Italy is the heart of Western Christian pilgrimage: Rome with its basilicas, Assisi with the Sanctuary of St. Francis, Loreto with the Holy House, Padua with St. Anthony, Monte Sant'Angelo with the Archangel Michael, all places where millions of believers have traveled for centuries. But the Italy of the ways is also for those who aren't believers: Via Francigena is one of the most beautiful European trekking experiences regardless of faith.
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Via Francigena: from Canterbury to Rome on foot
Via Francigena is the most important Italian pilgrimage route, 1,800 km from Canterbury (UK) to Rome, of which about 1,000 km on Italian soil. The Italian route enters from Switzerland at the Great St. Bernard (VA) and descends along the Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia, Tuscany (Lucca, Siena), Lazio to Rome. Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury documented the route in 990 AD, noting the 79 stages, the first medieval "travel guide" of Italy.
The Tuscan stretch (Lucca-Siena, ~140 km) is the busiest and the most beautiful: the Chianti hills, Monteriggioni, the Crete Senesi. The Lazio stretch (Viterbo-Rome, ~100 km) crosses the Tuscia with its volcanic lakes (Vico, Bolsena). The Pilgrim's Credential (€5-8, buyable at Via Francigena associations or the dioceses along the route) is stamped at every stage, those who complete the last stretch to Rome receive the "Testimonium" from the Holy See.
The Way of St. Francis (Assisi-Rome, 550 km)
The Way of St. Francis connects Assisi (PG) to Rome through central Lazio (Rieti, Poggio Bustone, where Francis received the inspiration for the Canticle of the Creatures) and the Sabina. 550 km total, divided into the Way of Assisi (Florence-Assisi, ~180 km) and the Way of Francis proper (Assisi-Rome, ~360 km). Less traveled than Via Francigena, and more authentic for that reason: many stages cross depopulated villages of the Umbrian-Lazio Apennines where the few who remain know every pilgrim who passes.
The Way of St. Benedict (Norcia-Montecassino)
The Way of St. Benedict (170 km, Norcia-Cassino) is the most recent of the great Italian ways, officially recognized in 2010, and one of the wildest: it crosses the Monti Sibillini National Park, the Abruzzo National Park, the Monti della Meta to the monastery of Montecassino. The average altitude is higher than all the other Italian ways, stretches above 1,500-1,800 m make the route unsuitable for winter. Spring (May-June) is the best time: the flowering of the alpine meadows, abundant wildlife, few people.
The most important sanctuaries in Italy
Assisi (PG), the city of St. Francis
Assisi is the most visited Catholic sanctuary in Italy (after Rome), about 5 million visitors a year. The Basilica of St. Francis (two superimposed churches, built 1228-1253) holds the remains of St. Francis in the lower crypt and Giotto's frescoes in the Upper Basilica, one of the largest pictorial programs of the 13th century. Free entry, a strict dress code (legs and shoulders covered, they hand out scarves at the entrance for those who arrive unprepared). The Porziuncola (the chapel where Francis founded the order) is enclosed in the enormous Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli at the foot of Assisi.
Loreto (AN), the sanctuary of the Holy House
The Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto (AN) is one of the most important Marian pilgrimage sites in the Catholic world: according to tradition, the house where Mary was born and where the childhood of Jesus took place was miraculously transported from Palestine to Loreto in the 13th century (the "translation"). The Holy House, a small Syrian stone structure, is enclosed in the great basilica built in the 15th-16th century by the popes. 4 million pilgrims a year.
Padua, the Sanctuary of St. Anthony
The Sanctuary of St. Anthony of Padua is the most visited Catholic sanctuary in the world after Lourdes and Fátima: 6-7 million visitors a year. The Basilica del Santo (13th-14th century) keeps the relics of Anthony of Padua (Portuguese by birth, a Franciscan friar, who died in Padua in 1231). The Chapel of the Relics contains Anthony's chin, tongue, and vocal cord, preserved intact, according to tradition, as a sign of his gift of preaching. The basilica complex (with Donatello's works in the Chapel of the Ark) is worth a visit regardless of faith.
Monte Sant'Angelo (FG), the Sanctuary of St. Michael
The Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel at Monte Sant'Angelo (FG, Gargano) is the oldest Christian pilgrimage site in Europe in continuous use, the tradition of the archangel's apparitions dates to 490-492 AD. The cave where the apparitions took place is still accessible to pilgrims: you descend a medieval staircase into the mountain, the cavern has remained unchanged for 1,500 years. The location is extraordinary: 843 m altitude on the Gargano, a view of the Adriatic, a well-preserved medieval village. UNESCO since 2011 (with other Lombard sites).
Questions and answers about pilgrimage in Italy
Is Via Francigena suitable for non-believers?
Absolutely yes. Via Francigena is walked every year by thousands of walkers with no religious motivation, drawn by the landscape (Tuscany, Lazio, the Alps), the culture (medieval villages, Roman and Romanesque monuments), the simplicity of walking. The "secular" pilgrimage is an established tradition: the Camino de Santiago in Spain transformed this practice. You don't need the Pilgrim's Credential, but it helps for reduced-price access at the affiliated lodgings. Respect for the religious places (silence in the churches, appropriate clothing) is always required, believers and not.
How much does it cost to walk the Italian Via Francigena?
An indicative budget for the Italian stretch (1,000 km, 40-45 days): Lodging: €400-800 (pilgrim hostels €10-20/night, some parishes offer hospitality for free). Food: €600-900 (€15-20/day counting breakfast at the bar, a packed lunch, dinner at a trattoria (informal family-run restaurant) or self-catering). Transport (returns, emergencies): €150-300. Credential and Testimonium: €8-15. Total: €1,200-2,000 for the full route. The expenses depend heavily on how many nights you choose at the free/affiliated parish lodgings.
Which is the most visited sanctuary in Italy?
The Sanctuary of St. Anthony of Padua (6-7 million visitors/year) exceeds Assisi (5 million) and Loreto (4 million) in absolute number of visitors. Rome as a whole (the Vatican, St. Peter's, the catacombs, the major basilicas) is in a category of its own with 30+ million annual visitors to its religious attractions. The Marian sanctuary most visited relative to its size is probably that of the Madonna di Polsi in the Aspromonte (RC), 50,000 pilgrims in 2 days of festivity, in a village with 200 residents.
Related guides on ItalyPlanner.com
14-day itinerary WW2 places of memory Rome: complete guide Accessible itinerary Umbria: complete guide Puglia: complete guide Trekking in Italy Italian old-growth forests National parks of Italy Abruzzo: complete guideThe Cammino Materano: the most recent pilgrimage in Italy
The Cammino Materano is a pilgrimage route established in 2019 for Matera European Capital of Culture, it connects several Basilicata sanctuaries culminating in Matera (the "Jerusalem of Italy" for the resemblance of the Sassi to the topography of Jerusalem). The main route (about 100 km, 5-6 stages) starts from Tricarico (MT) and reaches Matera through the villages of inner Basilicata. Far less traveled than Via Francigena, and far more authentic for the immersion in Lucanian culture.
The Cammino dei Briganti (northern Calabria, 110 km, 7 stages) isn't a religious way in the strict sense, but it includes historic sanctuaries and churches along a route that crosses the Calabrian Apennines between Lamezia Terme and Cosenza. It takes its name from the post-unification brigands who hid in these mountains after 1861. A cultural and scenic way that combines social history, nature, and rural religious architecture.
How do you get the Pilgrim's Credential for Via Francigena?
Via Francigena Pilgrim's Credential is obtained: at the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (AEVF, Fidenza PR, www.viefrancigene.org, €5-8). At many dioceses and parishes along the route. At the local CAI (Italian Alpine Club) in the towns crossed. Online at www.viefrancigene.org with home delivery (€8-10 including shipping). The credential is stamped at every stage (parishes, pilgrim hostels, bars, town halls). Those who complete the last stretch to Rome (at least the last 100 km from Acquapendente on) receive the "Testimonium" from St. Peter's Basilica, similar to the "Compostela" of the Camino de Santiago.
The "Italian" Camino de Santiago: the Way of Assisi to the French border
Not everyone knows that the Camino de Santiago can also start in Italy, not necessarily in France (from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port). Via Francigena del Sud leads from Brindisi (or from Rome) to northern Italy.Via Postumia crosses northern Italy from Aquileia (GO) to Genoa, where it connects with the French ways toward Santiago. The Via di Francesco and Via dell'Amore connect Assisi to the Brenner Pass, from there you reach the German network of the Jakobswege toward Santiago. The "ViaFrancigena.com - the whole route" project maps in Italian all the Italian ways toward Santiago with practical directions.
Frequently asked questions from American travelers on this theme
How does this compare to similar experiences in the USA?
Italy compresses into 300,000 km² a variety that in the USA would require crossing several states. The most important difference: in Italy every natural or cultural phenomenon is surrounded by 2,000 years of human history, there's no total wilderness (even the most remote national parks have ruins, medieval trails, hermitages). This adds layers of meaning the American parks don't have, but it also means less "true" wilderness in the North American sense of the term.
Do you need to speak Italian to fully enjoy this experience?
No. In the big cities and the main attractions, English is spoken fairly well by almost all the tourist staff. In rural Italy and the small villages, the level is much lower, but a smile, a "grazie" and "per favore" in Italian open many doors. The translation apps (Google Translate with the camera for the menus) solve most situations. The traveler who knows three words of Italian is treated better than the one who speaks only English at high volume.
What's the best time of year for this kind of visit in Italy?
April-June and September-October are the recommended periods for almost everything: less crowding than summer, pleasant temperatures, slightly lower prices, extraordinary photographic light in the golden hours. July-August is the tourist peak, intense heat (35-40°C in the cities), lines, peak prices. December-February has minimum prices and few people, but some coastal or high-altitude attractions close for the season.
Resources to dig deeper
For those who want to know more before leaving: the site of ENIT (the Italian National Tourism Board, www.italia.it) has official information in English on all the destinations. The Visit Italy portal of the Ministry of Culture (www.museiitaliani.it) has up-to-date information on museums and cultural sites. For the nature parks: the portal of the MASE (Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, www.mase.gov.it) has the up-to-date pages of all the Italian National Parks. For the wildlife: the site of ISPRA (www.isprambiente.gov.it) publishes annually the reports on the state of wildlife in Italy, downloadable for free.
Pilgrimage and religious tourism in Italy: 2024 numbers and trends
Religious tourism in Italy is worth about 5 billion euros a year (a CISET-Fondazione Osservatorio Ecoturismo estimate), about 30% of the national tourism GDP. The 5 most visited religious sites in Italy by number of entries: Sanctuary of St. Anthony of Padua (6-7 million), Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi (5 million), Sanctuary of the Holy House of Loreto (4 million), Sanctuary of Pompeii (3.5 million), St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican (30 million, but it's a figure that mixes religious and non-religious tourists). The growth of the trekking-routes tourism (Via Francigena, the Way of Francis, the Way of St. Benedict) is 15-20% a year since 2015, a trend that continues even after COVID.
Via Francigena counts about 50,000-60,000 certified pilgrims a year (those who complete at least one stretch with the Credential), a sixth of the Camino de Santiago (about 450,000 a year). The conservative estimates indicate, though, 3-4 times as many uncertified walkers who cover stretches of the Francigena without completing the Credential. The Way of Francis counts about 15,000-20,000 walkers a year. The growth is steady but still far from the Iberian numbers, the gap depends mainly on the smaller infrastructure of dedicated lodging (pilgrim hostels) along the Italian routes compared to Spain.
