Via di San Francesco: from Florence to La Verna – VSF1

Along medieval pilgrim paths from Florence to La Verna

Italy has a ‘Green Heart’, where it is a real pleasure to walk through the lovely countryside.

From Florence you start walking in Eastern direction, through a relatively unknown part of Tuscany. Not as famous as the Chianti, or as photogenic as the Val d’Orcia, but perhaps more genuine and at least equally beautiful!

You walk along a number of charming small towns like Pontassieve and Stia and you’ll walk through the beautiful National Park of the Foreste Casentinesi, with its beautiful forests and home to the stunning abbey of Camaldoli, with perhaps the world’s oldest pharmacy.

The tour brings you to the sanctuary of ‘La Verna’, one of the most important Franciscan sites, and the ‘official’ start of the ‘Franciscan Route’. The ‘Santuario della Verna’ is the place where Saint Francis of Assisi is supposed to have received the stigmata, and after that grew into a major pilgrim site in his honour.

This tour will take you mostly away from the ‘major’ tourist attraction, and you’ll see that central Italy is a land full of ‘minor’ cultural treasures, ranging from the lesser-known small medieval towns, to sanctuaries and monasteries. However, the emphasis of the tour is to enjoy the countryside, the poppies in Spring and the wild cyclamen in Autumn. Most of all, many of the views have changed little for hundreds of years. Eastern Tuscany is an area where you can still feel the genuine heart of Italy. You’ll walk at an easy pace, taking in the best of Central Italy.

N.B. This is a moderately challenging tour which is suitable for those who have experience with walking and are in good general physical condition. Shorter options are possible on several days.

The walking times indicated are approximate and are given for the main route. The indicated walking times are ‘net walking times’, i.e. without stops. Therefore, calculate carefully the amount of time needed, based on your fitness and interests. Shorter and longer walking options are given for most days.

Day-to-Day programme

Day 1 – Arrival in Florence

The first stretch of the Via di San Francesco in North-South direction, starts in the beautiful town of Florence. Settle in your hotel and take your time to look around in this stunning town. In case you have never been to Florence it is strongly recommended to book some extra nights here.

Hotel *** – Florence
Approx. walking time: 1 h. + sightseeing time.

Day 2 – From Florence to Pontassieve

From the northern part of Florence city centre, you cross the Ponte Vecchio, the symbol of the city, and walk the first few kilometres along the banks of River Arno. Then you leave the outskirts of Florence and pass close to the Santuario dell’Incontro (the ‘meeting’), on a hill overlooking Florence and the Valdarno, where you can eventually get a drink.

The sanctuary dates back to 1716. After just over 18 kilometres, you cross the Arno again and arrive at the outskirts of the small town of Pontassieve. Here you have the choice of following the riverbank, or walk directly into town, a historic village with iconic bridges. Pontassieve is located where the River Sieve flows into the Arno. Your accommodation is located in the heart of the town.

Hotel *** – Pontassieve
Distance: 20 km. Approx. walking time: 6,5 h. Ascent & descent: + 550 /- 500 m..

Day 3 – From Pontassieve to Consuma

Today you walk the full day through the hills, mostly uphill, the first part through the fields, the last part through the forest. Pontassieve is surrounded by typical Tuscan countryside, covered with vineyards, olive groves and rural churches, castles and farms. Once past the small village of Diacceto, a few kilometres after Pontassieve, woodlands are more prevalent.

At the end of the walk, you arrive at the village of Consuma, enjoying spectacular panoramic views from Passo della Consuma (Consuma pass). You can have a drink here, before heading to your hotel.

Hotel *** – Consuma
Distance: 18 km. Approx. walking time: 6-7 h. Ascent & descent: + 1000 /- 50 m.

Day 4 – From Consuma to Stia

After breakfast you start your walk to the beautiful small town of Stia, mostly through the forest, and mostly downhill. Among the main attractions of Stia are the Parish church of Santa Maria Assunta and the Museum of Art and Wool, housed in the former wool mill, an example of industrial archeology that has been restored as a cultural centre. The economy of Stia has historically been based on wool, as shown by the Casentino cloth, a typical craft product once used by shepherds and woodcutters which that later became a fashion garment renowned all over the world.

Hotel *** – Stia
Distance: 16 km. Approx. walking time: 5 h. Ascent & descent: +300 /- 900 m.

Day 5 – From Stia to the Camaldoli and Badia Prataglia

Today’s hike is challenging, long and mostly uphill walk, but also a very rewarding walk, which brings you through the National Park of the Foreste Casentinesi. You pass along the stunning site of the ‘Monastero dei Camaldoli’, a beautiful monastery, and perhaps the world’s oldest pharmacy.

The monastery, surrounded by a forest of centuries-old fir trees and founded around 1012, is one of the most important places of Tuscan spirituality, housing Giorgio Vasari’s earliest works of art. Here you find some bars and restaurants as well. After Camaldoli you walk to Badia Prataglia, a village located on the border between Tuscany and Romagna, in the north-eastern part of the Casentino valley.

Hotel *** – Badia Prataglia
Distance: 25 km. Approx. walking time: 7 – 8 h. Ascent & descent: +1150 /- 800 m.

Day 6 – From Badia Prataglia to La Verna (Sanctuary)

Today’s walk takes you to one of the most iconic places linked to the figure of St. Francis, the sanctuary of La Verna. After the first part of the walk, you reach the small hamlet of Rimbocchi, while at the end you arrive in the area of the sanctuary of La Verna, a stunning place in a beautiful natural setting. It was built in the earliest years of the thirteenth century on Mount Verna, which St. Francis chose as its location.

The sanctuary stands on a cliff, described as a crudo sasso (naked crag) by Dante, surrounded by the nature of the Casentino woods. La Verna is also the place where Saint Francis is supposed to have received the stigmata. After the sanctuary it’s only few steps to your accommodation.

Hotel *** – Chiusi della Verna
Distance: 17 km. Approx. walking time: 5 h. Ascent & descent: +800 /- 900 m.

Day 7 – Departure

End of the tour. From La Verna we can arrange a private transfer to a railway station or to your next destination.

TOUR DETAILS

ACCOMMODATION & MEALS

All nights are spent in beautiful, characteristic family-run hotels, Bed & Breakfasts or agriturismo’ s (generally 3-star level; upgrade on request). All rooms have en-suite facilities.

Only in La Verna dinner is included. You will be free to make your own dinner arrangements for the remaining days.

No picnic lunches are included in the tour price, but these can be prepared for you by the accommodation holders, or materials for picnics can be purchased in the villages where you’ll be staying.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY

Moderate (2/3): Mostly moderately easy walks, with some long stages, involving some steep uphill walking, sometimes on paths with rough surfaces. On some days extensions or shortcuts are possible.

Fitness: High standard of fitness is necessary: you should be able to walk for up to 7 hours a day, also in the hot sun on dusty or stony tracks.  N.B. During summer the difficulty of this tour definitely increases due to the heat. We therefore advise against booking this tour during the Summer season.

FOOTPATHS & WAYMARKING

Footpaths: Most paths are well maintained, but during the season some paths can get overgrown. The journey involves some walking uphill, sometimes on paths with rough surfaces.

Waymarking: A large part of the route is waymarked – with different signs, explained in full in the route notes. Elsewhere you need to follow the route descriptions / GPX-tracks.

INCLUSIONS:

• 6 nights accommodation – all breakfasts included
• 1 dinner
• Luggage transfer (on request discount for carrying your own luggage)
• Extensive route notes & maps, with description of the route & tourist information
• GPX tracks
• Pilgrim Passport
• 24/7 h. assistance

NOT INCLUDED:

• Departure taxes & Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Drinks and meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional additional tours or activities
• Tips & items of personal nature

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

Arrival: The tour starts in FLORENCE. Florence can be reached by train from Rome, Milan or Bologna. A pick-up service can be arranged from the station to the hotel.

Departure: The tour ends after breakfast in CHIUSI DELLA VERNA on day 7. From Chiusi della Verna you can reach by bus the station of Bibbiena; then continue by train to Arezzo or by bus to Florence. A private transfer can be arranged from Chiusi della Verna to your next destination.

Dates & Prices

Please contact us for the latest prices

Availability
& Conditions

	You can book this tour with a minimum of 1 person.
	There are a very limited number of available places on these dates. Immediate booking is recommended.
	Not available.
	Availability and prices on request.

• Prices are per person and based on the season within which the first night of the tour falls.
• Prices are based on 2 people sharing double or twin accommodation. Single rooms (double rooms – single) are available on most trips however the supplements listed apply.
• If you are travelling alone then on some trips (which include taxi transfers) a ‘Solo Traveller Supplement’ will be applied instead of the normal single supplement.
• Prices are expressed in Euro’s. There will never be a currency surcharge.
• Actual exchange rates: GB £ – US $ – CAN $ – CHF – DKK – SEK – NOK – Other currencies.

TOUR VARIATIONS

EXTRA NIGHTS

It is possible to include some extra nights in your tour, in any of the accommodations ‘en route’. For those who have never been to Florence an extra day here is strongly recommended.

At the end of the tour there is also the opportunity to continue your walking tour along the Via di San Francesco towards Assisi.

We also offer the possibility to follow the beautiful route developed and managed by a Dutch group of ‘Pilgrims’, the ‘Franciscaanse Voetreis’, perhaps more beautiful than the ‘official route’.

UPGRADE

It is possible to book an upgrade in some of the places en route.

Details and prices on request.