Day 1

Flight to Rome Fuimicino

Train to Rome Termini

Train to Orvieto

ki* 27th May - flight LGW to Rome Fiumcino; train from Rome Termini; then on to Orvieto,

* 28th May - walk Orvieto to Bolsena.

* 29th May - walk Bolsena to Montefiascone.

* 30th May  - walk Montefiascone to Viterbo.

* 31sr May. - walk Viterbo to Vetralla..

* 1st June - walk Vetralla to Sutri via Capranica.r

* 2nd June - walk from Sutri to Campagnano.

* 3rd June - walk Campagnano to Isola Farnese.

* 4th June - transfer from Isola Farnese to the start of the Apppian WaY; walk to the Aurelian Walls and on to Rome Centre.

* 5th June - walk ftom Rome Centre to St. Peter’s Basilica..

*8th  June - traiin Rone Termini to Ravenna.

* 10th June - traiin RaveNna to  Venice.

* 12th June - train Venice to Trieste.r

* 14th.June - train and bus Trieste To Venice Marco Polo Airport; flight to LGW.  

SN with me from evening of 2nd June.

Day 2

Walk from the Duomo at Orvieto to Bolsena.

Busy through routes, unpaved local roads and hill paths. Much climbing.

The medieval pilgrims would have visited the main churches on the via Francigena.

I have visited one historic church each day: the gothic cathedral at Orvieto and the Basilica to St. Christina in Bolseno The latter is Romanesque, consecrated in 1078 but saddled with a Romanesque west front in the 15th century.

Day 3 - walk between Bolsena and Montefiascone. 

The first part of the walk was uphill all the way. Some good views of Lake Bolsena. The middle part was off road and gently undulating.

The approach to Montefiascone was  the highest point on the  route once across the Alps.

Montefiasconi cathedral was a rather depressing baroque building . Near it was a small but interesting Romanesque church.

Only got soaked through once today.

Day 4 - walked from Montesfascone to the walled city of Viterbo. A lot of effort has gone into setting up and maintaining the via Francigena. Lots of helpful explanatory notices. There is the credential system: where you get your ‘pilgrim passport stamped at each stopping point. I have 4 now.

The only thing missing is the pilgrims. Most of the time I am alone.

Day 6 - The longest day so faat with walks through fields growing olives And vines, Did not meet anyone else during The daytime+.

Day 7 - started in Sutri a town with many medieval buildings and an impressive Roman amphitheater. Only town on the walk today was Monterosi: where Frederik Barbarossa was  crowned Holy Roman Emperor. Crops were Hazelnuis,Oliives and of course vines. Endcd up in the medieval hill top town of Campagnano dim Roma.i

Day 8 - Sarah with me on walk of 22 kilometres. This gave us our first, albeit distant, sight of Rome.We ended in a village called Isola Farnese.

Day 9 - heading from Isola Farnese to Rome. Walked along the Appian (Antica) Way. We visited the baths- with their mosaics - of the Capo di Bove and the circular mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, wife of Marcus Crassus. Adjoining this was a fortified palace of the middle ages. A feature was the Ghibelline swallowtail battlements.

The highlight of our day was the guided tour of the St. Sebastian catacombs and basilica. The underground burial chambers were of immense scale and in an amazing state of preservation. We saw the places where Christians met for worship fduring times of lpersecution. We saw St. Sebastian’s tomb.

We passed through thxe Aurelian Walls into Rome at 4.15.

Day 10 - intention was to complete the walk today at St. Peter’s Basilica but this was closed due to an address by Pope Francis in the Square.

To mark the anniversary of the liberation admission to all sites was free. Took advantage by visiting the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill.

Day 11- rose at 4.30 aim and with Sarah went to join the early morning queue at St. Peter’s Basilica. We gained entrance as it opened at 7.00 am: thus ending the walk along the via Francigena.

At 9.00 am we joined another queue to pass through security to gain access to the Vatican City. We ere given passes and directed to the pilgrim office. My pilgrim credential or passport was given the Vatican stamp: making 10 in all from the start of my walk in Orvieto.

 I was then presented with an inscribed Testimonium: the Vatican’s certificate of completion for those walking at least 100 KM on the Via Francigena in Italy.