The Casentino area of Tuscany, stretching to the east of Florence, is often overlooked in favor of the more famous Chianti zone nearby. It's a secluded place, perfect for those who have already visited the well-known Tuscan towns and seek something different. Here the visitor can discover one of Europe’s purest forested areas, take in the spirituality of ancient monasteries,
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What you need to know about hiking the Apuan Alps
Disclaimer: This is not a review of Apuan Alps. This is simply my experience summiting one of them. The story represented is personal and is not intended to malign the location where the story takes place. The mountain near Lucca called Pania della Croce is the fourth highest peak of the Apuan Alps, and is referred to as "The Apuan Queen." It has hefty rounded sides that
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Special Places on the Via Francigena
The Via Francigena (fran-CHEE-jee-nah) is a pilgrimage route from the Middle Ages that starts in England and crosses France and Switzerland before entering Italy at the Gran San Bernardo Pass. Less known than the Spanish pilgrimage route, the Via Francigena was revived in the 1990s and is becoming more traversed each year. In the first week of my trek on the Via
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Florence off the Beaten Path — Try Fiesole
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Florence off the Beaten Path One of my recommendations for beating the crowds in Florence is to up to Fiesole---a small town of Etruscan origins above Florence. In spring and fall the Fiesole Tourist Board offers what they call "Hikes between Nature and Culture" which are free, guided hikes in the Fiesole hills. (Some are not actually hikes, but
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The Pathway of the Gods–Italy’s Most Stunning Hike
I arrive on the Amalfi Coast by bus from Salerno. It’s early October, and while high season has passed, the bus is over-packed with travelers; some are forced to stand in the aisle. Oh, but I’m lucky. I have a seat on the left side where I can view the dizzying drop straight from the bus window down hundreds of feet of sheer cliff to the sparkling sea. The bus driver,
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Italy’s Pilgrimage Route: How to Plan (part 2)
Packing lessons learned from walking the Via Francigena When I packed for my 40 day solo walk on Italy's pilgrimage route, I thought my pack could be a fifth of my body weight. Wrong. I had to eliminate 6 pounds from it to get it down to 13 pounds— a tenth of my body weight. So if you weigh 130 pounds, your pack shouldn’t be more than 13 pounds (in Kilos, a person weighing
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Italy’s Pilgrimage Route: How to Plan (part 1)
The length of the Via Francigena The Via Francigena is long! It starts in Canterbury England and goes to Rome Italy. In fact you can go beyond Rome, to the southern tip of the heel of Italy's boot, and on to Jerusalem. From Canterbury to Rome it is about 2,083 km (around 1,290 miles.) This will take about four months to walk. The part in Italy is about 944 Km ( 587 miles.) It
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