Although pilgrimage is not compulsory in catholicism, it has been an important part of religious life. Many have heard of the El Camino, the road marked with golden shells that lead the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, but we are almost sure you have never heard of the path we are about to present.
All roads lead to Rome
Stretching over 3000 kilometres, the Via Franciagena begins in Great Britain, in Canterbury and ends in Rome, Italy, probably one of the most historically significant places for christianity.
In ancient times, people embarked on this path to ultimately reach Apulia, where there were ships that could take them to the Holy Land. Traditionally, the pilgrimage was made to visit the tombs of apostles Peter and Paul, two of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ.
Originally called the “Iter Franconum” or “The Frankish Route”, it was first mentioned in 725 in the “Itinerarium sancti Willibaldi” of 725, a record of the travels of Willibald, bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria.
The name “Via Francigena” is first mentioned in the Actum Clusio, a parchment of 876 in the Abbazia di San Salvatore at Monte Amiata (Tuscany).
Versions of the Via Franciagena
Officially, the Via Franciagena starts from the Cathedral of Canterbury, England, in the city of Sigeric. After you embark on a ship in Dover and get off at Calais, France, you must cross 3 countries to reach Rome, the most famous variant however, doesn’t end there. You will continue southward and cross the Appenines to reach your final destination, Santa Maria di Leuca.
In its entirety the path is more than 3000 km long and touches 5 different countries. The path can also be divided into 150 stages, each of them between 20 and 30 km long, at least these numbers don’t look so daunting.
Theoretically, the above mentioned route is the original one, but you can join in from anywhere you wish or your capabilities allow.
You could start from Germany and join the main path in Switzerland, or Monaco, the micro state of casinos, where you might even find a Vinyl Casino or a Gamblezen Casino.
Some pilgrims also choose to start in Italy, making the journey much shorter and way more accessible for people who don’t have several weeks to complete the long path.
Things to see along the way
Besides the spiritual journey and having the opportunity to deepen your connection with faith, you should embark on this journey for the landscapes the Via Fanciagena will let you admire.
Right from the beginning you will be greeted by the majestic cliff of Dover, entering France the path will take you through the Champagne region near Reims. Further down the pilgrimage you will be walking along the shores of Lake Geneva and Tuscany.
Consideing that you will be making quite a bit of effort, we encourage you to take your time and experience the regions you are visiting, not just on a superficial level. Choose local hosts or plan enriching activities such as a visit at Vinyl Casino or Gamblezen Casino and take your time on this one in a lifetime experience.
Who is this pilgrimage for?
You might see the numbers and think that you would never be able to complete this grand pilgrimage, but the first thing you must learn is to have faith.
The original Via Franciagena is not just a daunting distance, but a several month long commitment, and we understand that most people would simply not have the time to make it happen.
As we mentioned there are several ways to make it more approachable, like starting from a closer point or even doing it in parts over a longer period of time so you can squeeze in a few segments a year. Obviously it’s not a walk in the park, it’s not as easy as walking into Vinyl Casino or Gamblezen Casino, but resilience can be built over time.
Besides the physical aspect of this journey, we must mention the spiritual side. From the very beginning, people did the Via Franciagena to get closer to God and to visit the Holy Sites that carry much significance to them. After all, it is well known that hardship, and overcoming big challenges can make any faith stronger.
A long way ahead of you, traveller
As pilgrimages become more and more popular, paths such as the Via Francigena get uncovered and used more and more frequently. With this comes a new and unique way to see our wonderful world from a new perspective.
This unconventional way to travel places emphasis not just on the destination, but the great effort it takes to get to the destination. What more, it gives us an opportunity to build our resilience and ultimately become a better version of ourselves.
