Full Italian Via Francigena: Bourg St Pierre-Rome
50 Days & 49 Nights 5 Read 1 reviews- Walking the Italian Via Francigena, one of Europe's great pilgrimages
- Beautiful landscapes, churches, towns and villages
- Savouring regional specialities; wine, pasta, cheese and cured meats and cheeses
- Becoming immersed in the culture and history of each region
- Follow trails through classic Italian landscapes and visit exquisite towns
What To Expect
Trip Style:
Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent holiday.
Activity:
Pilgrim Trail | You will follow a historic pilgrimage trail, in the footsteps of generations of travellers
This trip is suitable for:
Avid Adventurers
Ideal if you have an interest in:
- Personal Growth
- Historical Journeys
- Mountains
Inspiration:
Grade & Terrain
This walking holiday is graded moderate to strenuous. However the daily distances vary quite a lot between shorter and a lot longer ones, so you must be capable of also walking the longer distances. You need to be in good physical shape to complete the full Via Francigena as there are also some elevation gains and losses along the way.
Navigation
You will be provided with detailed route notes and maps to help you find your way. The trail is also marked by the official red and white signs of the Via Francigena, which have a picture of a yellow pilgrim on them. Unlike the more well-established Caminos, the Via Francigena has seen a relatively recent resurgence in popularity, meaning that trail marking is intermittent. Not every region has invested in consistently waymarking the trail.
You will be able to follow the route in your Macs Adventure smartphone app and we're confident that using the two elements alongside each other should go a long way to ensure you have a safe, enjoyable and problem-free trip.
Accommodation Information
During your trip you will stay in a variety of accommodations. The properties range from private rooms in pilgrims' hostels to 2, 3 and 4* hotels as well as B&B's and guesthouses. At times you will be staying in remote towns and villages, therefore the accommodations in these places are the best that these particular areas have to offer.
If you require single rooms for your party we would be happy to accommodate you. Solo walkers are also welcomed.
Important: Due to the remote location of some of the smaller towns and villages along the way it is possible that some of your overnight hotels will be a few kilometres from the route or in a nearby town or village. If this is the case, you will always receive directions to and from the trail in your route notes. Please be aware that this may result in slightly longer or shorter walking days.
Meals
Daily breakfasts are included. Breakfasts are usually continental or Italian-style with a choice of bread, croissants, meats, and cheeses. Sometimes it is possible to order packed lunches at your hotel or B&B the evening before or you can buy lunch in groceries, cafes, and restaurants en route. You can opt to include dinners as well if you wish.
- Overnights in a variety of accommodations
- Breakfast
- Baggage transfers
- Detailed maps and routes notes and a comprehensive information pack
- Transfers where mentioned in the itinerary
- Access to the GPS tracks using the Macs Adventure smartphone app
- Emergency telephone assistance from our team in Italy and our UK office if required
- Travel to and from the start and finish points
- Public transportation where mentioned in the itinerary
- Lunches & dinners
- Drinks & snacks
- Any additional travel en route, should you wish to miss a day's walking
- Baggage transfers
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance
- Mountain rescue / emergency assistance
- Additional nights before, after or during the trip
- Half board supplement
When To Go
This trip is best enjoyed from mid-June onwards as the first section crosses the Alps and snow can still be on the ground up until July. Summer is a wonderful time to do the trip but it will be hot in August. Autumn is a lovely time of year as the colours start to change and the heat of the summer has subsided. This trip is available from mid-June to mid-September.
Getting to the Start
The best airport to fly into in order to reach Bourg St Pierre is Geneva. This airport is served by many airlines from the UK and from further afield. From Geneva Airport it is possible to take a direct train to Martigny and then a bus from the train station in Martigny to Bourg St Pierre. You will find information regarding train schedules and fares at the Swiss National Rail or Trenitalia website.
Getting from the End
It is best to fly out of Rome. There are two main airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino. To get to Fiumicino Airport you can either take the Leonardo Express train which leaves Rome Termini and takes 30 minutes or you can take the Sabina-Fiumicino line which stops at every station but costs less. To get to Ciampino Airport take train from Rome Termini to Ciampino Train Station and then a bus from here to the airport.
Baggage Transfer
Enjoy the ease of walking with a light backpack and having your main luggage moved for you each day (included). Your bags will be collected from your accommodation and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
General Information
The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Equipment
This depends on the time of year you are walking; if travelling in the spring or autumn it can be cool in the morning, but it soon heats up in the late morning and afternoon so make sure and bring some layers with you. During the summer months, the area can be prone to afternoon thunderstorms, so waterproofs are also essential in case of heavy showers. You will receive a full kit list as part of your trip documentation.Travel Insurance
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation, and hospital care.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Bourg-Saint-Pierre Day 2 Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Great St Bernard Pass 7 miles / 12 km Day 3 Great St Bernard Pass to Etroubles 8 miles / 13 km Day 4 Etroubles to Aosta 10 miles / 16 km Day 5 Aosta to Chambave 17 miles / 28 km Day 6 Chambave to Verres 17 miles / 27 km Day 7 Verres to Pont-Saint-Martin 10.5 miles / 17 km Day 8 Pont-Saint-Martin to Ivrea 16 miles / 26 km Day 9 Ivrea to Viverone 14 miles / 22 km Day 10 Viverone to Santhia 11 miles / 18 km Day 11 Santhia to Vercelli 19 miles / 30 km Day 12 Vercelli to Robbio, Train to Mortara 13 miles / 21 km Day 13 Montara to Garlasco 15 miles / 24 km Day 14 Garlasco to Pavia 17 miles / 28 km Day 15 Pavia to Santa Cristina, Transfer to Miradolo di Terme 17 miles / 28 km Day 16 Miradolo di Terme or Lambrinia to Piacenza 21 miles / 34 km Day 17 Piacenza to Carpaneto 14 miles / 23 km Day 18 Carpaneto to Castell'Arquato 9 miles / 15 km Day 19 Castell'Arquato to Fidenza 14 miles / 23 km Day 20 Fidenza to Fornovo 20 miles / 32 km Day 21 Fornovo to Cassio 13 miles / 21 km Day 22 Cassio to Berceto 7 miles / 11 km Day 23 Berceto to Previdè 11 miles / 18 km Day 24 Previdè to Filattiera 13 miles / 21.5 km Day 25 Filattiera to Aulla 14 miles / 22.5 km Day 26 Aulla to Sarzana 13.5 miles / 22 km Day 27 Sarzana to Avenza 11 miles / 18 km Day 28 Walk Avenza to Massa, Train to Pietrasanta, Walk to Camaiore 15 miles / 24 km Day 29 Camaiore to Lucca 15 miles / 24 km Day 30 Lucca to Altopascio 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 31 Altopascio to San Miniato 18.5 miles / 30 km Day 32 San Miniato to Gambassi Terme 15 miles / 24 km Day 33 Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano 9 miles / 14 km Day 34 San Gimignano to Strove 15 miles / 24 km Day 35 Strove to Siena 15 miles / 24 km Day 36 Siena to Grancia de Cuna, Transfer to Buonconvento 11 miles / 18 km Day 37 Buonconvento to San Quirico d’Orcia 15 miles / 24 km Day 38 San Quirico d’Orcia to Castelnuovo dell’Abate 9 miles / 14 km Day 39 Castelnuovo dell’Abate to Rocca d'Orcia 12.5 miles / 20 km Day 40 Rocca d’Orcia to Radicofani 17 miles / 27 km Day 41 Radicofani to Proceno 16.5 miles / 26.5 km Day 42 Proceno to Bolsena 19 miles / 30 km Day 43 Bolsena to Montefiascone 11 miles / 18 km Day 44 Montefiascone to Viterbo 12 miles / 19.5 km Day 45 Viterbo to Caprarola 11 miles / 18 km Day 46 Caprarola to Sutri 10.5 miles / 17 km Day 47 Sutri to Campagnano di Roma 18 miles / 28.5 km Day 48 Campagnano di Roma to Isola Farnese 13 miles / 21 km Day 49 Isola Farnese to Rome 16 miles / 25 km Day 50 Onward TravelThe Macs Adventure Way
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