Pilgrimage Strengthens Our Common Faith
Pilgrimage Strengthens Our Common Faith
Visit beautiful Assisi
Book your placeOn this pilgrimage we will be walking from Lucca to Siena - the birthplace of St Catherine of Siena, one of the Church's great mystics. The route is part of the Via Francigena - an ancient road and pilgrimage route running from Canterbury to the Holy City of Rome.
We will travel through the beautiful Tuscan countryside, and see ancient churches, forests, vineyards, olive groves and waterfalls. We are staying in comfortable guesthouses and hotels where luggage will have been moved on each day and a hearty Italian dinner will await each evening.
Arriving in Siena we will have time to enjoy a tour and to explore the city in our own time. We will be led by Keith James, Archdeacon of Norwich and Geoff Weaver, a church musician, conductor and composer. Because this is a pilgrimage, as well as a long distance walk, there will be opportunities for prayer and worship at the beginning and end of the day, (which are, of course, optional.)
This pilgrimage involves substantial walking - some of which will be over irregular surfaces and badly-maintained walking areas. If walking up to 13 miles a day is something you find difficult, then this pilgrimage is unsuitable for you.
• Morning flight from London Stansted to Pisa. Transfer from Pisa to Lucca
• Free afternoon in Lucca
• Lucca: A walled city with a Renaissance wall and citadel, serving as a starting point for many Tuscan Via Francigena walks. We advise a walk along its sixteenth-century walls and a visit to the lively central square built over the ruins of the ancient Roman amphitheatre now hidden by multi-coloured houses containing little restaurants, bars and artisan shops.
• Dinner and Overnight – Lucca
• Bernadino Hotel, Lucca
• Altopascio to Ponte A Cappiano, 14.3km
• Lucca to Altopascio is through an industrial area (18.3km). We advise travelling from Lucca to Altopascio by train or coach (to be decided) and begin the walk from Altopascio.
• You will begin the walk along a splendid section of the original paved Via Francigena surrounded by woods. Be charmed by the wild land of Cerbaie. You will arrive in the small village of Ponte A Cappiano where the bridge sits over the canal. The span was of strategic importance in medieval wars between Lucca and Florence and Cosimo di Medici rebuilt the bridge in its current form in the sixteenth century, earning its name as the Medici Bridge. For centuries the Hospitallers of Altopascio have safeguarded the bridge for pilgrim traffic and it still houses the pilgrim hostel where you will stay. Overnight: Pilgrimage accommodation at Ponte A Cappiano (the De Medici pension on the Medici bridge)
• Ponte A Cappiano to San Miniato, 14.4km
• After crossing the River Arno you will walk along its banks, through the old village of Fucecchio and on to San Miniato, an important town during the Holy Roman Empire in the 12th century. White truffle is the local delicacy.
• Dinner and Overnight - San Miniato
• Hotel Miraville, San Miniato
• From San Miniato to Gambassi Terme, 24 km
• A demanding leg of the walk but one with unique beautiful scenery, passing through the crests of the hills of Val d’Elsa. The minibus will collect you at the 16km point and transfer to the hotel in Montaione. Anyone wishing to continue walking to the hotel is welcome to do so. Dinner and Overnight.
• Hotel Le Macine, Montaione
• Gambassi Terme to Colle Val d’Elsa, 25.5.km
• From Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano, 13,5 km
• Rich in natural scenery, as you approach San Gimignano you begin to see the famous towers that make the skyline unmistakeable. One of the most beautiful towns along the route known for its medieval towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering breathtaking views and a glimpse into the past.
• Lunch and free afternoon in San Gimignano. Minibus will collect you from San Gimignano for transfer to Colle Val d’Elsa. Anyone wishing to continue the walk from San Gimignano to Colle Val d'Elsa (12 km) is welcome to do so.
• Today’s Colle Val d’Elsa is a Tuscan village which takes you back in time with a charming old town centre and narrow alleyways winding through the stone walls.
• Dinner and Overnight - Colle Val d’Elsa
• Hotel Antica Cartiera, Colle Val d’Elsa
• From Colle Val d'Elsa to Monteriggioni, 16 km
• One of the most meditative sections of the route where you can stand in quietness at the splendid Abbadia at Isola, another stage in the journey of the Archbishop Sigerico where time stopped 1000 years ago when he passed through. Monteriggioni’s castle comes into view with its crown of towers, built on a hill to defend the ancient Republic of Siena. Once at the top you will have spectacular views.
• Dinner and Overnight - Monteriggioni
• Hotel Piccolo Castello, Monteriggioni
• From Monteriggioni to Siena, 20 km
• From Monteriggioni you will start your walk along the white roads of the Sienese countryside, passing through the old uninhabited medieval village of Cerbaia and finally pass through the Porta Camollia, the traditional Francigena entrance to the town of Siena. Celebrate your arrival with panforte and a large glass in the Piazza del Campo! We will celebrate the Eucharist at a church in Siena.
• Dinner and Overnight: Siena
• Hotel Anna, Siena
• After breakfast we have a guided tour of Siena. After lunch we transfer to Pisa for our return flight to the UK.
Price: £1,490 per person sharing a twin/double room on a half board basis (breakfast and dinner). Single rooms are available at a supplement of £200. Price includes return airfare with hold baggage, accommodation as detailed in the itinerary, airport transfers in Italy, luggage moved each day, packed lunch provided each day, services of a professional guide in Siena and all entrance fees. Please note that this itinerary is not suitable for the less able traveller. Price does not include drinks or items of a personal nature. Deposit of £400 and completed booking required by 1.7.2025 with balance and any single supplement due by 2.2.2026. Booking Ref: VIAF01.
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