November Lucca to Rome

Myway · Nov 19, 2023

Hi, I’m D and was wondering if anybody has info on walking the via Francigena from Lucca to Rome in November. Is it easy to find accommodation in albergue’s and would also like to know about the weather, I know it’s unpredictable but any info would be appreciated. I’m looking at starting around the 9/11/24.

Tassie Kaz · Nov 20, 2023

Hi D,
As your trip is still a whole year away, I suggest you monitor the weather for your intended region now. Following the weather this year will be your best indicator of what to expect at the same time next year...major climatic events aside!
Happy planning

syug · Nov 20, 2023

Hi @Myway weather conditions may vary, but in general, in November in Tuscany and Lazio you can expect autumn weather with cooler temperatures than in the summer months. You can expect highs of 15 degrees, sometimes rainy days, but in recent years the climate is very variable and it is difficult to make predictions. It is always advisable to check the weather forecast closest to your travel date for the most accurate information.
As for open accommodations, however, some pilgrim's albergues remain open, otherwise there are many private hostels that are also open during the winter months. For a detailed list of accommodations and stages see this web page https://app.forwalk.org/4/5/en-us/13/#11.5/42.9/7/0

Samos · Nov 20, 2023

HI, How exciting to be planning your camino! My husband and I just finished walking from Milan to Rome in September/October. I found this site very helpful in locating monasteries, etc. to stay in. https://ospitalitareligiosa.it/en/

Most of the time I didn't contact them through that website, but once I located them, I emailed directly to the location and always got a quick response. For the ones I did contact through the site, the response was also quick.

In Monteriggioni, we stayed here: Casa per ferry Santa Maria Assunta, in San Gimgano we stayed here: http://www.monasterosangirolamo.it/index.php?p=accoglienza

andycohn · Nov 20, 2023

Advice from above is all good and to the point. My wife and I walked from Switzerland to Rome in the fall of 2021, covering the Lucca - Rome section from late October into mid-November. Separately, we also did the Lazio sections into Rome in December, 2018. November, in general, should be a good time to walk, as there is little shade in Tuscany, and October can still be blisteringly hot. Though, of course, the days will be much shorter, with sunset before 5PM. For weather averages, my go-to site is www.weatherspark.com. Just plug in random cities and the month you're interested in.

The best site, in general, for accommodations is www.gronze.com, the Bible of the Spanish caminos, which now also covers the Via Francigena from Switzerland to Rome. Open in Chrome browser for English translation. Gronze is very up-to-date with opening and closing dates, and also tells you how far the lodgings are from the Via, which is important in these heavily-touristed regions, where there is plenty of lodgings but often not near the trail. It also has reviews. Way more useful for pinning down accommodations than the guidebooks or the official Via Francigena app. Like Samos, above, we also enjoyed our monastery stays.

If you'd like our itinerary, with suggestions on (possibly) by-passing unattractive stretches, let me know. I also put together a logistical / resource guide which covers Switzerland from Lake Geneva to Rome.