Via Francigena VF – San Gimignano a Torrenieri

Over 100 miles and my training plan is ready. When I set out to hike the Via Francigena VF, I was aiming to train for my upcoming CDT hike. Lo and behold, my husband George informed me that we are on vacation. He has no intentions of going beyond Rome, much less from Canada to Mexico! He came to Italy to eat, drink and walk at a normal pace without fainting from heat exhaustion or succumbing to a heart attack. Well, geez, I guess I need to get on board, regroup, and make this a nice European vacation.

San Gimignano to Monteriggioni

After leaving San Gimignano, the hills of Tuscany continued. We were among vineyards, and if only, it was harvest time. I have no doubt there is some collecting going on this way!

We enter villages in the midst of evil dating back to 4 BC Valle d’Elsa produces to this day 15% of the finest crystal in the world. We leave the city and land in the most enchanted area of ​​the Tuscan area.

Elsa Emerald River

In Tuscany it is known as the emerald green river. We’ve had a little rain the last few days, so the river looked more like murky waters. Anyway, today no one seemed to care about the color of the water. We crossed it no less than five times, nothing like the Gila River in New Mexico, but we are in Italy. There were ropes to help restless hikers cross the chiseled stones. Without missing a beat, I waved and almost lost my balance. I don’t have sure footing!

Monteriggioni to Siena

After another long day on the road, my husband finally lost his mind! This is not a training camp and he is not in training mode, let alone in the army! Hmm, imagine that. Fly thousands of miles across the Atlantic only to get beaten up during what was supposed to be the best time of your life? You are right. This is NOT a full hike. He is not a hiker and has no intention of inspiring that ballywag. Now I understand it. Let’s take a bus to Siena, take a minute to regroup and reconsider my training schedule.

Siena all day

We took a bus, left our lovely Spa & Resort and headed to Siena sitting on our butts. Now we are talking about Italian. Once we arrived we still had to walk to the hotel and it really is a bit of a walk. It’s not the cross-town part, but when we got there, it was five stories up and 70 steps ahead. Yes, we counted each one and then dropped our backpacks. Elevators are few and far between. Normally, if they have one, they don’t work. Perfect! I’m batting zero right now.

old world charm

But we are in Siena, how bad can it be! Once changed and dressed in our city clothes, it was much more like a vacation. Siena is known for its old world charm. We headed to Piazza del Campo where horse races are held annually in the square. It is surrounded by pizzerias, cafes and high-end gourmet restaurants. There is something for every hiker, cyclist and wannabe.

With time to lose, we walked through the city, without a backpack, like on a day zero. But no laundry or resupply boxes were required. Honestly, I’m going to have a hard time adjusting to life on the trails after living Riley’s life.

What, no cheddar cheese?

The food is excellent and there is nothing artificial! My husband commented that there is no orange cheese. That? Doesn’t Cheddar cheese come from a cow? I guess not in Italy. Only white cheeses, parmesan, feta, brie, mozzarella, burato, but no cheddar cheese! My God, what’s an American to do? Is this a big lesson in how we eat, what we consider consumable, and why we ingest this poison? But next month I will be eating dehydrated, plastic-wrapped, ready-to-eat, mass-produced foods. Yes, but now I’m indulging in genuine, heartfelt food.

Siena to Ponte D’Arbia

Leaving Siena was bittersweet but we have a solid plan. Instead of busting our asses, we’re going to be mighty pilgrims with bags on our backs, searching for cappuccinos and cornettos, also known as croissants.

Pilgrims on vacation

Once we consumed our caffeine and pastries, we were ready to make money. We leave the wine region and enter the agricultural region of Tuscany. There are fields of wheat, alfalfa and unknown grains as far as the eye can see. They are rolling hills of many shades of green, with some freshly plowed fields. We took our time, we didn’t march through the forest hills and my husband was much happier.

AND SO

I have to say the VF is very reminiscent of the AT with crazy hill climbs and no corners to speak of. We’ve been on trails, on asphalt, on gravel roads and you walk up or you have a slope down. Yes, there are some flatter versions, but we didn’t find much of that. So, in theory, I’m still in training. Sorry George!

Excellent gastronomy and four-star stays

The best thing about traveling on foot in Italy is the food. And how they, being Italian, love to eat! We arrived at our Pie in the Sky resort at the top of the hill. The girl at the reception explained the layout to us, walked us three floors to our room, showed us the emergency exit door and asked us what time we wanted to have dinner. There are two times to eat, either at 7:30 or any other ungodly hour. It’s 7:30 pm.

Dinner and half a cow

I know. I’m sure you’re getting the idea. But this is a big part of our days. After walking all day, one works up an appetite. I’m usually the one who asks about the daily specials. Today was definitely T-Bone Steak. So be it. With that comes the appetizer, and unbeknownst to us, we ordered Cheese Soufflé with Cream Sauce. We ordered a bottle of sangiovese, salad and potatoes. Of that I am sure.

The Cow arrived on a tray with wheels. In the end it was 1.5 kilos and all that. It was roasted to perfection, boned and sliced. You have to love a good Maitre D’. We ate as much as humanly possible and crawled back to our room. Another day on Via Francigena.

100 Miles and torrential downpours in Torrenieri

Today we were all packed, the meat in a tupperware for later and we set off. We had gone a little off trail, so we ended up walking the VF Gravel route, which is mainly used by Bike Packers. They are great people too.

This morning it was farmland and typical roads that reminded me of the Mezeta in Spain. Long exposed paths that lead nowhere. However, the roads of Italy always take you to incredibly picturesque elaborate Italian villas.

When we did our first climb, it seemed like we weren’t going anywhere out of the ordinary, but boy oh boy was I wrong. At the top was the most impressive B&B with an infinity pool overlooking the valley. It had the most immaculate gardens you’ve ever seen. We stopped for our usual Macchiato, which is more like a Cortado, half espresso, half milk. Absolute perfection!

Good Convent

What is special about these towns on the road is their history. The simple fact is that they have endured thousands of years and are absolute treasures to the locals. We stopped for a brief moment to protect ourselves from the rain.

The bars here are cafes, restaurants and meeting places for locals. I walked in and immediately the owner sat me down. Let me get you something to drink. Came? It’s probably 12:30 and the wine sounds great! Before I knew it, George and I were consuming eggplant pasta, pork and chicken skewers, and the sweetest peas I have ever tasted. Needless to say, this is not a diet plan. I’m eating my way through Tuscany!

Rain-rain-rain

As we finished the last bite of our plates, the rain had no intention of letting up. Fortunately for us, there is a bus that will take us to our final destination, Torrenieri, less than 12 km away. Hmmm, sounds tempting.

Since there are no Triple Crowns, no prize for who finishes first or last, my sweet husband twisted my arm to join him on the bus. I reluctantly agreed and thank God I did. Once we got to our apartment, the sky opened and it was raining non-stop. Torrential downpours! Good move Pilgrims!

Over 100 miles and going strong

With a week under our belt, I have to admit that this Camino is not like any other I have been on. Granito, I have only finished two others, French and Portuguese. However, the Via Francigena has a unique vibe that I appreciate. It’s more challenging, the landscape is constantly changing and yes, the food is amazing. So I’m thinking about continuing to walk south, paying attention to our surroundings and learning to enjoy our pace. This is not a race and, as they say, the last pilgrim to Rome wins.