The Way of St Francis. The Reverend Sandy Brown

Santa Croce

      Home to the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and many other notable Italians, Basilica Santa Croce is arguably Florence’s most beautiful worship space. Important Gaddi and Giotto frescoes adorn its ceilings and the adjacent Franciscan convent houses clothing and other relics of St Francis. A €6 admission fee allows entry during its 9.30am–5.00pm hours (Monday−Saturday; 1.00pm–5.00pm on Sunday). The basilica offers a credential stamp in its bookstore, just off the right side of the nave near the sacristy.

      From the west side of Piazza Santa Croce follow the Stage 1 route, taking a right along Via Giuseppe Verdi and a left onto Via degli Alfani. Turn right in four long blocks onto Via Ricasoli and in a half block come to the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s ‘David.’ Plan to make a reservation in advance, then arrive 30 minutes prior (www.uffizi.com).

      After a busy day of monuments and museums, enjoy a pleasant evening stroll through the Piazza della Signoria or the Piazza della Republica. For restaurants with typical Tuscan dishes, though, leave the tourists behind and go a block or two off the main track where adventures in typical Italian dining await. Ask for the zuppa di cipole (onion soup) or the pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup). The bold can try trippa al Fiorentina (tripe) for a main course, or perhaps a bistecca Fiorentina – the famous local version of the classic T−bone steak.

      1 FLORENCE TO SANTUARIO DELLA VERNA

      Views of vineyards and mountains beyond from just below Diacceto (Stage 2)

      Standing at the edge of the Late Middle Ages, a time of the dominion of religion and the Church, Michelangelo and his fellow artists looked within Biblical stories for the classic and timeless beauty in their subjects. Their work gave rebirth to the Classical Era, and foreshadowed the Enlightenment and its love of science and nature.

      The walk from Florence to Santuario della Verna reverses that progression, as pilgrims walk back in time from the Renaissance into the medieval world of faith. This six-day part of the Way of St Francis carries the walker from the marble statues and frescoed vaults of Florence to remote mountain retreats where centuries earlier reclusive monks, nuns and friars tamed their inner demons to find union with their Creator. The goal, Santuario della Verna, is a mountaintop retreat held dear by St Francis, who loved it for its seclusion.

      In Stage 2 comes the moment of transition: turning away from the cultivated vineyards and olive groves of the Arno River Valley at Diacceto, the path takes the pilgrim directly ahead into the deep forests of the looming Central Apennine mountain range. The cultured walls of Renaissance Florence fade into memory as the pilgrim meets the friendly solitude of nature, so prized by mystics.

      The route, sometimes wild and untamed, climbs up mountains and down into valleys, all within the drainage of the Arno and its tributaries. After Pontassieve the settlements are mostly mountain hamlets, with Stia and its neighbor, Pratovecchio, the largest towns. From Consuma onward each village on the itinerary serves in some form as a gateway to the vast Casentino National Park and Forest, whose 826 square kilometers of forests and mountains are carefully managed by the Italian government. These rugged woodlands are home to diverse plants and wildlife, including deer, wolves and wild boar. Since this section of trail has only recently become official, waymarks can be spotty and trails poorly maintained.

      Recreational tourists far outnumber pilgrim walkers on these mountain trails, but pilgrims benefit from an infrastructure of economical lodging and services. The route at times treads portions of other important trail routes – the Grande Escursione Appenninica, the Sentiero Italia, the Cammino di San Vicino, and the lush and beautiful Sentiero delle Foreste Sacre near La Verna.

      Hermits, monks and friars – travelers along the active and cloistered walks toward God – can be found along these trails at two of Italy’s most revered religious communities. Eremo Camaldoli has been home to monks for nearly 1000 years, while this section’s end point, Santuario della Verna, is an active Franciscan community inaugurated by St Francis himself. Pilgrims may want to plan an extra night here to enjoy Franciscan hospitality, visit the many chapels and monuments, and spend extra hours in contemplation at one of Italy’s most holy sites.

STAGE 1

      Florence to Pontassieve

Start	Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence
Finish	Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, Pontassieve
Distance	18.9km
Total ascent	494m
Total descent	450m
Difficulty	Easy
Duration	4¾hrs
Note	Santa Croce doesn’t open until 9.30am so you should visit its bookshop the day before to acquire the stamp for your credential.

      Memories of Renaissance masterpieces fade quickly as this stage travels along quiet bends of the scenic Arno River and briefly among olive groves before coming to modern, but charming Pontassieve.

      FLORENCE 50MPOP 367,796

      Florence’s many works of art and culture deserve additional study beyond the scope of this book. If you have never visited Florence, plan at least 1–2 days to enjoy its sites with a good guide or guidebook.

      Make your way from the most common entry point – Santa Maria Novella train station – to the starting point of the first stage of the Way of St Francis at the Basilica Santa Croce. As well as being the largest Franciscan church in the world, the Basilica Santa Croce is sometimes called the ‘mausoleum of Italy’ since it contains the tombs of some of Italy’s most revered citizens. The basilica itself is darker and more dense with color than its more famous sibling, the Duomo of Florence. Spend time here to enjoy the ornate tombs and rich frescoes. Entry costs €6 and visiting time is from 9.30am−5.00pm Monday to Saturday, and 1.00pm−5.00pm Sunday. Watch for closures on special holidays. A lovely pilgrim stamp (timbro) is available at the bookshop inside the main basilica.

      As one of Italy’s main tourist destinations, Florence has hundreds of hotels. Two on the lower end of the price scale and near the train station are the recently renovated Hotel Eden (Via Nazionale 55, tel [phone], [email protected], €50/60, breakfast included) and Hotel Accademia (Via Faenza 7, tel [phone], [email protected], €50/55, breakfast included). Florence also has several hostels, but most popular among pilgrims and near the Campo di Marte is 7 Santi Hostel (Viale dei Mille 11, tel [phone], [email protected], from €19), set in a former monastery. Another fine choice is Hostel Santa Monaca set in a 15th century-convent in the Santo Spirito quarter (Via S. Monaca 5, tel [phone], [email protected], from €11).

      At the steps of Basilica Santa Croce, facing the church, follow the street to the right until