Via Francigena del Sud (Rome-Brindisi)

[BobM]

I found a useful guidebook to the Via Francigena del Sud from Rome to Brindisi and also some useful maps.

The Guidebook is “La Via Francigena nel Sud - Un percorso di 700 km da Roma a Brindisi” It is available on Amazon. It is in Italian. I read very little Italian, but the book is still useful as a planning tool. The journey is divided into 23 stages to Bari and 28 to Brindisi. Both ports are convenient to catch ferries to Greece if you plan to continue to Jerusalem.

Each stage has a map (1cm = 1km), elevation chart, navigating notes, notes on the difficulty of the stage, where to eat and where to sleep (2 or 3 places only).

The navigating notes are descriptive only; there are no waypoints or intermediate distances mentioned. There is a website that covers each stage (http://www.viefrancigenedelsud.it/it/resource/statictrack/category/francigena-del-sud/ ) where you can download a GPS file for each stage. That would be useful to supplement the navigating notes in the book. The skimpy navigating notes are the weak point of the book. They are fairly general and descriptive of things to see along the way.

The book is not ideal, but is the only one I could find after limited research. There is nothing in English that I could find.

The other maps are the Michelin 1:200,000 (1cm = 2km) series. You need numbers 360 (Lazio), 362 (Campania, Basilicata) and 363 (Puglia). They are very detailed and useful. Maps of 1:50,000 would be better, but there are more of them to carry.

I have not walked the route yet; I am still in the planning phase of my walk. So I can’t say if the navigational notes are useful or not.

What I intend to do is to use my very limited Italian (and Google Translate) to extract whatever I can from the navigation notes to supplement the GPS data. I also will research additional accommodation for the places I intend to stay to supplement the few listed in the guidebook.

Anyway, I hope this is useful for others thinking of walking the VF del Sud.

BobM

 

[lovingkindness]

Happy planning, BobM.

 

[BobM]

Happy planning, BobM.

Thanks. Actually, I should have been walking already on my original plan, but I caught a bad chest infection and had to cancel everything before leaving home. Maybe I will try in early autumn. I have never done an autumn pilgrimage. Could be nice.

Bob M

 

[lovingkindness]

Take care, BobM, get well soon. Autumn walking is a beautiful experience.

 

[David Edmond]

I found a useful guidebook to the Via Francigena del Sud from Rome to Brindisi and also some useful maps.

The Guidebook is “La Via Francigena nel Sud - Un percorso di 700 km da Roma a Brindisi” It is available on Amazon. It is in Italian. I read very little Italian, but the book is still useful as a planning tool. The journey is divided into 23 stages to Bari and 28 to Brindisi. Both ports are convenient to catch ferries to Greece if you plan to continue to Jerusalem.

Each stage has a map (1cm = 1km), elevation chart, navigating notes, notes on the difficulty of the stage, where to eat and where to sleep (2 or 3 places only).

The navigating notes are descriptive only; there are no waypoints or intermediate distances mentioned. There is a website that covers each stage (http://www.viefrancigenedelsud.it/it/resource/statictrack/category/francigena-del-sud/ ) where you can download a GPS file for each stage. That would be useful to supplement the navigating notes in the book. The skimpy navigating notes are the weak point of the book. They are fairly general and descriptive of things to see along the way.

The book is not ideal, but is the only one I could find after limited research. There is nothing in English that I could find.

The other maps are the Michelin 1:200,000 (1cm = 2km) series. You need numbers 360 (Lazio), 362 (Campania, Basilicata) and 363 (Puglia). They are very detailed and useful. Maps of 1:50,000 would be better, but there are more of them to carry.

I have not walked the route yet; I am still in the planning phase of my walk. So I can’t say if the navigational notes are useful or not.

What I intend to do is to use my very limited Italian (and Google Translate) to extract whatever I can from the navigation notes to supplement the GPS data. I also will research additional accommodation for the places I intend to stay to supplement the few listed in the guidebook.

Anyway, I hope this is useful for others thinking of walking the VF del Sud.

BobM

Hi Bob
I have been thinking of a walk from Brindisi to Santiago, long way i know, so i have read your post with interest
Have you started or finished your walk yet? i would be interested to hear any tips or advice you may have
David

 

[BobM]

Hi Bob
I have been thinking of a walk from Brindisi to Santiago, long way i know, so i have read your post with interest
Have you started or finished your walk yet? i would be interested to hear any tips or advice you may have
David

Brindisi to Santiago, how wonderful! I met a 65-y-o French man while walking the Via Podiensis some years ago who had started in Jerusalem, walked through Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, the Via Egnatia (VE) across Greece etc, ferry to Bari or Brindisi (I forget which), and was en route to Santiago. That was before the Syrian etc war.

I will start walking from Rome on May 10 and hope to arrive in Bari on June 1. Then I walk the VE to Thessaloniki. My conversations on these walks are spread over three threads (conversations). The other two contain information that might be helpful to you. Here are the forum links:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/has-anyone-walked-the-via-egnatia.37267/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...y-then-via-egnatia-durres-thessaloniki.39432/

One big unknown is how good the GPX data will be for the Via Francigena del Sud. I got it from the VF del Sud website (link in my msg that you quoted). There is an incomplete English version that covers only the first 9 stages (tappas). The Italian version has all stages and the GPX files, as well as maps. The companion guidebook is not very good for navigation, but it has decent maps. The guidebook was a once-off effort by just a few individuals that is not being updated. Support on the website is poor (very slow, or unanswered emails etc).

The route is essentially un-waymarked, except in a couple of places where local enthusiasts have put up signage. There are several places (eg in woods) where the path may be obscure. In other places farmers and home-owners have put up gates that 'block' the path. These areas are mentioned in the guidebook; but it was published in 2013 and possibly other un-documented changes have occurred. If you walk late in the year (eg autumn) you have the advantage of the path being well-trodden by then, so navigation would be a little easier. But bear in mind that this route is nowhere near as well-walked as the popular VF route north of Rome. The bottom line is that you need to be a competent navigator, and have good maps.

The other problem might be availability of convenient accommodation (I don't carry a tent). The guidebook lists only two accommodation providers per stage (one religious, one a B&B or albergo). I have put together an extensive list to simplify my searches if I run into problems. The alternatives might involve train or bus trips. For example, the only contact at Ordona is a Pro Loco contact who does not respond to the email given in the guidebook. Pro Loco contacts are volunteers, so maybe he is no longer involved. The Pro Loco network (see background at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro_Loco) is a potentially useful adjunct to parish accommodation. I have tried phoning parish accommodation in France and Italy on the VF, and it is pretty frustrating if you don't speak decent French or Italian, because the priest may not be available when you call, and there are always 'complicated' instructions for picking up keys/getting access to church halls and the like. Luckily on my VF to Rome I walked for some days with a wonderful Italian woman who made all our phone calls and we were able to stay in great convents.

Anyway, back to Ordona. If it turns out the Pro Loco contact no longer exiists, it is only a 20-minute train ride to the big city of Foggia. Then, next day, I can get the train back to Ordona and continue on.

The best way to find accommodation is to Google a town where you plan to stop; eg "B&Bs and hotels near Ordona" That often throws up quite a few choices in TripAdvisor, Booking.com, bedbreakfastinfo.com (http://www.bedbreakfastinfo.com/italy/apulia.html). The last site is very useful. I have also found that if you do the same search in Google Maps it will often throw up quite a few hits; and seeing them on the map makes it easy to pick places that are most convenient. It is a fantastic free service.

I have also used AirBnB to identify places, but that tends only to work in the most popular cities.

Anyway, check out the other two conversations and let me know if you have any specific questions. I hope to upload a daily report from my phone each day, but it will be brief with maybe two pics.

Bob M

 

[David Edmond]

I found a useful guidebook to the Via Francigena del Sud from Rome to Brindisi and also some useful maps.

The Guidebook is “La Via Francigena nel Sud - Un percorso di 700 km da Roma a Brindisi” It is available on Amazon. It is in Italian. I read very little Italian, but the book is still useful as a planning tool. The journey is divided into 23 stages to Bari and 28 to Brindisi. Both ports are convenient to catch ferries to Greece if you plan to continue to Jerusalem.

Each stage has a map (1cm = 1km), elevation chart, navigating notes, notes on the difficulty of the stage, where to eat and where to sleep (2 or 3 places only).

The navigating notes are descriptive only; there are no waypoints or intermediate distances mentioned. There is a website that covers each stage (http://www.viefrancigenedelsud.it/it/resource/statictrack/category/francigena-del-sud/ ) where you can download a GPS file for each stage. That would be useful to supplement the navigating notes in the book. The skimpy navigating notes are the weak point of the book. They are fairly general and descriptive of things to see along the way.

The book is not ideal, but is the only one I could find after limited research. There is nothing in English that I could find.

The other maps are the Michelin 1:200,000 (1cm = 2km) series. You need numbers 360 (Lazio), 362 (Campania, Basilicata) and 363 (Puglia). They are very detailed and useful. Maps of 1:50,000 would be better, but there are more of them to carry.

I have not walked the route yet; I am still in the planning phase of my walk. So I can’t say if the navigational notes are useful or not.

What I intend to do is to use my very limited Italian (and Google Translate) to extract whatever I can from the navigation notes to supplement the GPS data. I also will research additional accommodation for the places I intend to stay to supplement the few listed in the guidebook.

Anyway, I hope this is useful for others thinking of walking the VF del Sud.

BobM

Big thanks BobM
will add your info to what i have already gained
david

 

[BobM]

Big thanks BobM
will add your info to what i have already gained
david

If accommodation is a problem and you need to sleep out, a bivvy bag is worth considering for peace of mind if you don't want to carry a tent.

Have a look at this website for some good tips on how/what to choose: http://www.wildearth.com.au/choice/bivy-sacks-how-to-choose/697

Some bivvy sacks are very compact and light. Here is one I found: http://www.findsports.com.au/p/black-diamond-twilight-bivy-bag/BD810212WA

I wish I had done this research earlier, as I would probably have considered the Black Diamond Bag for my imminent trip. In fact, I could have used it as an actual sleeping bag and not carried a sleeping bag; thus saving weight.

Regards

Bob M

 

[Tizy Wellesley Wesley]

If accommodation is a problem and you need to sleep out, a bivvy bag is worth considering for peace of mind if you don't want to carry a tent.

Have a look at this website for some good tips on how/what to choose: http://www.wildearth.com.au/choice/bivy-sacks-how-to-choose/697

Some bivvy sacks are very compact and light. Here is one I found: http://www.findsports.com.au/p/black-diamond-twilight-bivy-bag/BD810212WA

I wish I had done this research earlier, as I would probably have considered the Black Diamond Bag for my imminent trip. In fact, I could have used it as an actual sleeping bag and not carried a sleeping bag; thus saving weight.

Regards

Bob M

 

[Tizy Wellesley Wesley]

Hi Bob,
Just wondering whether you have now walked Via Francigena del sud. I am planning to walk from Viverone to Bari this year (already walked from Bourg St Pierre to Viverone last Autumn) and am wondering how user friendly the route from Rome on to Brindisi is. I am walking on my own and need to work out whether there is enough accommodation to 'wing it' or whether I need to book every night ahead. I will get the book you suggest, I do have reasonably good italian for reading/understanding although speaking somewhat rusty it will come back. Any tips on best route/tricky sections of the route very welcome.
Happy New Year by the way
Tizy

 

[BobM]

Just wondering whether you have now walked Via Francigena del sud. I am planning to walk from Viverone to Bari this year .... and am wondering how user friendly the route from Rome on to Brindisi is. I am walking on my own and need to work out whether there is enough accommodation to 'wing it' or whether I need to book every night ahead. I will get the book you suggest, I do have reasonably good italian..... Any tips on best route/tricky sections of the route very welcome.
Tizy

I wrote an update for this forum each day using my mobile phone. You can see it here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-via-francigena-del-sud-rome-to-bari.40440/

As it was done 'on the run' at the end of each day, some of the comments are quite raw based on my feelings (not always positive) at that moment. Perhaps I was too quick to adopt the easy way out for the section from Benevento to Troia, mainly due to accommodation problems.

This walk was mentally the most difficult of all my long walks and I was a lot slower than I wished. I am sure that will be obvious from the text of my blog. But much of it was quite beautiful, and some of the old towns were exquisite.

I think winging it re accommodation might be problematic unless you are prepared to walk occasional long stages (eg 35km) or take chances with parish accommodation. Your Italian skills will be a great help.

Anyway, let me know if you need any more specific information.

Best wishes for 2017 and your walk.

 

[Tizy Wellesley Wesley]

I wrote an update for this forum each day using my mobile phone. You can see it here:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-via-francigena-del-sud-rome-to-bari.40440/

As it was done 'on the run' at the end of each day, some of the comments are quite raw based on my feelings (not always positive) at that moment. Perhaps I was too quick to adopt the easy way out for the section from Benevento to Troia, mainly due to accommodation problems.

This walk was mentally the most difficult of all my long walks and I was a lot slower than I wished. I am sure that will be obvious from the text of my blog. But much of it was quite beautiful, and some of the old towns were exquisite.

I think winging it re accommodation might be problematic unless you are prepared to walk occasional long stages (eg 35km) or take chances with parish accommodation. Your Italian skills will be a great help.

Anyway, let me know if you need any more specific information.

Best wishes for 2017 and your walk.

 

[Tizy Wellesley Wesley]

Thank you for this Bob, will read with interest! I may not make it to Brindisi until the Autumn, depends upon how long the Santhia to Rome part of the walk takes and how hot it's getting by the time I'm reaching the southern route. Did you carry all your kit the whole way? Perhaps I'll find out when I read...

Happy New Year to you

Tizy ww

 

[BobM]

Thank you for this Bob, will read with interest! I may not make it to Brindisi until the Autumn, depends upon how long the Santhia to Rome part of the walk takes and how hot it's getting by the time I'm reaching the southern route. Did you carry all your kit the whole way? .....Tizy ww

The southern route (ie after Rome) has quite a different feel compared to the northern route (ie before Rome). It seemed less inviting in a certain way and the locals sometimes seemed suspicious of itinerant walkers. You will see that in my blog. Of course it is possible to be oversensitive to these matters and other pilgrims might have a totally different experience.

I carried all my kit, including a bivvy bag and sleeping bag (not my usual sleeping bag liner) in case I needed to sleep out on the Via Egnatia that I had intended to walk after I got to Bari, plus guidebooks for both routes. That added a couple of extra kilos to my pack, bringing the weight up to about 12kg, including food and water. That's a few kg heavier than I usually carry and I think the extra weight made quite a difference.

There are no baggage transfer services on the VF south like on the Camino to Santiago and parts of the Via Podensis. Of course, you could always pay a taxi to take your pack to the next night's stop.

The section from Rome to Benevento is quite up and down because you are walking parallel to the foothills of the Apennines and are crossing the grain of the land (all the little valleys running out of the mountains). The altitudes themselves are no problem.

Regards

Bob M