What is a pilgrimage? Comparing the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena

A pilgrimage is a holy journey to a shrine or place of special significance.  The primary pilgrimages of the middle ages were to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, to Rome and to Jerusalem. 

Via Francigena symbol

The Via Francigena is the pilgrim path to Rome.  It begins in Canterbury, England, and leads pilgrims across France, Switzerland, and Italy. We started in Tuscany, about 250 miles north of Rome. 

We weren’t sure what to expect when we started this adventure in Italy – but certainly the 500 miles we walked in Spain were a reference. 

Here’s what we’ve noticed so far...

Each year, at least 250,000 people 

walk the Camino in Spain.  

Last year's walk on the Camino to Santiago de Compostela:

• Well developed with support by local communities and the Catholic Church.

• A quarter million people from around the world walk it every year.

• Villages are about 6-8 miles apart with water fountains, cafes, hostels, and groceries readily available.

• Published guides in English provide detailed information on each stage of the route.

• You walk with many pilgrms – a wonderful part of the  Camino experience is meeting people, walking together, sharing meals and building a "Camino family" of people you see regularly along the way.  

• 

  John and Jonny - 

  part of our Camino family.  

• “Pilgrim meals” are inexpensive 4 course offerings that come with wine and usually cost about 10 Euro.  It’s served early by Spanish standards at 6 pm but sadly, it’s the same menu all across Spain – basic, plain and not very good.  To this day, John cannot look at any dried meat like prosciutto…or dry cheese like manchego.   Breakfasts in the morning are coffee and a piece of dry toast.  When you’re walking for 6 weeks, this same menu gets difficult to eat.  Neither one of us can stand tuna on a salad....even today.  

By contrast, this year's walk on the Via Francigena:

• The pilgrimage route is at a much earlier stage of development. Segments are long and isolated, walkers are few, support facilities along the route are rare, information is limited and usually in Italian.

• 

  Paths through the Tuscan Hills are challenging...

  The paths through the hills of Tuscany are challenging -- constantly up and down steep hillsides, a total of 1500-3000 feet of elevation rise in a typical day.  But the views are breathtaking…

• If we’re not walking in the remote hills, we’re along busy roads with no path or shoulder - where Italian drivers seem to aim at us...demonstrating their driving skills by streaking within 18 inches. There are so few pilgrims, they aren't used to people walking on the roads.  

•  Whether we’re on remote trails or busy roads, there’s little to no support in the way of cafes.Yesterday we walked 17 hot, hard miles before we came to the first spot where we could get a water refill.

• The Via Francigena is a private experience.  Only a few thousand walk it each year, 90% of them Italian. There’s no shared greeting like the “Buen Camino” that everyone cheerily says to each other while walking in Spain, nor any identifying symbol such as the Camino’s scallop shell dangling off pilgrim backpacks. 

Have we mentioned
the Tuscan wines…?

• What the Via Francigena lacks in trekking support, Tuscany makes up for with spectacular dining experiences! No more Spanish pilgrim menus.  And because we’re more relaxed on this walk, we have easily become accustomed to eating at 7:30 pm. There are wonderful local antipasti, pastas, mains, and sweets.  

It’s a time of quiet and peace for us – but if one were a pilgrim walking alone (as were so many we met on the Camino) the Via Francigena might get pretty lonely. 

But we love our time together, and we’re soaking up the Italian villages and restaurants.  It's wonderful that this is such a different experience.  

When we're on paths in Italy, we see how beautiful it is...