a truckers stop
- Basic room and bathroom facilities but it did the job
- Would not be my first choice if I went again.
- Turned out to be very convenient for the bus to Gallina |
Euro 56 excl breakfast |
| 14th October |
Casa Del Ciliego, Radicofani
- A two up two down holiday house in a central position in Radicofani.
- Very comfortable and owner takes considerable pride in the place
- Very close to La Grotta restaurant
- Cafe in the centre for breakfast before leaving
- Accommodation highly recommended
|
Euro 60 excl breakfast |
| 15th October |
Casa Girolamo, Acquapendente
- An apartment just off the Via Francigena as you enter Acquapendente
- Very clean and bright and a nice place to stay
- Key box at front door worked well; just had to photograph my passport and Whatsapp it to owner for records
- No breakfast but a kitchen to prepare food/drinks
-Highly recommented
|
Euro 60 excl breakfast |
| 16th October |
Hotel Platani, Bolsena
- Very nice 4* hotel in a central location
- Very comfortable room and facilities
good breakfast
-Highly recommended |
Euro 64 inc breakfast |
| 17th October |
Hotel Urbano V, Montefiasconi
- Nice hotel in a good location
- Comfortable room with small balcony
- Good breakfast
|
Euro 62 inc breakfast |
| 18th/19th October |
Le Undici Rose Hotel, Viterbo
- Not really a hotel but partially attended rooms
- Very difficult to identify the building from the outside as there are no signs
- 3 p.m. check in...... no one there. Person turned up at 3-15 p.m
- Given key for "Room 5" only to find all rooms have names after roses and no numbers there; had to return to reception
.-Has the appearance of a boutique hotel but no attenton to detail at all
- Drain smell in bathroom .... extractor fan not working ...really got on my chest over 2 nights; not good
- Had shower and the shower on/off handle came off in my hand
- Kettle & tea bags in room but no cup or mug;
-
wifi details given in room were wrong; had to return to reception again
- When I came to go out for a walk I could not open the inner glass door; the owner had failed to tell me about a switch high up on the wall; could have been disasterous if there had been a fire.
- Avoid this "hotel" which I christened "Fawlty Towers" |
Euro 114 for 2 nights excl breakfast |
| 20th October |
Albergo da Benedetta, Vetralla
- Breath of fresh air after hotel in Viterbo
- Family run and the brother has pride in his establishment
- Bright airy room with good supply of body wash and shampoo in bathroom
- A little distance from the center, but was in a quiet residential area
- Reasonable breakfast just adequate
- Recommnended |
Euro 50 excl breakfast |
| 21st October |
Hotel Sutrium, Sutri
- Good central location
- Small hotel and owner very helpful
- Rooms dated and shower cubicle could do with a deep clean (or replacing!)
- But overall it did the job and I would stay there again
|
Euro 45 excl breakfast |
| 22nd October |
Hotel-Ristorante Benigni, Campagnano di Roma
- Good location and restaurant serves excellent food.
- Hotel part was comfortable
- Breakfast was OK, but the weaker part of the offering
- I would certainly stay there again |
Euro 70 inc breakfast |
| 23rd October |
Hotel Cassia, La Storta
- Modern hotel on Via Cassia and convenient for Via Francigena
- Good faciliies and good breakfast
|
Euro 109 inc breakfast |
| 24th October |
Hotel Madison, Roma Termini, Rome
- O.K. hotel next to the rail station; convenient for the Leonardo Express
- Reasoamble rooms ;nothing special
- No breakfast, but plenty of coffee shops near by |
Euro 116 excl breakfast |
|
