Camino Via Francigena – Lucca to Rome
Wildlime Pilgrimage
FRIDAY, 28 MAY - SATURDAY, 19 JUNE 2027
From $7995 twin share
- 22 nights in twin share accommodation in 3–4-star hotels, family-run B&Bs or agriturismo
- Self -guided walk led By Wildlime Events
- Daily breakfasts + 4 lunches + 8 dinners
- Daily Luggage transfers
- Tickets and transfers between stages (using public and private transport)
- Italian cooking masterclass
- Pilgrims’ passport
- Guidebook
- GPS Map navigation app and comprehensive electronic walk notes and maps
- 24-hour emergency support in Italy
- Transfer from Lucca to San Miniato start point
- Wine tasting in San Gimignano
- Destination and trek training guide
- Full training manual and walking schedule
- Wildlime luggage tag, buff+ T-shirt
Itinerary - Stage 1: 28 May - 5 June 2027
Own arrangements to Lucca where we meet to begin our hike.
Your journey begins in the captivating city of Lucca.Take a walk or bike ride around the tree-lined, red-brick walls that contain this elegant city for views over the Apuan Alps.
Lucca’s duomo, Cattedrale di San Martino & the impressive Piazza Anfiteatro, a 2nd century Roman amphitheatre are both well worth a visit.
Overnight: Lucca
Meals: Welcome dinner
We catch a local train to Galleno to begin our walk. This is a pleasant stage through woods, canal dykes and a final hill at the end.
It’s a scenic day with the distant tower of Federico 11 at stage end.
Overnight: San Miniato
Meals: Breakfast
A wonderful stretch that marks the transition from Pisan and Florentine territory, offering a landscape that unfurls through rolling green hills.
Your arrival in Gambassi Terme, also famous for its thermal waters, marks the conclusion of an evocative day, with the Church of Cristo Re representing the final destination.
Overnight: Gambassi Terme
Meals: Breakfast + dinner
The trail today will take you along country roads, passing more vineyards and olive trees into sections of lush green forest. Keep your eye out for remnants of ancient Roman roads.
Cypress lined paths with beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills either side of you lead to the town of Pancole, dominated by the Santuario di Pancole (Sanctuary of Pancole).
Continuing on you will come across the working monastery of Pieve di Cellole. It is set amongst lovely grounds with panoramic views over the countryside. If a mass is not being held, you can visit the church and purchase some of the local farm produce or pottery.
Though you will be walking alongside the road as you approach San Gimignano, the views remain captivating as you look toward this evocative hilltop town.
Overnight: San Gimignano
Meals: Breakfast
Leaving the fairy tale village of San Gimignano this morning, the Via Francigena takes you along quiet, local roads, through farmland and a number of forested sections.
The terrain can be uneven at times with tree roots and rocky sections, particularly on the forest trails. The trail meets and follows a stream with the clearest water, offering a place to swim during the warmer months. A detour worth taking today is to see the fascinating Abbey of Santa Maria Assunta in Conèo; a Romanesque church built around the year 1,000 and located in the lovely surrounds of the Colle di Val d’Elsa.
Some of the areas you are walking through today and tomorrow were once underwater. If you look carefully, some sections of road have shell fossils embedded in them.
Overnight: Gracciano
Meals: Breakfast + Dinner
Todays route penetrates deep into forests, fields, olive orchards a d vineyards of te Val d’Elsa culminsting in the jewel of Tuscan charm – the castle village of Monteriggioni.
Overnight: Monteriggioni
Meals: Breakfast + Dinner
After breakfast we depart on dirt roads through the Montagnola Sense, a hilly area of the region passing through the now deserted medieval village of Cerbaia.
The trail today is gently undulating along wide gravel country roads lined with the iconic cypress pine. The landscape consists of large expanses of rolling hills dotted with castles, farms and forests; land that has seen many legendary battles between Siena and Florence.
After a meditative walk through the Renai forest, you will pass through the Porta Camollia, the traditional pilgrims’ entrance to the epic town of Siena.
Situated along three ridges at the southern end of the Chianti hills, Siena is another UNESCO city not to be missed. The striking Duomo is packed with artworks by Bernini, Michelangelo and Donatello and is only one of many fascinating sites to explore during your stay. Walk the cobblestone streets of this vibrant town before soaking up the atmosphere of Piazza del Campo over a glass of prosecco and antipasto.
Overnight: Siena
Meals: Breakfast
Morning cooking class
We make our way to one of the most famous cooking classes in Siena where, over 4 hours, we will learn to cook a variety of amazing dishes.
After this your afternoon is free to explore this exciting town; art galleries, museums, atmospheric squares, churches, boutiques, gelatarias – the choice is endless!
Make sure you visit Porta Camollia, the traditional pilgrims’ entrance to Siena.
Overnight: Siena
Meals: Breakfast
We are transferred to Ponte a Tressa and make our way to Buonconvento, appropriately named “the good convent” as it was an important haven for pilgrims and travellers.
You will notice the relaxed pace here where life slows to the rhythm of a provincial village. Art lovers will appreciate a visit to the Museum of Sacred Art of the Val d’Arbia which features artworks by some of the most famous Sienese painters Duccio, Sano di Pietro and Matteo di Giovanni, who also left a Madonna and Child in the 14th-century Santi Piero e Paolo church.
Overnight: Buonconvento
Meals: Breakfast + lunch
Itinerary - Stage 2: 5 June - 19 June 2027
Today your journey will take you towards San Quirico, on dirt and bitumen roads accented with cypress trees and vineyards.
There are splendid views across the vast landscape of the Val d’Orcia. San Quiroco d’Orcia is a lovely example of medieval architecture and city planning. At the centre of the historic town sits the stunning Collegiata. Built in the 11th-century on the site of an old baptistery, it has three main main doorways. one of which overlooks the Via Francigena.
Before dinner, enjoy a relaxing amble among the green hedges of Horti Leonini, a 15th-century garden.
Overnight: San Quirico d’Orcia
Meals: Breakfast
Only a short walk today to allow you time to enjoy the striking scenery of the Val d’Orcia and some special highlights along the way. Not long after leaving San Quirico you will enter the timeless world of Vignoni Alto.
Discover the remains of an 11th-century castle and stop for a peaceful meditation at the Roman church of San Biagio. Continuing on you will come to the delightful town of Bagno Vignoni, popular for its hot spring pools since the Etruscan era. Famous popes, saints and pilgrims frequented the hot springs, due to their proximity to the Via Francigena pilgrimage route.
The focal point of the town is the large rectangle pool of thermal waters. While this ancient pool is no longer open to public bathing, you will get the opportunity to enjoy spa treatments and bathing sessions at a nearby wellness centre. Spend some time exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site and relaxing in the therapeutic waters.
After a nice soak in the thermal pools, we make your way through one of the most beautiful panoramic sections of the whole Via Francigena to arrive in Castiglione d’Orcia. Affording excellent hill views, this village is also UNESCO listed as a World Heritage Site. Locate the walled old town and stroll the cobblestone streets, passed medieval houses, Roman churches and the town hall to Piazza il Vecchietta. The square is dedicated to Lorenzo di Pietro, a sculptor, architect and painter.
Overnight Castiglione d’Orcia
Meals: Breakfast + lunch
This morning you will be driven a short way to the town of Radicofani where we get the opportunity to spend some time exploring this fortress that dates back to 973AD and admire spectacular views of Monte Amiata, the Apennines, Bolsena Lake and the Val d’Orcia from its tower.
The village also has some special features including the Romanesque church of San Pietro. Built in the 13th-century, the church suffered damage during WWII but was later restored in 1946. Within its gothic arches is a collection of terracottas by Della Robbia, a famous sculptor from Florence.
Depart the town and travel along the old Via Cassia, an ancient route used by travellers in the Middle Ages between northern Italy and Rome. Surrounded by a landscape of infinite hills, you continue to Centeno where you will take another short transfer to avoid busy and noisy road sections.
Your last stretch of walking will lead you on an ascent to Acqupendente, the northernmost municipality of Lazio.
If you have time, experience a silent walk through the Romanesque crypt located beneath the Basilica del Santo Sepolcro. It is rumoured that stones bathed in the blood of Christ have been kept here.
Overnight: Acqupendente
Meals: Breakfast + dinner
Today the trail is fairly easy going and offers enchanting views of the slopes of Monti Volsini. You will eventually catch your first glimpse of Lake Bolsena with its tranquil, clear waters.
From here you will descend into a volcanic crater along cart and dirt tracks and through dense woodland and open meadows dotted with olive trees.
Lake Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake in Europe, formed over 370,000 years ago with the eruption of the Vulsini volcano. After the eruption, the surrounding land collapsed, creating a caldera and forming what is now, the bed of Lake Bolsena.
Not only an important stop for pilgrims on the Via Francigena, Bolsena is famous for a miracle recorded in 1263 at the church of St Christina.
This church is well worth a visit for its frescoes, architecture and underground catacombs.
For dinner you may wish to try one of the local seafood specialties, fresh from the lake: Sbroscia is a soup made from lake fish and tomatoes.
Overnight: Bolsena
Meals: Breakfast
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast today, we have a nice walk to the papel town of Montefiascone arriving just before lunch. Located on top of a hill overlooking Lake Bolsena, this town is surrounded by vineyards that produce the EST! EST!! EST!!! wine the region is famous for.
There are many sites worth visiting such as the Fortress of the Popes and the Santa Margherita Cathedral, both of which dominate the town’s landscape. Reflect on your Via Francigena pilgrimage with a glass of local wine and some home-made specialities.
After a nice lunch you have plenty of time to explore.
Overnight: Montefiascone
Meals: Breakfast + lunch
This morning, we make our way from Montefiascone and along a plain that segregates Lake Bolsena from the Cimini Mountains. You may choose to spend some time soaking up the hot spring waters at Bagnaccio thermal pools as the Romans once did, before continuing on to Viterbo, a well-preserved historic town founded by the Etruscans.
Take some time to walk through the narrow cobblestone streets of the medieval quarter to the well photographed Piazza Pellegrino then on to Piazza San Lorenzo where you will find the gothic cathedral and Palazzo dei Papi – the location for papal elections in the 12th-century. Viterbo is the ideal setting for medieval movies and film crews are a frequent sight here.
This evening find a cosy restaurant to enjoy some pizza and local wine – your host will know a good one!
Overnight: Viterbo
Meals: Breakfast + lunch
Today’s walk will see you travel through some beautiful unspoiled landscapes. Shortly after leaving Viterbo, you will come to the lovely abbey in La Quercia and Bagnaia with its fantastic gardens of Villa Lante.
Avoiding the main roads, you will walk within an undulated landscape, climbing a small hill before reaching Vetralla and its medieval village.
Overnight: Vertralla
Meals: Breakfast + dinner
We take a detour today to visit beautful Orvieto, a hilltop town that is located in Umbria, Italy. With its rich Etruscan history, Orvieto shares a lot of similarities to Montepulciano in Tuscany.
With its incredible Duomo, underground wells and caves, medieval streets to explore, viewpoints of Umbria, and museums and archaeological sites, there is plenty here to keep you busy all day.
We take a late afternoon transfer back to our accommodation in Vertralla.
Overnight: Vertralla
Meals: Breakfast
From Vetralla, the Via Francigena will see you make your way to the town of Sutri. Along the way, you will walk on peaceful woodland tracks and farmland, climbing a small hill before descending to Sutri, which is a lovely little town with the Etruscan tombs and Roman amphitheatre being the most notable sights.
Overnight: Sutri
Meals: Breakfast + dinner
From Sutri, you will continue your pilgrimage to Rome, walking across the beautiful and rugged Lazio countryside. The Francigena trail will pass an abundance of streams, waterfalls and ponds. The rivers have carved wonderful deep valleys, with lush vegetation, ideal for a rest.
Your walk for today takes you to Campagnano di Roma, a lovely little town with medieval architecture to admire.
Overnight: Campagnano di Roma
Meals: Breakfast
Your walk for today will see you once again follow tracks across lovely, wooded valleys and streams. Along the way, you will reach the sanctuary of Sorbo and the archaeological site of Veii with the remains of an ancient Etruscan city.
Soon after this, you will reach your destination for the day: La Storta.
Overnight: La Storta
Meals: Breakfast
Today is the last walking day of your Camino to Rome!
The Via Francigena will take you from La Storta through the suburbs of Rome and into Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
Before reaching the city, you will get to Monte Mario, where you will enjoy great panoramic views of the whole city below. You’ve made it!
We will head to the Vatican to obtain our testimonium.
Overnight Rome
Meals: Breakfast + Farwell dinner
Our walk ends today but we highly recommend spending some time in the Eternal City to visit iconic sites like the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon.
Not Included
- Flights ex Australia
- Transfers where not indicated (these are a personal choice)
- Meals + drinks where not indicated
- Transfer to Lucca or alternate starting point
- Travel Insurance
- Personal expenses
- Camino training weekends
Conditions
- $950 deposit is required to secure your place
- Deposit can be transferred but is non-refundable
- Program Is subject to change
- Please note: We need 10 people to run this program. Walking days and destinations will be subject to accommodation availability and may change where needed. We ask that you remain flexible.