Over the Alps to Rome: about 1,020 kilometers from the Great St Bernard Pass through the Aosta Valley, the Po plain and Tuscany to St Peter's – the main Italian section of the Via Francigena.
Alongside the Camino de Santiago, the Via Francigena is Europe's most important pilgrim route – but its goal is not Santiago, it's Rome and the tomb of the Apostle Peter. Its main Italian section begins high on the Great St Bernard Pass, descends into the Aosta Valley, crosses the Po plain and runs through the famous hills of Tuscany to St Peter's Basilica.
The route follows the itinerary that Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury recorded in the year 990 – one of the oldest documented pilgrim routes in the world. History, art and landscape come together here into a great European journey.
"Francigena" means "the road coming from the land of the Franks" – the route linked northern Europe with Rome.
Ideal if you want a long, history-laden journey away from the Camino crowds and love art, Tuscany and Rome. With time and stamina, you'll experience one of the finest routes in Europe.
Less suitable if you expect the dense pilgrim infrastructure of the Camino Francés: the Via Francigena is less developed, stages are longer and accommodation is sometimes sparser. Some basic Italian helps a lot.
From the Great St Bernard Pass the route drops into the green Aosta Valley with its castles and vineyards, then into the wide Po plain around Pavia and Piacenza.
Over the Apennines (Passo della Cisa) it reaches Tuscany – Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena, the Val d'Orcia – before crossing Lazio and finally reaching Rome and St Peter's.
At over 1,000 kilometers and more than 30,000 meters of climb, the Via Francigena is a big undertaking: an alpine opening, the flat Po plain, hilly Tuscany, Apennine crossings. Mostly straightforward technically, but long and hot in summer.
Most pilgrims need about 45 to 52 days for the whole route; many walk single sections (e.g. just Tuscany). Waymarking and infrastructure are better than they used to be, but thinner than on the Spanish routes.
The scenic highlight is Tuscany: San Gimignano with its tower houses, medieval Siena, the gentle Val d'Orcia. Here walking becomes a stroll through a Renaissance painting.
The true goal is St Peter's Basilica in Rome. At the end, pilgrims receive the Testimonium, the counterpart to the Compostela.
The Via Francigena ends in Rome – yet it is part of an even larger network. Before it comes the Swiss section (Via Francigena CH) over the Great St Bernard Pass. From Rome the Via Francigena del Sud continues south to Santa Maria di Leuca at the tip of Apulia – historically the route to the ports from which pilgrims set out for the Holy Land.
The best time is spring and autumn; high summer is very hot on the Po plain and in Lazio, and the St Bernard Pass is only snow-free in summer. Accommodation is in pilgrim hostels (ostelli), monasteries and guesthouses – booking ahead is wise. You'll need a pilgrim credential; the arrival certificate is called the Testimonium.
Italy is more expensive than Spain. Budget roughly €35–60 per day. Simple hostels cost €10–20, plus food; in the cities and Tuscany the level is higher.
The starting point is the Great St Bernard Pass (usually reached via Martigny/Aosta); many also start in Aosta.
"Transitum Padi" Pilgrim Ferry Service
Open season unknown
203 Aosta Apartment
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32 BnB Camerecaffè
Open season unknown
A casa di Bea sulla Francigena
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A casa di Miele
Open season unknownEverything you need for the Via Francigena (Italy), shipped to your door.
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