The Via Francigena is roughly a 1,200-mile pilgrimage route that has carried travelers from Canterbury toward Rome since the 10th century. (Kimberly Kephart)
“Be who you were meant to be, and you will set the world on fire.”
— St. Catherine of Siena
These words sat with me inside the Basilica Cateriniana Di San Domenico in Siena. Still in yesterday’s boots, I stood before the reliquary housing the head of St. Catherine of Siena. In front of me, I had walked into that church a few hours after finishing 48 kilometers on foot, and the sentence landed perfectly. Goosebumps. Life had recently provided some bumps in the road, and, at this moment, I was right where I needed to be.
The Via Francigena is roughly a 1,200-mile pilgrimage route that has carried travelers from Canterbury toward Rome since the 10th century. This route is far less crowded and commercialized than the Camino de Santiago.
The Via Francigena is roughly a 1,200-mile pilgrimage route that has carried travelers from Canterbury toward Rome since the 10th century. (Kimberly Kephart )
Walking the entire route is a month-long undertaking, which is likely why it feels out of reach for military spouses and service members. Like the Camino, it’s broken into official stages, each one connecting a town with lodging and transit. Any single stage, or a handful of them strung together, can be walked on its own. For those of us on a single income or on a budget, this is a perfect way to experience Tuscany and, of course, the Camino.
I chose the segment from San Gimignano to Siena, about 48 kilometers over three walking days plus a day to arrive and settle in, roughly four days total door to door.
Night one is in San Gimignano itself, a hilltop town of medieval towers that has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1990. I stayed at Hotel La Cisterna within the city walls and spent the evening in town before the trail started.
Day two covers 12 kilometers to Colle Val’Elsa, through vineyards and quiet farmland, and includes the route’s three river fords. In dry weather, they’re a simple crossing; after heavy spring rain, the last one can be difficult. I stayed at Hotel La Vecchia Cartiera, a converted paper mill in town.
Arriving in Siena.... (Kimberly Kephart)
Day three, 16 kilometers, starts off by following the beautiful Elsa River through a shaded park before Monteriggioni comes into view, a walled village from the 13th century, built to defend Siena. I stayed at Hotel Il Piccolo Castello, about two miles outside the village. After a long day, I decided to keep the walk to Monteriggioni till the next morning.
Day four, the longest at 20 kilometers, asks the most. A detour off the marked trail leads to the Hermitage of San Leonardo al Lago, a centuries-old chapel kept alive by a single caretaker. Along the way, you can stop at small rest stops that locals prop open for pilgrims like Ristoro Pellegrini Donativo. A stretch of exposed, unglamourous road near Pian di Lago follows, and you just have to endure. Then, as you near Siena, a series of Hills asks more of you; the trail enters the city through Porta Camollia, the same gate pilgrims have used for thousands of years. I stayed at Hotel Chiusarelli, close enough to Piazza del Campo.
Getting there and booking a room: Take the train to Poggibonsi-San Gimignano, then a short local bus into San Gimignano’s historic center. From Siena, regional trains connect back to Florence in about 75 minutes and from there to any major airport. Because the towns along this route are small, rooms should be booked early.
Navigating the route: The trail is waymarked with white and red markers and a pilgrim figure symbol, walkable independently with a guidebook or a self-guided operator like SloWays, whose app includes an offline route planner.
Take the train to Poggibonsi-San Gimignano, then a short local bus into San Gimignano’s historic center. (Kimberly Kephart)
Keeping it on a budget: The pilgrim hostel network along the route, known as ostelli, costs well under what a hotel would cost per night and puts you in the company of other walkers. I hit a lot of dead ends with these; I was thankful for Sloway’s help.
When to go: Spring and early fall bring the mildest weather. Summer heat makes the exposed sections, like the road near Pian di Lago, considerably harder. April was PERFECT.
In a country where many of us will only be stationed in or near for a handful of years, this is a perfect way to see Tuscany through a different lens. Somewhere around that hermitage and seeing that quote by Saint Catherine, life’s questions stopped feeling like a weight and started to feel like something I could carry, and I think everyone should experience that feeling.
In a country where many of us will only be stationed in or near for a handful of years, this is a perfect way to see Tuscany through a different lens. (Kimberly Kephart )
Editor’s Note: For the past four years, Kimberly Kephart has documented her travels through the lens of slow, solo exploration — capturing the trails, people, and everyday moments that shape hiking, culture, and military life across Europe and Asia. Having lived abroad for eight and a half years, she calls Mons, Belgium, home for now, where she is a travel coach who brings women together on group trips and helps independent travelers plan their own routes abroad. She is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). Explore more of her stories at kimberlykepharttravels.com or follow her on Instagram @kimberlykepharttravels.
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of War.
