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Greetings All,

I'm just curious if anyone knows this...but is there an actual pilgrim route to Rome? Like the road to Santiago, but to Rome? I know that pilgrim trails criss-cross Europe and the Middle East, but other than Santiago, I've not been able to find reference to where other routes are. Anyone know, or have an idea?

There is a route from Rome to Santiago, so I'm sure you could walk in the opposite direction. I see from your profile that you're in Vancouver. Try contacting http://www.americanpilgrims.com/ and see if they can hook you up with information on the Roman route. There are also links from their site to other sites that might be helpful. Have fun looking!

Hi there,
The pilgrim road to Rome is called the Via Francigena. It starts in Canterbury England and passes through four countries - England, France, Switzerland and Italy.

The International VF Association has two sets of maps - one from Canterbury to the Gr St Bernard Pass in the Alps. The second is from the Gr St Bernard to Rome. They also have pilgrim 'passports' the crossed keys of Rome brooch and a Guida for both sections. You can visit their website at: www.francigena-international.org

The main association in Italy is : http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.com/ They have maps and a guide on their site which you can download (only in Italian)
There is an Italian VF Guide Book available at: http://www.terre.it/
This is a comprehensive guide to the old pilgrimage route along the Via Francigena from the French border in the alps above Turin to Rome. The book is divided in a series of "tappe", sections which can be completed in a day's walking. Each tappa is well illustrated with maps and detailed descriptions in Italian, as well as photographs and historical notes of sites you will pass. There are also well researched contact numbers and addresses for the monasteries, convents and parish houses which offer ospitalita povera, or ospitalita al pellegrino, lodgings both physical and spiritual for the pilgrim. In the absence of any English language guide this book is highly recommended.

A DVD Video on the section from Lausanne to Rome is available from the Austrian Association at: http://www.via-francigena.com/

There is also a Yahoo Group at:
http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/via-francigena/

Anyone who walks the VF today is considered to be a pioneer as the route was only formluated in late 1995/96 and as yet there are no guide books in English (Alison Raju who has written guides for almost all the Camino routes leaves the UK on 12th June to start walking to Rome. She will then write a guide for Cicerone Press) There are few waymarkers and hardly any refuges.

I and four friends will be starting our VF next week from Lac Leman to Rome. You can read about it on our BLOG http://vfpilgrims.blogspot.com
Wish us luck!

Sil

i am too lazy to look it up for you, but there is a pilgrim route to assisi, italy. it takes about 3 days and i honestly cant remember where it leads to...i spent a lot of time last summer researching it, now i dunno.

as far as pilgram routes go, folks just up and took off from their doorstep then tended to congregate in certain towns (like roncevalles, spain for santiago) to meet up with other traveleers so they coudl travel safely and as a big group. those are where the routes came it. im guessing there were a million such routes to road (since, afteraall, all roads do lead to rome)

but i am interested in these resources shared here. thanks.
zop

It does exist.

There are a lot of routes, and one definitely leaves from Rome. Its probably called the Via Romanencis or something like it.

Its on the internet.

I am now doing the French route through Spain, and I can say it IS worthwhile.

I can also say the unprepared in body and equipment WILL suffer if they move too fast, as my backpack is too large, and I am paying for it with tendonitis. My shoes are a half size too small, it seems, and i´m paying for it with blisters.

It is not to be taken lightly, but the vistas and views are priceless, as is the experience of walking daily with others and by oneself.

The way through France is not well waymarked, and is often full of French who take up all the alberques. It´s also quite flat most of the way, and the churches are mostly open. This is in contrast to Spain, where the churches of note are often closed, or closed until mass, opening for two hours a day at best.

I will say this once again.

Take as LITTLE as possible, and when you´ve tossed out all but the essentials, take out another two kilos for good measure!!! use a small backpack which will force you to economise on weight. I did not and am paying the price.

I pay it gladly, and treasure every day of my Perigrination, four days from Leon as I am right now.

If you have not yet looked at Sil's blog of the journey she is taking with her friends plese do. It is a great read.

As she mentioned there is a group of people who have done the journey who can be contacted at Via Francigena

William

Hi William, I´m in Portugal right now on my pilgrimage, and I would love to check out Sil´s blog, but you didn´t give an address for it. You can check mine out if you want. I´ve concluded I am doing the pilgrimage, but not on foot. I know for some people that doesn´t count, but it counts for me. Today I´m in Porto, where it is glorious weather, but the last week it was over 104 degrees F down here, and I´m just not healthy enough to walk in that weather. But I´m here, and it matters to be here and to be in these amazing places. I´m blogging as I go.

It's the one mentioned at the bottom of her earlier post.

http://vfpilgrims.blogspot.com

William