Via Francigena Day 12: Flowers, Flowers Everywhere

by | Apr 23, 2025 | Italy, Trail Journals, Via Francigena | 0 comments

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

  • Start: Montefiascone, Italy
  • End: Viterbo
  • Distance walked: 20.3 km (12.6 miles) 
  • Cumulative distance: 308 km (191.3 miles)

On day 12 of the Via Francigena, I was consumed with the question of when I should arrive in Rome. With only about 100 km left to the Vatican, I could be done walking in as little as 3 days. But Pope Francis’s death and the imminent funeral left me perplexed over whether to race to Rome or slow my pace dramatically. I wasn’t interested in navigating the chaos, skyrocketing hotel prices, and the extra security on Friday or Saturday as the heads of state from around the world arrived in Rome to pay their respects. So, I decided to slow down and enjoy the journey instead. Today took me through fields of poppies and wildflowers, on a real Roman Road, and through the beautiful, narrow streets of Viterbo’s walled city.

Heading out of Montefiascione – just follow steep steps near the pilgrim statue with the final views of Lake Bolsena in the distance
As I head back into the countryside, the Via Francigena took me past more vineyards – but this time they weren’t grapes
Fuzzy kiwi buds on the vines
Today’s stage also included an excellent example of the ancient Roman roads built 2000 years ago.
But the real showstoper were the vast fields of poppies everywhere.
Poppies!
Although it was a shorter stage, today was very picturesque
The community of Viterbo strategically sits atop a hilltop in the distance
Much like the final 100 km of the Camino de Santiago, the markings on this final 100km of the Via Francigena are more frequent and elaborate
Via Francigena markings were everywhere
Even the street lamps were adorned with pilgrim silhouettes.
Historical church outside Viterbo’s walls
Welcom to Viterbo
Viterbo’s striped bell tower reminds me of Siena
A closer look at the bell tower
Intricate carvings on Viterbo’s church doors
Exquisite architecture inside Viterbo’s walled city
I had to wander the streets until 15:30 because the ospitale de Pellegrino was very strict about not accepting pilgrims until then.
More lovely old streets of Viterbo’s old city
Tonight’s stay was at an ospitale run by the local parish, and this was my first introduction to the swell of Italian pilgrims walking the final 100 km

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The wildflowers – especially the red poppies – were in peak bloom today. I felt like I was walking past fields of vibrant flowers all morning long.
  • The Via Francigena took me onto an amazing example of a preserved Roman Road. It’s truly mind-blowing to think that the Roman Empire built these roads between 300 BCE and 400 AD.
  • Viterbo’s architecture and narrow cobblestone streets inside the walled city were super fun to explore. There’s simply nothing in the US that compares to this history.

CHALLENGES

  • Deciding when to get to Rome. I expected to arrive on Friday, but the Pope’s upcoming funeral this Saturday put a wrinkle in my arrival plans. I don’t want to have to fight the crowds. It’s already a Jubilee year with tons of visitors heading to the Vatican.
  • The number of new Italian pilgrims walking was abundantly apparent when I reached the ospitale this afternoon. It reminds me of the first time I reached Sarria on the Camino de Santiago. The volume of pilgrims seems to have tripled or quadrupled for the final 100 km to Rome.

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VF Day 13 >>

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