Hi all! We recently finished our pilgrimage from Milan to Rome and then Rome to Assisi.
After having done the CF twice, the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon, and the Way of St Martin across France I thought I would share some of the things I learned.
It was an amazing walk and a blessing to be able to do so. I enjoy solitude when walking, we didn't run in to very many pilgrims, except for the part from Lucca to Siena where we met quite a few nice people that were doing that stretch. We met a few others here and there. We started the end of August and finished the end of October. We did add an alternate route down the coast to Pisa and then back up to Lucca.
Italy is quite a bit more expensive, even staying in monasteries, etc. We stayed in a mix of monasteries, hotels, Airbnb's, because for 2 people many times the hotel/Airbnb was about the same price as in the hostel type accomodations, but many of the bnb's had equipped communal kitchens so you could make your own dinner. I think part of it is just prices have gone up everywhere, but also that these pilgrim routes are less travelled and go through some high tourist areas.
More planning is necessary especially with food/water. There were a lot of days where we carried food and water for the day, and also food for dinner and breakfast the next morning. we carried a lot of peanut butter or cashew butter sandwiches - gave us some protein, lightweight, and stayed good in the heat (when we started in Milan in August it was about 40 degrees Celsius) When we happened to walk past a grocery store, the pre-made salads with olives, cheese, etc, were such a treat, especially when it is hot out. We have always used grocery stores on our Camino's when possible, much cheaper and you can eat a little bit healthier
of course the bars are always a good stop for a snack and a coffee.
Not many places to sit along the trails, we ended up just sitting on the trail many days. Some trails were overgrown, so the only place to take a rest was on the actual trail.
We took a couple of much needed rest days in Rome, we did get our testimonium at ST Peter's, but be prepared for a very high tourist concentration. They do have the separate entrance for pilgrims and you get your testimonium where the luggage hold area was. When we arrived in Assisi, they have a dedicated pilgrim office that was very welcoming.
The landscape is amazing, but the hills in Tuscany and to Assisi will give you a good workout. The people we met were wonderful and kind and the beauty and peacefulness in nature was refreshing.
Overall, another great Camino experience to refresh the mind, body, and soul.
After having done the CF twice, the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon, and the Way of St Martin across France I thought I would share some of the things I learned.
It was an amazing walk and a blessing to be able to do so. I enjoy solitude when walking, we didn't run in to very many pilgrims, except for the part from Lucca to Siena where we met quite a few nice people that were doing that stretch. We met a few others here and there. We started the end of August and finished the end of October. We did add an alternate route down the coast to Pisa and then back up to Lucca.
Italy is quite a bit more expensive, even staying in monasteries, etc. We stayed in a mix of monasteries, hotels, Airbnb's, because for 2 people many times the hotel/Airbnb was about the same price as in the hostel type accomodations, but many of the bnb's had equipped communal kitchens so you could make your own dinner. I think part of it is just prices have gone up everywhere, but also that these pilgrim routes are less travelled and go through some high tourist areas.
More planning is necessary especially with food/water. There were a lot of days where we carried food and water for the day, and also food for dinner and breakfast the next morning. we carried a lot of peanut butter or cashew butter sandwiches - gave us some protein, lightweight, and stayed good in the heat (when we started in Milan in August it was about 40 degrees Celsius) When we happened to walk past a grocery store, the pre-made salads with olives, cheese, etc, were such a treat, especially when it is hot out. We have always used grocery stores on our Camino's when possible, much cheaper and you can eat a little bit healthier
of course the bars are always a good stop for a snack and a coffee.Not many places to sit along the trails, we ended up just sitting on the trail many days. Some trails were overgrown, so the only place to take a rest was on the actual trail.
We took a couple of much needed rest days in Rome, we did get our testimonium at ST Peter's, but be prepared for a very high tourist concentration. They do have the separate entrance for pilgrims and you get your testimonium where the luggage hold area was. When we arrived in Assisi, they have a dedicated pilgrim office that was very welcoming.
The landscape is amazing, but the hills in Tuscany and to Assisi will give you a good workout. The people we met were wonderful and kind and the beauty and peacefulness in nature was refreshing.
Overall, another great Camino experience to refresh the mind, body, and soul.
