In recent years, pilgrim routes have become one of the most beloved forms of experiential tourism, driven by a growing focus on slowness, sustainability, and travel as an inner practice. With these audio guides, you can walk some of the most evocative trails leading to Rome: the Via Francigena, the Via Francigena nel Sud, and the Way of Saint Francis. Walking towards Rome means crossing landscapes, history, and spirituality.
Available itineraries
FRANCIGENA – Campagnano di Roma/La Storta
The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrimage route that connected Canterbury, in England, to Rome. This stretch, between Campagnano di Roma and La Storta, represents one of the final stages of the long journey undertaken by medieval pilgrims heading to the Eternal City.
Campagnano di Roma is a charming hilltop town located in the Lazio region, about 35 kilometres north of Rome. Its historic centre, perched on a tufa cliff, preserves the memory of centuries of history, with its medieval streets and ancient buildings that still bear witness to the passage of countless pilgrims over the centuries.
From Campagnano, the route winds through the Roman countryside, crossing a landscape of extraordinary beauty characterised by rolling hills, dense oak woods, and the typical vegetation of the Roman Agro. Along the way, pilgrims can admire the remains of ancient Roman roads, medieval towers, and rural churches that punctuate the landscape like silent sentinels of history.
La Storta, the final destination of this stage, is a small locality on the outskirts of Rome, historically known as the place where Saint Ignatius of Loyola had a famous mystical vision in 1537. It was here, in a small chapel, that Ignatius received what he described as a divine confirmation of his mission, an event that would prove fundamental to the founding of the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits.
This stretch of the Via Francigena, approximately 25 kilometres long, offers walkers not only a physical journey but also a profound spiritual and cultural experience, immersing them in the history and traditions that have shaped the identity of this land for millennia.
After Campagnano, travellers can admire the landscape of the Lazio countryside and visit the church of the Madonna del Sorbo in the Veio Park. The route continues through the Valle del Sorbo as far as Formello, with a stop at Palazzo Chigi, and then on towards Isola Farnese and La Storta, where refreshments and water are available. The route incorporates the final stretches of other European pilgrimage paths leading to Rome, including the Cyril and Methodius Itinerary, the Romea Strata, the Romea Germanica and the Via Amerina.
La Storta / Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican
The last stage towards Rome begins along the busy Via Cassia, crosses the Grande Raccordo Anulare (Rome's ring road) and continues through the greenery of the Insugherata Park up to Monte Mario. From the viewpoint of "Mons Gaudii" (Mount of Joy), one enjoys a splendid view before descending towards St. Peter's Square, with fountains and refreshment points along the way. An approved variant leads along the Monte Mario – Monte Ciocci Cycling and Pedestrian Path to the Vatican Walls, passing in front of Santa Maria della Pietà.
Velletri / Castel Gandolfo
From Piazza Garibaldi to Velletri, the route crosses the Castelli Romani Regional Park and enters the village of Nemi, passing the Church of the Crocifisso and Palazzo Ruspoli up to the Belvedere. The path continues through woodlands and along the Via dei Laghi, passing beneath the Rocca di Papa-Ariccia road, as far as the Capuchin Monastery in Albano Laziale. The stage ends at Castel Gandolfo in Piazza della Libertà, in front of the Pontifical Palace.
Castel Gandolfo/ Basilica
This final stage follows the Via Appia Antica from Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo to Rome, passing through Marino and Via del Sassone, the Appia Nuova and the Nettunense, and entering the Regional Park of the Appia Antica. Along the way, visitors encounter the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, Porta San Sebastiano, the Baths of Caracalla, and the Circus Maximus, before reaching Piazza Venezia. Finally, the route crosses the Tiber along Via della Conciliazione to arrive at St. Peter's Square.
Way/Path of Saint Francis
The double stage covers 33.2 km: the first part from Monterotondo to Piazza Sempione (17.9 km) and the second from Piazza Sempione to the Basilica of Saint Peter (15.3 km). The route crosses the hills of the Sabina region, wide countryside and pastures, the Marcigliana Nature Reserve and the via della Bufalotta up to Monte Sacro. The final kilometres follow parks, the banks of the Aniene and Tiber rivers, leading to Castel Sant'Angelo and Saint Peter's Square, where the journey concludes with the collection of the testimonium.
