Self Guided From
€715
  • Ticino Valley Natural Park
  • Castle of Ivrea (built in 1358)
  • Aosta valley & rice fields of Lomellina 
8 Days
7 Nights
254 Total kms
42.333333333333 km/day (avg)
mini-map
The Via Francigena is the major route used pilgrims on their way to Rome from Canterbury, England since the beginning of the 11th century. This tour follows a spectacular section of the pilgrimage route which leads through the Alpine valley of Aosta along the Dora and Ticino river. As you descend the river valleys, through a constantly changing terrain of mountains, rolling hills and rice fields, you pass by countless reminders of the Roman and Medieval periods. Apart from Aosta to Lake Viverone which has some hilly sections, this tour is made up of flat, easily cycled terrain.

Tour Route

Day
1
Arrival
to
Aosta

Individual arrival in Aosta
Day
2
Aosta
to
Chatillon/Saint Vincent

Today there some easy hills as you descend through the Aosta Valley along the right side of the river Dora, surrounded by mountains. Take some time to visit the castle of Fenis, one of the most beautiful of the region, before crossing the river to reach Saint Vincent and its famous Casino.
35km
Day
3
Chatillon/Saint Vincent
to
Pont S. Martin

Continuing through rolling hills, you cross the river a couple of times, descending towards the end of the valley. Along the route you can stop to visit the castle of Arnad and Donnas and the spectacular fortress of Bard. You pass on the route used by the ancient Romans and end the day in Pont St. Martin with its marvelous Roman bridge.
30km
Day
4
Pont S. Martin
to
Lake of Viverone

Today you leave Aosta valley to enter the Piemonte region. The route becomes easier and as you enter the plains with the moraines of Ivrea in the background. Stop in Ivrea for a break and take some time to wander on its narrow Medieval streets and visit the castle of the “Green Count”, before reaching the Lake of Viverone where you’ll spend the night .
51km
Day
5
Viverone
to
Vercelli

Now in the middle of the plains, the route is flat. You cross many rice fields, which are typical of this region and which transform into thousands of tiny lakes when completely flooded in summertime. The panorama is varied by the presence of the Partecipanza forest where the abbey of Lucedio is located. Vercelli is a large town with many monuments to be seen; do not miss the Basilica di Sant'Andrea, it was completed in 1227 and is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved Romanesque monuments in Italy.
55km
Day
6
Vercelli
to
Vigevano

Easy riding still on the plain; today you leave Piemonte and arrive in Lombardia. You cycle through the “lomellina” a fertile plains where rice fields are still the predominant landscape. Along the route we encounter the battlefield of Palestro which was a crucial battle in Second Italian War of Independence in 1859. Your final destination is Vigevano where you can visit Sforzesco Castle and the main square “Piazza Ducale”, designed by the famous renaissance architect Bramante.
40km
Day
7
Vigevano
to
Pavia

Shortly after leaving Vigevano we encounter the Ticino River natural park, the first riverside park established in Europe, where you follow an easy route along the clear waters and shading trees to finally cross a boat bridge. Before arriving in Pavia you encounter the Certosa, north of the town, which deserves a stop to admire its church and the monastery. The city of Pavia awaits you with its famous covered bridge over Ticino river and the middle age historical centre .
43km
Day
8
Pavia
to
Departure

Tour ends after breakfast.

FAQs

    • Accommodation in 3/4* hotels 
    • Breakfast Buffet 
    • Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel 
    • Road book, maps, tourist information in English
    • Telephone service hotline
    • Transfer from origin to starting point and return
    • Meals and beverages
    • Entrance fees to churches, museums etc..
    • Tips and personal expenses

  • The Via Francigena is a historical itinerary leading to Rome from Canterbury, a major route which in the past was used by thousands of pilgrims on their way to Rome. At the beginning of the 11th century mainly, a multitude of souls "looking for their Lost Heavenly Home" took the habit of travelling across Europe. This route bears witness to the importance of the practice of pilgrimage in medieval times; the pilgrim was to travel mostly on foot (for penitential reasons), covering about 20-25 Km a day, and was driven by a fundamentally devotional reason: the pilgrimage to the Holy Sites of Christianity. There were at the time three main centers of attraction for that journeying humanity: Rome, first of all, the site of the martyrdom of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; Santiago de Compostela, the place chosen by the apostle Saint James to rest in peace and obviously Jerusalem in the Holy Land. The pilgrim did not travel alone but in a group and he used to carry the pilgrimage emblems (the shell for Santiago de Compostela, the cross for Jerusalem and the key for Saint Peter in Rome). Along these very same pilgrim routes, an intense trading activity was carried out and armies followed the same itineraries in the course of their movements.

Prices

Low Season
11
Apr
13
Jun

High Season
13
Jun
12
Sep

Low Season
12
Sep
10
Oct

Self Guided / per person
Standard Adult Double €715€765€715
Adult Single €875€925€875

Notes
minimum 2 people | Other dates available for a group of 4 people or more | contact for extra nights availability

Extras

Bike rental €95
e-Bike rental €170
Departure transfer €85
Extra Nights Available / shared y
Extra Nights Available / single y
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