Day 48 La-Storta to Saint-Peter's Square, The Vatican - Roma 17 km

Sunday 27th October    Day 48
Arriviamo! We Arrive! 
Our final day of walking the amazing Via Francigena!

we catch the 8:10 am train from La Storta to San Filippo Nero, then walk along the Strada to 

Monte Mario, where pilgrims first saw Rome. The first 8 km or so from La Storta is along a very busy four lane main road with no pedestrian walking area - we decide to avoid this section by taking the train, it would be a shame to be squashed on the road when we're so close to Roma! We still have some sections of roadway to walk along with limited pedestrian access before we get to Monte Mario park.

At Monte Mario! We catch our first glimpse of Roma and the Vatican, St Peter's Square!

View through the mist to Rome and St Peter's Square from Monte Mario
We descend down Monte Mario along the rough cobble stone path and walk along towards St Peter's Square. 

Its a shame there's so much rubbish, and the park is so unkempt.

We decide to stop for a break and lunch at 12, about a block from the Basilica, St Peters square. We're strolling along today, not walking fast, just absorbing the sights and sounds of Roma. 

As we get closer to the Vatican, there's more people everywhere, it gets very crowded! It's Sunday, and apparently the pope "Pappa" is conducting a special mass. We arrive as it's finished and people are leaving.

Here we are! Arriviamo, 

we sit for a while, just soaking up the sights, people watching, 

taking in the surroundings, 

so full of history, religious significance and art

and processing the fact that our Via Francigena walk is complete... 1,000 km from the Swiss border, Martgny to Rome!

After rereading the information on the Internet and our guide book, it seems that the office where we get our testamur isn't open on Sundays, we'll need to come back to the square on Monday morning.

Patrick has a chat with the Swiss guards at the portal we need to enter to get more information about the procedure for getting our pilgrimage testamurs tomorrow in the Vatican.

off then to find our accommodation in a convent, Via di Genovesi, 11b Trastevere

We find it withou too much difficulty, it's in a convent, opposite a school, within enclosed walls complete with a peaceful garden.

Just beautiful with the bell tower illuminated at night.

We're greeted by volunteer host Marie Lisa, from the Dolomites in Italy.

At 7:30 pm the three new pilgrim arrivals, Patrick, me and Jürgen from Austria have our feet washed in the traditional Confraternity of St. James pilgrim welcome ceremony.

Jürgen has walked all the way from Austria to Rome, mostly creating his own path, including through Slovenia, where he walked up to four days at a time between villages, and came face to face with a bear!

Delicious Pilgrim dinner prepared by Marie Lisa, it's wonderful to complete our final day of walking with a communal dinner with other pilgrims! We haven't met with other pilgrims along the way for about three weeks. And we finally meet up with Philippe who I've been corresponding with by email during our walk. It's been so  helpful getting tips from someone a couple of days ahead.

Tomorrow we'll return to St Peters Square, and go into the Vatican to receive our pilgrim credentials!

Our accommodation tonight and tomorrow
OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL OF SAN GIACOMO AND SAINT BENEDICT LABRE - ROME : recommended by Linna and Tom and Yvonne

Address: Via Galvani, 51 - Rome ? changed address, now at Via di Genovesi, 11b  open 3 pm- 7pm to receive pilgrims
Phone: 327 2319312   064959590
Email: info@pellegriniaroma.it
Type: Religious Structure
Independent: Managed by volunteers of the Confraternity of St. James of Perugia
Open from Easter to September (at other times you need to call to ensure availability). Only pilgrims with credential.
Hours: 17-22
Price: Offer
Number of places: 40.
Use of kitchen: YES. They offer dinner and breakfast

another option, same group as the Convento de Giglia in Bolsena

via Della pigna 13/a 00186 Roma

06 6795077 www.ctg.it

PILGRIMS COUDERC CENTER SANTA TERESA - ROME

Address: Via Vincenzo Ambrosio, 9-11 - Rome
Phone: 06 35401142 - 393 3595070
Email: reservation@cenacolopellegrini.it
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: Discounted prices for pellegirni with credential
Number of seats: 96.
Use of kitchen: NO. Breakfast included in the price. Possibility of half board.
 

Day 47 From Campagno-di-Roma to La-Storta 24.4 km

Saturday 26th October  day 47
Only 41 km to Rome this morning as we set off! An up and down hills day, with a river crossing thrown in!

The usual breaky of caffe doppio and brioche at the B&B then ready to head off at 8am

It's a lovely walk this morning, through rural lane ways and parks - amazing considering we're so close to Rome

Unfortunately there's so much rubbish thrown around!

we meet up with a few horsey friends!

The sunshine is gorgeous through the trees.

We arrive at Formello at 10:30 am, beautiful sunny day! 23 deg, perfect walking temperature. So far, for the first 9 km my feet, hips and back are feeling OK. Maybe I just needed a good sleep on a proper mattress?

As we enter the old town of Formello, we find a busy bar to stop for a break.

It looks as though there are no further places to stop on the way to La Storta - we forgot to buy picnic supplies... oops, at least we have some dried fruit and almonds, we always carry an emergency supply!

Patricks hat repair strategy of taping it together has stopped working, the tape won't stick any more, so finally he decides he should take up my suggestion and sew it up, I have a sewing kit in my bag.

The way marking is not good after Formello, particularly around the farm tracks and fields, our GPS comes in handy.

past remote controlled aero club

over the large stepping stones of "potentially dangerous creek crossing" slippery, and it could be very dangerous if completely covered with water after lots of rain.

We arrive at our accommodation La Storta 3:30 pm after a few kilometers walking - slogging up a hill next to a fairly busy road.

The large gated complex where accommodation is located 

La Storta isn't a very inspiring place, quite dirty, lots of traffic and nothing much to see.

Roma tomorrow! 

Our accommodation Tonight;

POOR SCHOOL SISTERS - THE CRANK

Address: Via Baccarica, 5 - The Retort
Phone: 06 30890495 - 335 274645
Email: lastorta@istitutopalazzolo.it
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 12 €
Number of places: 35.
Use of kitchen: YES.

 50 meters after kilometer marker " 17 " on the via Cassia ( road going up left across the " IP " petrol station) 500 meters before the Vizione chapel and from the railway station

Day 45 From Viterbo to Sutri 33.4 km

Thursday 24th October   33km 

We take an alternate route, mapped out by the local Viterbo via Francigena group who hosted us last night. The path goes up to the village of San Martino, around the rim of the volcano and lake, then into Sutri, missing out the towns of Vetralla and Capri....

We walk out of Viterbo nice and early at 7 am

Through the impressive portal out of town.

Clouds fulfill their destiny, and start to deposit a light misty rain, that soon turns into real rain! on with the wet weather gear! It's still a pretty rural walk, even though a bit damp!

San Martino, a lovely looking village, even in the rain.

The Abbey looks worth spending more time investigating, except we need to keep going, its raining and we have 33km to walk... 

We have a Caffé doppio and toilet stop, after peeling off our wet weather gear outside. The bar is crowded with locals avoiding the wet weather, but still socialising!

today turns into "a walk in the clouds part three" As we climb steadily upwards to the rim of the volcano 911 m altitude

It would be a glorious walk in sunny weather!

 We walk through woodlands, Hazelenut groves, chestnut forests.

The rain and fog makes it difficult to see the markers

My gorgeous Teletubbie outfit below!

My feet are squelching in my wet shoes and socks! "water resistant" shoes only cope with a certain quantity of H2O . I love the chestnut forests, I get the feeling that people have lived harmoniously with this environment for thousands of years. harvesting nuts, fungi and timber as needed, and taking care that enough of the trees remain, regenerate and stay healthy.

We arrive finally in Sutri at 4:25 pm and walk through the old town portal, our accommodation is only about 20 m inside the portal.

Arranging our accommodation this afternoon proves to be a very bizarre experience, we buzz the bell of the Carmlite and announce "due Pellegrino", the door clicks and we're let in, there is a timber gadget in the wall in the foyer - we communicate through the timber mesh, we hand over our passports and pilgrim credenzas, the round thing spins around so the nun can get out our documents- 

she's on the other side, in another room, we can't see her. it's €30 for the both of us, the room is a couple of doors up the street, she gives us a key on the round thingy that she spins around so we can collect the key and our passports.

Out we go into the rain again, walk about 15m use the key to open the door- there's a stairway, it's dark, by the time were at the top, of the stairs the light has gone out... I get my phone and put on the flashlight app, find the light switch - then try and find our room... all the rooms have names on them, I think Saint's names...none say pelligrini... we find the door with the name that matches the key, it has two beds in the room with a message to leave the key in the mail box the next morning. Quite a contrast to our warm friendly welcoming experience yesterday!

After our shower and rest we head to a trattoria in the piazza for dinner, inside there are photos of the Piazza covered in snow! seems hard to believe it can get that cold, when we are walking in shorts and T-shirts in October! the waitress tell us it gets cold in January -February  and snows every couple of years.

a long day of wet walking in the rain!

Our Accommodation tonight;

Monache Carmelitane Di Clausura

Via Garibaldi 1

PH: 0761609082

€15pp

other options

Sutri

Seminario bed and breakfast,  in the middle of the town at 37 piazza del comune.  

 30 Euro pp
Francescane Oasi di pace  Via Delle Viole, 1501015 Sutri +39 0761659175  http://oasidipace.it/ 

MONASTERY OF OUR LADY OF PEACE - VETRALLA

Address: Via del Giardino, 4 - Vetralla
Phone: 0761 481519
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 25 €. Breakfast included. 30 euro breakfast and dinner
Number of places: 30
Use of kitchen: NO.


 

Day 44 From Montefiascone to Viterbo 18.1 km

Wednesday 23rd October day 44
Descending along farm tracks and ancient roads, passing thermal springs before entering Viterbo on busy roads. ( Lightfoot guide book description)

My feet are feeling better today, we start off walking up to the gardens and fort at the top of Montefiascone, lovely views of the countryside from here. 

Our last views of Lake Bolsena from Montefiascone 

gardens of the fortress at the top of the town glow in  the early morning light.

Pilgrim statues  on the way out of town

the message the plaque below the statue

Goodbye Montefiascone 

We're soon walking along rural roads again

Then we walk along stretches of beautifully intact Roman Roads

along more farmlands - puppy patting... think Patrick's missing our dogs

The hot springs of Viterbo - we arrive about 11:15 am , making much better time today - if these springs were  in another country like Turkey or Morocco, there would be stalls with peope selling tea and snacks such as gozleme... here not a thing! not even much of any old ancient baths remain just a newish area designed for those with motor homes - where you pay to enter

us poor pilgrims went into the free side

Patrick did some modifications to the pipes to let more hot water enter the pool!

I think the thermal water is pretty good, my feet are feeling better and rested!

We pass some olive harvesting by hand, farmers raking the tree branches with a special olive rake, and the olives fall into the net below ready to be collected

The pilgrim entrance to Viterbo isn't very attractive,  once we pass through the newer areas it gets more appealing in the old quarter.

The pilgrim accommodation doesn't open until 3:30, so we walk to the main commune piazza and have Caffé at 1:45 pm and some lunch - pranzo before heading to find our accommodation 

Photo below is the church at the front of the pilgrim accommodation 

Entrance to accommodation is nicely marked 

The accommodation is one of the old towers connected to the town walls!

feet and legs are feeling a bit sore, but not as bad as yesterday maybe the  healing thermal springs have worked some magic !

I wonder why there are no old buildings,or remains  around the thermal springs we stopped at before Viterbo?

We wander around the wonderfully intact medieval quarter after a shower and rest 

Inside  the San Pelligrini  church in the medieval quarter

carved  water fountain

The  Nuovo church of Santa Maria has a pulpit on the outside!

Inside there are lovely frescos, painting and stone carvings

Lovely, warm welcome and dinner with hosts Grazia, Andrea and  Luciano 

Grazia  cooks up a lovely  dinner

It's wonderful to share a meal and chat about our pilgrimage with our  Francigena hosts Grazia, Andrea and  Luciano. - including their own red wine, and some grappa with dessert. 

They're wonderfully kind hearted and generous hosts. When the pilgrim accommodation closes at the end of October, they maintain their section of the Via Francigena, keeping it clear and well marked.

Our accommodation tonight;
OSPITALE TOWER PIO VI - Viterbo
Address: Via San Giovanni Departed, 1 - Viterbo
Phone: 335 1621652
Email: graziaand@libero.it
Type: Hostel Pellegrini
Agent: Maria Grazia Andreoli
Open from mid-March to late October.
Time: 15:00
Price: 10 €  €20. each bed, dinner and breakfast 
Number of places: 10
Use of kitchen: NO.

other options
CAPUCHIN CONVENT - Viterbo

Address: Via San Crispino, 6 - Viterbo
Phone: 0761 220761 - 347 5900953
Email: edybertolo@libero.it
Type: Religious Structure
Open all year
Price: 10 €
Number of places: 10
Use of kitchen: NO.