Via Francigena from Siena to Viterbo

The exit from Siena is not what one would expect, except for a small crossing of the industrial area, which has little effect on the beauty of this stage.

The entire first part of the route is characterized by a view of the Siena countryside, which accompanies the entire Strada della Certosa.

You follow the path of the railway, but after passing Isola d’Arbia and Grancia di Cuna you go up towards the hills that line the valley, with a view of land almost always cultivated with wheat that accompanies you along the way.

After the descent to Quinciano, you will find the crossroads that leads to a few meters from Lucignano d’Arbia.

A shorter stage, which takes 4/5 hours to walk, which leads into the Val d’Orcia.

Here the breathtaking landscapes typical of the Val d’Orcia begin, starting with a long straight road in the countryside that runs alongside the railway, which then leads to Ponte d’Arbia.

The crossing of the Arbia river on the new Ponte del Pellegrino, and then the route continues climbing the hills, with rows of cypresses and enchanting paths.

The arrival in Buonconvento is characteristic, you pass in front of the small cemetery and crossing the Via Cassia you will find yourself in front of the ancient walls of the town.

A medieval historic center that develops around the Church of San Pietro e Paolo, and its 7 towers.

Buonconvento is an excellent starting point for those who want to start walking the Via Francigena in the Val d’Orcia, with the train station right in front of the entrance to the historic center.

After a small part of the path that runs along the side streets of the Via Cassia just outside Buonconvento, cross the Via Cassia and start walking next to the vineyards of the production of the famous Montalcino wine.

Throughout the stage you can see Montalcino at the top of the hill, on the right, which accompanies with its gaze the important vineyards that produce good wine and where you can stop and taste both wine and Tuscan delicacies.
After passing through the small village of Torrinieri, you walk along some asphalted but little traffic paths that lead to San Quirico d’Orcia, one of the pearls of the Val d’Orcia.

Deciding to divide the stage that goes from San Quirico to Radicofani into two days is the best advice we can give to those who travel the Via Francigena to enjoy the route.

Stopping halfway gives you the opportunity to stop at two strengths of the Val d’Orcia: Bagno Vignoni and the Terme di San Filippo.

Once out of San Quirico, you immediately follow dirt paths which, with a descent towards the valley with a view towards the Rocca di Castiglione d’Orcia, that makes the view unique.

Upon arrival in Bagno Vignoni, the best thing you can do is stop at the Spa for a few hours of relaxation which, together with the panorama, makes these Spas unique in the world.

Starting from Bagno Vignoni, cross the Orcia River on the Peruzzi Bridge and go up towards Castiglion d’Orcia with its famous fortress.

The visit inside and the view at the top of the Rocca is a moment that will remain an indelible memory of this journey, a fortification on top of the hill with a view over the entire valley as far as the eye can see.

(For Gallina stage)
After the visit we begin a descent that leads to Gallina through dirt paths.

This part of the stage allows you to reach your destination in Radicofani having fully enjoyed all that this stage can offer.

Let’s start by putting a bathing suit in your backpack for when you arrive in Bagni San Filippo, because using the water in these Spas is free.

The famous White Whale tank with its water that flows at a temperature of 48 ° makes swimming enjoyable all year round, especially for those who arrive and leave while walking.

Restarting from San Filippo begin the abundant 11 km that will take you uphill to Radicofani, with an altitude difference of almost 400 meters.

What dominates this stage perhaps, needless to say, are the views towards the Val d’Orcia, and last but not least the visit to the Fortress at the top of the Radicofani hill.

A downhill stage, surely it should be defined in a few words.

It starts from 780 meters high in Radicofani and arrives in Acquapendente with a continuous descent up to 2 km from the arrival, where the climb to Acquapendente has a difference in height of just over 100 meters.

A long stage, with a big initial descent with a rapt gaze from the valley where Tuscany gives way to Lazio.

Once in Ponte a Rigo, a flat stretch begins on the Tuscan and Lazio countryside, also crossing the ghost town of Centeno.

Proceno is not located right on the path of the Via Francigena, but 4 km before the arrival in Acquapendente and you can, with a small detour, go through the Porta del Pellegrino.

Acquapendente, the first town in Lazio, with a delightful historic center awaits the arrival of walkers with all the comforts.

The first step of the Via Francigena in Lazio begins with Lake Bolsena.
After a first stretch of walking in the Lazio countryside, with fields of wheat and sunflowers, you arrive at San Lorenzo Nuovo.

Here you have the opportunity to make a small stop and relax on a terrace overlooking the lake of Bolsena.

It is only the first glimpse along the descent from San Lorenzo Nuovo towards the lake, and many others will follow.

You walk along paths in the woods and hills overlooking the lakefront.
The arrival in Bolsena points directly to the Castle, next to which you descend to access through the Porta Fiorentina to the historic center within the walls.

Definitely not to be missed are the Church of San Francesco, the Collegiata, and the Catacombs of Santa Cristina.

The whole stage runs alongside Lake Bolsena.

A path through the hills and woods that follow one another, in a continuous climb, for a total difference in height of over 500 meters.

Fatigue is certainly felt upon arrival, given that the part of the final access to is the hardest part.

Leaving Bolsena, one enters the heights of the Volsini Mountains, and the Turona Archaeological Park, where some Etruscan tombs have been found.

Entering Montefiascone there are two pieces of information we have:
1. Which is a city of wine, so let’s find out the story of the Bishop and the meaning of the name of the famous wine “East, East, East”,
2. That arriving at the walls of the historic center of Montefiascone, a few meters before the arrival in the Rocca dei Papi Park, we are exactly 100 km from the arrival in Rome.

On the terrace of the Rocca dei Papi Park awaits the statue of the Pilgrim, and behind him the breathtaking view of Lake Bolsena that greets us.

A quick stage, just over 18 km, which takes 4/5 hours, all downhill towards Viterbo.

The descent is in the first part of the stage, where you walk both on dirt roads and on an ancient Roman paving, it is very fast and leads to an almost completely flat path.

Also in this stage we remember to put the swimsuit in the backpack, as halfway through the journey there is the Baths of Bagnaccio, where the water gushes out in 6 different pools, at 63 °.

Like all large cities, the peripheral part of Viterbo does not offer the best landscape, but the stretch is short and the entrance inside the walls from Porta Fiorentina will give access to the City of the Popes, where the first conclave in history took place in the Middle Ages.