Via Francigena: Stage 4: Fidenza to Aulla

Via Francigena Stage 4: Fidenza to Aulla

8 Days & 7 Nights 3.5 Read 4 reviews

Encountering the unusual and rare rock formations of the Salti del Diavolo
Walk in the foothills of the scenic Apennine Mountains
Paying a visit to the Museo delle Statue Stele which houses fascinating primitive sculptures
Absorbing the mesmerizing views of the Apennine Mountains when crossing the Cisa Pass
Sampling delicious and famous cured meats and cheeses of the Parma region

Walk through the Apennine Mountains and from the region of Emilia Romagna into northern Tuscany. Discover small altars, chapels, crosses, churches, and buildings that gave shelter to the thousands of pilgrims that walked along the Via Francigena in their quest to reach Rome. Beginning in the foothills of the Apennines and incorporating pretty villages and towns, you then cross the Cisa Pass, located at 1,040m before descending into northern Tuscany and to Montelungo, Pontremoli, and Aulla. There are captivating sights all along the trail, such as the primitive Stele sculptures, the St Annunziata Church and the Salti del Diavolo; unusual and rare rock formations in the Baganza Valley. Explore areas near Parma, famous for its cured meats and parmesan cheeses. Be sure to take advantage of these local culinary delights while you walk through these areas of Italy.

What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

This particular section is graded as moderate to strenuous. You will walk through the Apennine Mountains into Tuscany, crossing a high pass and along river valleys, through farming country and vineyards.

Tour Style:

Self Guided | Go at your own pace on an independent tour.

Activity:

Pilgrim Trail | You will follow a historic pilgrimage trail, in the footsteps of generations of travelers

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travelers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Spiritual Journeys
Personal Growth
Historical Journeys

Activity Level & Terrain

This tour is suitable for people that are in excellent physical condition. It is rated moderate to strenuous as you will be crossing the Apennine Mountains. Even though some days have walks of up to 32km, there are other days that are short, giving you time to recover. However, even on the short walking days there may be elevation gains and losses and on some days these are significant.

Navigation

The trail in the most part is well marked but in some of the agricultural areas, such as the cultivated lowlands, this does become sparser. Along the length of the route, it also travels through several different municipalities and the style of the markers can vary between them and not every region has invested in consistently waymarking the trail.

The type of markers includes brown metal plates with two walkers and the route name on them or smaller ones showing a pilgrim and an arrow pointing the right way at road junctions. Red and white signs with a yellow pilgrim on them are also common. There are also signs with little yellow pilgrims on them and a white arrow which points towards Rome (those that are the same but with a yellow arrow lead to Santiago). In the Valle d’Aosta the signs tend to be yellow with Via Francigena written on them along with a route number.

Even if the signs can be lacking or confusing at times, navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost.

Experience & Fitness

You need to be a regular walker and in good physical shape to complete the Full Via Francigena. If you are doing shorter stages then these are less demanding, but the per day mileage still includes longer distances on some days and a couple of the stages include ascents and descents, especially in the foothills of the Alps at the start of the Via Francigena route. We would recommend taking training walks carrying your daypack ahead of going on this trip.

Accommodations

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.

Included

Overnights in a variety of accommodations
Breakfasts included
Baggage Transfers
Detailed maps and routes notes and a comprehensive information pack
Private 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

Excluded

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
Personal equipment
Travel insurance
Mountain rescue / emergency assistance

Extras

Additional nights before, after or during the trip
Baggage Transfers
Half board supplement

When To Go

This trip is available from mid-March to the end of October. You can start your tour on any date in the season.

Spring in Italy is sublime and May and June are absolutely lovely. Autumn is a great time of year as the landscape is made up of a gold and red pallet so September is unmissable. July and August can be very hot so you will have to start early to miss the heat of the day and then perhaps have a long lunch and finish walking in the mid to late afternoon.

Getting to the Start

The best airports to fly into to reach Fidenza are Parma, Bologna or any of the Milan Airports (Milan Malpensa or Milan Linate). From these airports it is possible to take a train to Fidenza. As the first accommodation is outside Fidenza your hosts will pick you up from the train station. You will find information regarding train schedules and fares at the Trenitalia website.

Getting from the End

The best airports to fly out of after finishing your tour in Aulla are Pisa or Genoa. From Aulla take a train to Pisa (via Pisa Centrale Station). The journey takes between one and a half and two hours and you can find more information regarding train schedules and fares at the Trenitalia website. Alternatively if you fly from Genoa you can take a direct train from Aulla to Genoa Train Station and then from here take a thirty minute shuttle bus to Genoa Airport.

Luggage Transfer

Baggage transfers are not included as standard, however you can pay an additional fee for this service. If you choose to include baggage transfers we request that you have only one piece of luggage per person and it should weigh only 20kg.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes.

Please be prepared by packing all necessary items. 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, a day pack, sun hat, and sunscreen.

Online Documents
At Macs Adventure we care about the environment. We’re taking action to minimise the impact we have by converting the majority of our tour documentation for online delivery. On this tour, most of your detailed tour information will be digitally delivered. You will have access to this documentation via “My Account” on our website and the Macs Adventure Smartphone App.

Equipment

There are three main pieces of equipment that are essential to you enjoying your pilgrimage, and they are comfortable walking shoes with good wool or anti-blister socks, and a day pack that gives you good back support.

Most surfaces along the way are smooth and so walking shoes should suffice rather than boots. It is hard surface walking for the most part, so we recommend walking shoes that have a good level of padding or walking socks that offer cushioning. There are a few sections of the route which include mountain paths, in particular in Stage 1 in the Alps. For this part of the route waterproof walking boots with good ankle support and sturdy tread are recommended.

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, or you may find since it’s still hot that a lightweight rain poncho is more suitable.

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.

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