“Step back in time to the Middle Ages and imagine life as a pilgrim passing Monteriggioni Castle and traveling along the Via Francigena to Abbadiaa Isola, home to a Romanesque church, cloister and pilgrims’ hostel. You will meet many people along the way, people who seem to have leapt from the pages of history, telling stories and bringing history to life. Imagine that it is the year 1213…”
The Via Francigena: a stroll through history is an educational experience that brings history to life. You will learn about life in the past from historical characters in the very places where important events took place centuries ago.
There are two possible routes, the first is 3 km (lasting 3.5 hours) and the second is 5 km (lasting 4.5 hours):
1) 3 km route – we meet in front of the church at Abbadiaa Isola and begin by visiting the church and cloister. We then walk along the Via Francigena from Abbadiaa Isola towards Monteriggioni Castle, passing through a beautiful level landscape full of historical interest. We will take a break in the woods to enjoy a rustic picnic. We then walk on to Monteriggioni Castle, entering the town through the Porta Fiorentina gate. In Monteriggioni we will visit the town’s Lombard Tower to the north and the Porta Franca gate to the south. To end the itinerary, we will visit the Monteriggioni in Arme museum and church.
2) 5 km route – This walk begins at Castello di Strove, a small and delightful town with ancient walled fortifications. From here we walk to Castel Petraio, whose history will be fully explained by your guide. We then walk through the woods towards Abbadiaa Isola, where we will take a break to enjoy a rustic picnic.
