My Trip

Hello everyone!

I created this blog to take you all on my trip with me this summer! I am walking the Via Francigena from July until October; this is a historical pilgrimage route through four countries, spanning Europe from north to south.

This map also shows alternate routes and connections to Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela

Historically the Via Francigena, or Camino to Rome, was not a single path but a collection of several routes that changed throughout history based on the political climate of each area, the development of towns and religious places of interest along the way and the starting point of the pilgrim. Pilgrimage as a concept and practice was open to people of all classes in Medieval times and besides local shrines, there were three main destinations: Rome, Santiago de Compostela, and Jerusalem. The Via Francigena that I walk today is a route that closely follows the route denoted by Archbishop of Canterbury Sigeric the Serious on his return from Rome in the 10th century.

From what I have read, Sigeric wasn't any more serious than the average Archbishop...

While these pilgrimage routes were well known historically, they are just gaining recognition again recently. Today, many have heard of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, this is a well known and well-traveled route through the north of Spain which boasts 250,000 travelers per year. The Camino to Rome on the other hand, is still a fledgling pilgrimage route, hosting around 2,000 travelers. Because of this, the route is not consistently waymarked. I am carrying guidebooks that tell me the route at each leg of the trip.

I will also be carrying my pilgrimage credentials which I get stamped in each town so that when I arrive in Rome I am able to receive my testimonium that proves that I was a pilgrim who walked all the way to Rome.

This pilgrimage should take me about three months to complete. It covers about 2200 km-- roughly 1250 miles. I will be walking anywhere between 14 and 35 km per day and I will be camping most nights along the route.

I will update you all soon!

First time packing my backpack!