Via Francigena 990 – Escorted
In 990AD Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, during his return journey from Rome, made notes of where he stayed overnight - the earliest surviving record of the Via Francigena route. We follow the best-preserved sections of Sigeric’s route … to Pieve a Castello, ATG's historic Tuscan residence - the oldest and best-preserved overnight stopping place on the Via Francigena, where we spend the last 2 nights of this trip.
The route lies through unspoilt agricultural land, wooded narrow valleys ,and through an ancient volcanic area with Italy’s largest volcanic lakes: Vico, Bracciano and Bolsena.
In Tuscany the landscape is characterised by medieval hilltop villages and scattered cypress trees, undulating vineyards and olive groves. Its gently rolling hills are disarmingly familiar as the classical backdrop of Renaissance art and its charm is a changelessness, which merges medieval and modern worlds.
Duration: 8 days
Trip dates:
01 - 08 Oct 2026
Itinerary
From Rome Fiumicino airport we drive (1 hour) to Sutri, where we visit the evocative Roman amphitheatre and ancient church (visited by Sigeric), before continuing to our hotel.
This ancient town is situated on a narrow tufa hill. It dates back to the Bronze Age and has both Etruscan and Roman heritage. The tufa rock here can be easily cut enabling the inhabitants to create caves, tombs, cellars and stables within the rock. The remarkable Roman amphitheatre here was cut entirely from the hillside while the Etruscan tombs nearby were also cut from the tufa rock, used for both burials and cremations.
Comfortable tranquil hotel in country setting
We walk from Lake Vico through the forested Monti Cimini to medieval Viterbo, then on to ancient thermal baths (opportunity to wallow), before following original paved Roman road to Montefiascone (13.5 miles/7 hours).
Viterbo Something of a rival to Rome during the 13th century, this medieval town is the region's most historic centre. It houses several grand palaces and churches.
Montefiascone Clinging to the rim of an old volcanic crater, Montefiascone dates back to the Etruscans. Notable for its 17th century cathedral which dominates the skyline and the anecdotally renowned white wine called Est! Est!! Est!!!
Centrally located in the medieval quarter
We enjoy fine views of the lake on our walk to Bolsena, where we explore features that existed at the time of Sigeric’s visit (11 miles/5.5 hours).
Friendly and welcoming, this is an attractive lakeside town of medieval alleyways and narrow cobbled streets that has been popular as a resort since Roman times! It houses a well-preserved 14th century castle and some interesting churches. The church of Santa Cristina boasts some fascinating catacombs. Despite its many attractions, Bolsena remains refreshingly untouristy.
Modern, boutique hotel adjacent to lake, with pool in summer
We follow the Francigena route to the ancient town of Acquapendente, visit fine 9C crypt, then continue along the Paglia Valley to walk, following ancient tracks across a pass, before continuing to the Orcia Valley, and San Quirico (12 miles/6 hours). A brief transfer brings us to Bagno Vignoni, with its Roman thermal baths in central piazza.
San Quirico: A small and pretty medieval Tuscan town located south of Siena on the historic Via Francigena, and hence boasting a very fine Romanesque Collegiata (church).
Bagno Vignoni: The central piazza of this picturesque town is a thermal pool where Romans rested and bathed en route north along the Via Cassia. The Renaissance arcaded area at the near end was built by the Medici who also took the sulphur cure here.
Modern hotel overlooking Roman baths
After a transfer to nearby Montalcino, we walk through the vineyards of Brunello to the superb Romanesque abbey-church of Sant’Antimo, built of alabaster and onyx. We then continue our route, returning to Bagno Vignoni (11.2 miles, 5.5 hours).
Inhabited since Etruscan times, this little medieval town boasts a spectacular location and a splendid fortress. It is the home of one of Italy’s most famous wines–Brunello di Montalcino. Its sacred art museum is also very highly rated by all who visit.
Modern hotel overlooking Roman baths
We drive to Siena (1 hour) … and then walk across through forests, past a castle, open farmland and wooded slopes, and on to the iconic, fortified village of Monteriggioni, with its 85 inhabitants (11.8 miles, 6 hours). A brief transfer brings us to Pieve a Castello.
A beautifully sited and perfectly preserved village encased within 13th century walls, complete with watchtowers. In the main square is a small Romanesque church with a pretty façade.
Residenza d’Epoca – a restored 8th century canonry set in beautiful countryside
We follow the route of the early medieval Via Francigena, passing several pilgrim ‘stations’, to San Gimignano – with its famous towers (15 miles, 8 hours). Evening: gala farewell dinner.
The ‘city of the towers’ is irresistibly charming and perfectly preserved, surrounded by typical Tuscan landscape of vineyards, olive groves and cypress trees. Highlights include the Collegiata (former cathedral) and the Torre Grossa (the city’s tallest tower).
Residenza d’Epoca – a restored 8th century canonry set in beautiful countryside
Departure day. Return transfer to Florence or Pisa.
Trip Planner
Walking & Terrain
Moderate walking. This is an 8-day walking holiday, with walks of 4-8 hours on 6 days plus sightseeing. Hours of walking, which may vary from group to group, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing, rests or siestas.
The walking is along established paths across hills, dirt roads and woodland tracks and vineyards, strade bianche (white gravel roads) and some asphalt on approach to towns. Please make sure that your footwear provides sufficient ankle support. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy the full itinerary: Each day offers a full schedule of walking.
Some of our walks are weather sensitive. If it is not possible to do a walk due to inclement weather, an alternative will be organised. Any such decision is at the discretion of the Tour Leader.
Our support vehicles allow you the flexibility to walk 'as much or as little as you like', with drop-offs and pick-ups appropriate to the given day's itinerary. The Tour Leader will tell you each evening about the following day's walking options.
Walking & Terrain
Moderate walking. This is an 8-day walking holiday, with walks of 4-8 hours on 6 days plus sightseeing. Hours of walking, which may vary from group to group, means hours of actual walking and does not include stops for lunch, sightseeing, rests or siestas.
The walking is along established paths across hills, dirt roads and woodland tracks and vineyards, strade bianche (white gravel roads) and some asphalt on approach to towns. Please make sure that your footwear provides sufficient ankle support. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy the full itinerary: Each day offers a full schedule of walking.
Some of our walks are weather sensitive. If it is not possible to do a walk due to inclement weather, an alternative will be organised. Any such decision is at the discretion of the Tour Leader.
Our support vehicles allow you the flexibility to walk 'as much or as little as you like', with drop-offs and pick-ups appropriate to the given day's itinerary. The Tour Leader will tell you each evening about the following day's walking options.
Your Personal ATG Route Manager
Route Book
The ATG Route Book is a detailed, day-to-day guide. The book anticipates your needs with easy-to-follow instructions, maps, plans and other information that will guide you to discover the best that the area has to offer and is the key to the success of an independent holiday with us.
Walking App
Your Route Manager can provide you with a link to download an app to your smartphone. This app provides the GPS track for your route on your phone. You can use this digital support to find your position and navigate the route, even without an internet connection or mobile phone reception.
Accommodation & Meals
The hotels we stay in are characteristic of the area and the towns we visit.
All evening meals are included and are taken either in the hotel or in local restaurants. At dinner, the Tour Manager will tell you about each evening’s menu and if there is anything else that you would prefer, you only have to ask. There are no particular dress requirements in the restaurants we use, although some are obviously smarter than others.
Each day the Tour Manager will meet you with one of ATG’s celebrated picnic lunches. You will be greeted with mineral water and a starter followed by wine and an abundant lunch of local organic produce and specialities. Picnics are colourful, varied and nutritious. Buffet-style, there is a choice of meats, cheeses, substantial salads, bread and fruit…and pudding. If it is cold there will be a hot dish.
Food & Wine
This trip starts in Lazio where the cuisine is strong, vigorous and hearty. Lots of oil and garlic-flavoured meat and game combinations. Grilled meat – lots of it, and large cuts – features heavily on menus. Vegetarians take heart: there are plenty of interesting vegetable dishes, many of them enhanced by herbs and spices.
Tuscan food is simple and uses good local ingredients which complement the excellent robust wines of the region. It is seasonal food usually prepared with home grown ingredients. Although the Tuscans are called ‘bean eaters’ (mangiafagioli)
the main staple of their diet, apart from pasta, is bread which is
traditionally unsalted to complement the salted prosciutto, salami and strong sheep’s cheeses.
Whilst it is a traditional cuisine, it is not a poor one, and meat and game feature strongly, preferably cooked on an open fire. The Tuscans are less interested in the presentation of the food than in the excellence of the ingredients, and even the most elegant restaurants serve rustic terracotta bowls of rich vegetable and bean soups. The Tuscans also have a sweet tooth, producing a variety of rich spicy cakes full of candied fruit and nuts, and light biscuits.
Superb red wines of Southern Tuscany, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano in particular, complement the cuisine. Further north, Chianti Classico and Chianti Colli Senesi come from small, strictly delineated areas, two of the seven regions within Chianti. Alongside the more ‘serious’ Chianti Riserva are produced other, less expensive ‘quaffing’ Chianti made to be drunk within a year or so of production – an excellent accompaniment to local dishes. We will also try a further selection of local wines including Vernaccia, a rare white wine of Tuscany for which San Gimignano is famous, and the delicious local dessert wine Vin Santo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Escorted trips are accompanied by two of ATG’s fully trained Tour Consultants, from the moment they welcome you at the airport, through to the end-of trip airport transfer. The Tour Manager looks after the practical side of the trip – luggage transport, hotels, food and drink. The Tour Leader will lead each day’s walk, and after dinner each evening will tell you about the following day’s itinerary. Both Tour Consultants will explain their role, and how the trip will run, on the first evening at dinner.
Please let us know about any dietary restrictions or allergies in advance so that our Tour Consultants can ensure that you are catered for during your holiday. Most dietary restrictions do not present a problem on our trips and the Tour Manager can discuss your requirements in more detail with you at the start of your trip.
The walks are graded according to difficulty but you can walk as much or as little as you like.
Easy: walking along well-established paths and tracks with some short ascents/descents. These trips are suitable for most people who enjoy occasional exercise.
Easy to Moderate: walking along well-established paths and tracks. Occasional loose (gravel) surfaces. Ascents/descents up to 1 hour. These trips are suitable for most people who have a reasonable level of fitness.
Moderate: walking along a variety of paths and tracks. Occasional uneven areas. Ascents/descents 1-2 hours. These trips are suitable for those who have a reasonable to good level of fitness.
Moderate to Challenging: walking along varied paths and surfaces, occasionally challenging, with ascents/descents of 2-3 hours. These trips are suitable for more experienced walkers who have a good level of fitness.
Single travellers will be booked into a double room which will carry a single occupancy supplement.
Flights are not included in the price of your ATG holiday and should be booked independently. We will advise you of the group meeting time at the destination airport and return transfer time to the airport at the end of your trip to enable you to book compatible flights.
Yes. All of our escorted trips can be booked privately, you can book a set departure or a date to suit you (subject to availability). In most instances if the group is 13-16 clients we will offer the trip at the published price. For 12 or fewer clients we would provide a bespoke costing.
On escorted trips everything is included (per the published itinerary) apart from items of a personal nature and snacks or drinks outside of the set meals.
We are delighted to book extensions for you at either end of your trip. We only book hotels with which we have an established relationship and where we can ensure a high level of service and enjoyment. If you would like an extension hotel booking please indicate this during the booking process and we will contact you with pricing information.
ATG does not provide any form of insurance cover. However, it is a condition of booking that you have fully comprehensive insurance cover, including:
Cancellation/curtailment up to the cost of the holiday (preferably including flights)
Medical emergencies and repatriation
Travel delay / missed departure
Lost or stolen personal belongings
Personal liability
Legal expenses
Natural Disasters
Although most credit card companies offer travel insurance as something that is included when paying the balance with the card, it may be advisable to check that the cover offered is what you expect it to be. Very few companies include cancellation and curtailment or medical expenses. Whatever the insurance policy you have taken out, please read the documentation carefully. Please ensure also that you take it with you on your trip and refer to it in the case of any claim or emergency.
Yes, please click here for what to bring. A packing checklist is also included with your booking confirmation.
Sustainability
ATG was founded on principles of conservation and sustainable development. It was the first company to win the tourism industry’s two top awards: Tourism for Tomorrow (UK) and the World Legacy Award (National Geographic and Conservation International USA) and also the first to have an accredited Environmental Management System.
Everyone who walks with ATG contributes to the ATG Trust, which funds projects that benefit local communities in the regions visited. By supporting these initiatives, ATG promotes sustainable tourism. Past projects have included heritage restoration projects, environmental conservation and educational projects.
Your Tour Leader will be able to tell you about the ATG Trust project at Monteriggioni, a tiny medieval village near Pieve a Castello, involving the restoration of the Porta Romea. This restoration formed part of a much larger project to restore the walls around the village of Monteriggioni. The Porta Romea is the gateway facing Rome through which many ATG clients will have walked.
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