From Canterbury to Rome: the Via Francigena
The Via Francigena is one of the most famous roads travelled by european pilgrims during the middle age. We have news of ths road since the end of the tenth century thanks to the route described by Sigeric the Serious, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The british bishop noted in his diary the way back from Rome to Canterbury. In this diary, now preserved in the British Museum, we can find the description of 79 stages through Italy, Switzerland and France.
The tuscan Stages as described by Sigeric are: San Quirico d’Orcia, Siena, San Gimignano, San Genesio, the bridge on Arno river near Fucecchio, Porcari, Lucca, Camaiore, Luni, Santo Stefano Magra, Aulla and Pontremoli.
After him, many other pilgrims described their journey along he Via Francigena, or Romea. Some of them described a series of stages partly discordant with those of sigeric.
Today’s stages of the Via Francigena in Tuscany
From Passo della Cisa to Radicofani, the Via Francigena in Tuscany cross the provinces of Massa Carrara, Lucca, Pisa, Florence and Siena for almost 370 kilometres.
1st Stage: Passo della Cisa – Pontremoli 19,7 Km
2nd Stage: Pontremoli – Aulla 32,0 Km
3rd Stage: Aulla – Avenza 32,9 Km
4th Stage: Avenza – Pietrasanta 29,1 Km
5th Stage: Pietrasanta – Lucca 32,4 Km
6th Stage: Lucca – Altopascio 18,5 Km
7th Stage: Altopascio – San Miniato 29,0 Km
8th Stage: San Miniato – Gambassi Terme 24,0 Km
9th Stage: Gambassi terme – San Gimignano 13,5 Km
10th Stage: San Gimignano – Monteriggioni 30,9 Km
11th Stage: Monteriggioni – Siena 20,6 Km
12th Stage: Siena – Ponte d’Arbia 25,7 Km
13th Stage: Ponte d’Arbia – San Quirico d’Orcia 26,2 Km
14th Stage: San Quirico d’Orcia – Radicofani 32,6 Km
