Via Francigena Day 13: The Italian Pilgrims Arrive

by | Apr 24, 2025 | Italy, Trail Journals, Via Francigena | 0 comments

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

  • Start: Viterbo, Italy
  • End: Vetralla
  • Distance walked: 21.3 km (13.2 miles) 
  • Cumulative distance: 330.2 km (205.1 miles)

Day 13 of the Via Francigena was another short day. Now that I’m trying to arrive in Rome after the Pope’s funeral, I’ve slowed my pace. Andreas and Catherine decided to do the same thing, so the three of us will be walking shorter days in an effort to arrive at the Vatican when it re-opens to the public on Sunday. Today started with a choice on which route to take, and I opted for the traditional path even through narrow, tall rock walls and into the countryside. I also detoured to visit Chiesa di Santa Maria and took a tour of the chapel from an enthusiatic local historical society volunteer, and I ended my day in another monestery on the edge of Vetralla.

Heading out of the walled city of Viterbo
Selfie with Viterbo behind me
Entering the single land road into the Strada Signorino
The Strada Signorino is the official route, but many pilgrims miss out on this sight because they choose to take an alternate path that goes through the town of San Martino al Cimino instead
Praying that a car doesn’t appear around the corner of this narrow, curvy road
I passed several trees with unripe figs that were already the size of walnuts.
This way to Rome
Taking the original route meant I wouldn’t go through any towns until the end of the stage, but there were still places to stop and rest and enjoy a picnic.
Really beautiful variety of iris in bloom
Since I had plenty of time on this short stage to Ventralla, I took a 800 meter detour up to a church to get another stamp in my pilgrim passport
The church had dozens of cats meandering around its grounds, making it feel more like a feline sanctuary than a chapel.
During the second half of the stage, I walked past Sorgente di Fossato Callo – a natural spring where pilgrims often stop to soak their sore feet
A few kilometers before Vetralla, I passed by Chiesa di San Maria, a chapel built in the 4th century, where a local historical society volunteer named Marco was giving tours
The chapel fell into private hands for centuries and was even used as a barn, but it was re-purchased by the local community to preserve what remains of its ancient murals.
This mural over the entrance is more than 1,500 years old!
During the final stretch into Vetralla, I passed several caves that held historical artifacts before climbing up to the strategic hilltop village.
At the top of the climb, I was greeted with this Via Francigena mural welcoming pilgrims to Vetralla
Torre di Vetralla – one of the turrets that formed part of the town’s medieval fortifications
Tonight’s stay was in another Benedictine monastery, where I was met by a nun from the Democratic Republic of Congo
The monastery
Views of the courtyard below from my second story room in the monastery

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Walking through the tall, mossy rock walls on the Via Francigena’s Strada Signorino was a different experience than anything else thus far on this trek. I’m glad I opted for this quieter route.
  • Stopping at Chiesa di Santa Maria and getting an enthusiastic tour of the chapel from Marco along with explanations of its history and murals.
  • Regina Pacis was the second monastery I’ve stayed in on the Via Francigena, and it has a very different feel. It’s located on the edge of town, giving it a more secluded feeling, and I was able to meet a whole new group of pilgrims, including one who was 80 years old!

CHALLENGES

  • Despite it being a shorter day, I was walking by 7 am because one of the volunteers at last night’s ospitale was pushing everybody to come eat breakfast at 6 am this morning! This left me with a lot of time to kill today.
  • The elevator in this evening’s monastery was the most unusual elevator I’ve ever seen. Visitors entered through the front, but exited through the side. I’ve never been in an elevator with doors that opened on adjacent walls, and it was somewhat unnerving.
  • I finally discovered why there were suddenly so many Italian pilgrims everywhere. During dinner at the monastery, some locals explained that this is a very popular week to walk the final 100 km of Via Francigena because of the three Italian holidays in rapid succession: Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and Liberation Day (this Friday). It looks like I’ll need to figure out the rest of my lodging stops ASAP!

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