Via Francigena

The ancient route has been structured today as a Path thanks to the travel diary of an illustrious pilgrim, Sigeric: after being ordained in Rome as Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope John in 990, he returned home noting on two handwritten pages the 79 mansiones (stopping places) where he stayed overnight. Thanks to these precious travel notes, the “Via Francigena according to Sigeric’s itinerary” is today a reality that connects Northern and Southern Europe.
Bolsena is one of the ancient mansiones noted in Sigeric’s diary, specifically, starting from Rome, the eighth: “VIII Sca Cristina”.
In today’s Path, Bolsena is the arrival point of the Acquapendente – Bolsena section (no. 38) and the starting point of the Bolsena – Montefiascone stage (no. 39). Stage no. 38 starts from the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Acquapendente and arrives at the Basilica of Santa Cristina in Bolsena: the route is 22.9 km long; of medium difficulty, it can be completed in about 5.30 hours. Stage no. 39 starts from the Basilica of Santa Cristina in Bolsena and arrives at the Rocca dei Papi in Montefiascone, a town also located on the lake shore; the route is 18.2 km long; of medium difficulty, it can be completed in about 4.30 hours.

The arrival in Bolsena, among dirt roads and olive groves with a view of the lake, is at the city’s symbolic place and pilgrimage destination for the worship of the tomb and catacombs of Santa Cristina, the young martyr whose story is told in the early hagiography written at the beginning of the 5th century; her body is preserved in the catacomb incorporated into the complex basilica that bears her name.

Leaving Bolsena through Porta Romana, toward Montefiascone, along stage no. 39, you cross the Archaeological Nature Park of Turona, rich in waterfalls and lush undergrowth. Very evocative is the following part of the Path where you also walk on the ancient Roman cobblestones of the Via Cassia.