People have often asked me which places in Italy they should visit. They then run through a list of sights they are anxious to see or feel they must visit. My usual advice is to go to fewer places and stay longer. It is my opinion that what makes Italy such an appealing place is the culture and it takes slowing down to truly appreciate that.
That is why this experience of walking on the Via Francigena is so meaningful to me. We are able to take our time and see everyday life close up. We can say hello to the people working in their gardens and ask the woman walking her dog for directions. We are sitting in the laundromat talking with an elderly woman waiting for our clothes to dry. People along the Via want to know where we are from and how far we are walking.
When we have traveled in the past, I have frequently asked David to pull the car over so I can take some photographs. Often, by the time it is safe to do that, the view or situation that I wanted to capture is gone. Now, I am on foot so I am moving slowly and have plenty of time to take in the details and take photos whenever I want.
Today, we walked through farmyards and visited churches from the 12th century. We walked fhrough a village where the main piazza is a large pool (a thermal bath called a terme) that dates back to the Etruscan culture, 250 years before Christ. We climbed a defensive tower that was built when Siena ruled this part of Italy and we had a 360 degree view of the countryside. I am not sure if it reassured us or discouraged us when we could see tomorrow’s destination (the tower of Radicofani) on the horizon.
Today’s mileage - 6.2 plus 3 miles of sightseeing.
Love taking this journey with you via your photo journal 📓 😘
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