Florence to Rome through Assisi In Winter - Advice

[Schmutdo]

Hey all,

I want to walk the Via di Francesco in December. I know it's not ideal, but it might be my only shot for a really long time.

I'm going back to school to change careers and I'll have a gap in my co op for 30 some days from mid December to mid January.

I want to practice my Italian, grow stronger in my faith, and lose weight. I feel like this is a great way to do all three.

I walked the Camino Frances a couple years ago and loved it.

The only problem is that I will have to do this over my winter semester. While the program is completely online I worry about my laptop getting too cold and having Internet connection. Do you think these are valid concerns?

Also, are there a lot of hostels like the Camino? If so how expensive does this trip usually break down to per day?

Thank you all and God bless!

 

[roving_rufus]

I walked a bit of the Via Francigena in Italy in January 2020, and with freezing fog and below freezing temperatures my phone did struggle, as did I. Equally I struggled with finding accommodation open so far out of season on it, and other places like restaurants may close too in the low season.
Just note that Christmas, New Year and Epiphany are big holidays and many businesses close up - some over the entire festive period, others just for the day. This means you really need to have a plan in place and carry extra food supplies.

I can't comment with specifics for the route you have chosen, but it is worth reading some of the info on the forum for winter caminos because while you may be in Italy there will be similarities.

 

[KFH]

Pick up Sandy Brown's book from Cicerone. Really well done. I bought it during one of my 'WhereShouldIGo?' offseason frenzies wherein I fixate on a potential route for weeks at a time before changing my mind again.

Way of St Francis: From Florence to Assisi and Rome - Guidebooks by Sandy Brown

sandybrownbooks.com

 

[Schmutdo]

I walked a bit of the Via Francigena in Italy in January 2020, and with freezing fog and below freezing temperatures my phone did struggle, as did I. Equally I struggled with finding accommodation open so far out of season on it, and other places like restaurants may close too in the low season.
Just note that Christmas, New Year and Epiphany are big holidays and many businesses close up - some over the entire festive period, others just for the day. This means you really need to have a plan in place and carry extra food supplies.

I can't comment with specifics for the route you have chosen, but it is worth reading some of the info on the forum for winter caminos because while you may be in Italy there will be similarities.

Really? Below freezing? I think the trail walks from Florence to Rome and it looks like the temp is around 50 degrees F which isn't that bad. Is that inaccurate?

That's a good point about the holidays. I have family in Italy so I might be able to take a break if it's only a day. Maybe, hard to say if that would work.

I'll definitely check out the threads related to winter Camino. Thank you!

 

[roving_rufus]

Really? Below freezing? I think the trail walks from Florence to Rome and it looks like the temp is around 50 degrees F which isn't that bad. Is that inaccurate?

That's a good point about the holidays. I have family in Italy so I might be able to take a break if it's only a day. Maybe, hard to say if that would work.

I'll definitely check out the threads related to winter Camino. Thank you!

I got a few really cold days - and they can happen in Northern Italy, it's even possible for snow to fall in Rome. But I looked at January 2024 temperatures- there were days in Florence with high of 18°C but also overnight temps of -3°C and a huge range in between

 

[Seabeggar]

If you mean to go via La Verna to Assissi prepare for full winter weather, including snow & mud in the mountains. I had snow laying 2 days in early May. Some remote sections with no immediate shelter or escape.

 

[Schmutdo]

Pick up Sandy Brown's book from Cicerone. Really well done. I bought it during one of my 'WhereShouldIGo?' offseason frenzies wherein I fixate on a potential route for weeks at a time before changing my mind again.

Way of St Francis: From Florence to Assisi and Rome - Guidebooks by Sandy Brown

sandybrownbooks.com

Nice! Do they go into walking it during the winter?

If you mean to go via La Verna to Assissi prepare for full winter weather, including snow & mud in the mountains. I had snow laying 2 days in early May. Some remote sections with no immediate shelter or escape.

Okay, that temperature doesn't sound too bad. Will it be at all dangerous? I'm unfamiliar with the hike.

 

[debra]

I biked the route in February years back. I saw zero other pilgrims and saw snow, ice and cold weather, on my trip 50F would have been daytime highs and not found in the morning when starting out. Second low cost housing closed in the winter in most locations, as such I used booking.com daily for housing with low prices due to low demand. I did use the both the Sandy Brown book and the Angela Maria Seracchioli book. https://www.amazon.it/saint-Francis...e+road+of+saint+francis&qid=1725029914&sr=8-1

 

[andycohn]

Hey all,

I want to walk the Via di Francesco in December. I know it's not ideal, but it might be my only shot for a really long time.

I'm going back to school to change careers and I'll have a gap in my co op for 30 some days from mid December to mid January.

I want to practice my Italian, grow stronger in my faith, and lose weight. I feel like this is a great way to do all three.

I walked the Camino Frances a couple years ago and loved it.

The only problem is that I will have to do this over my winter semester. While the program is completely online I worry about my laptop getting too cold and having Internet connection. Do you think these are valid concerns?

Also, are there a lot of hostels like the Camino? If so how expensive does this trip usually break down to per day?

Thank you all and God bless!

I would gently suggest you change your choice of routes, unless you're comfortable with walking through very isolated countryside in potentially extreme weather. The Via di Francesco bears little resemblance to the Camino Frances. It passes through mountainous country, with long stages between stopping places, and much of it is far removed from civilization. As others have pointed out, you'll be facing full winter weather, and you can't use Florence as a weather comparison because Florence is at a much lower altitude. (I have only walked pieces of it myself, but I know the area).

There are other routes in Italy that might be preferable in mid-winter. For example, my wife and I walked the last 100 k of the Via Francigena -- from Viterbo to Rome -- in December some years ago, and the weather was fine for walking. In general, the Via Francigena in southern Tuscany and Lazio is far less isolated, so you'll find more places to stay, and will generally be nearer to civilization. The Via Francigena del Sud, running south from Rome, is another possibility. @jungleboy recently described the Via Elenica in Puglia, and that would be a further possibility because it is at low altitude and in the south of Italy. Ditto some routes in Sicily, such as the Magna Via Francigena, which I walked last spring.

 

[Schmutdo]

I would gently suggest you change your choice of routes, unless you're comfortable with walking through very isolated countryside in potentially extreme weather. The Via di Francesco bears little resemblance to the Camino Frances. It passes through mountainous country, with long stages between stopping places, and much of it is far removed from civilization. As others have pointed out, you'll be facing full winter weather, and you can't use Florence as a weather comparison because Florence is at a much lower altitude. (I have only walked pieces of it myself, but I know the area).

There are other routes in Italy that might be preferable in mid-winter. For example, my wife and I walked the last 100 k of the Via Francigena -- from Viterbo to Rome -- in December some years ago, and the weather was fine for walking. In general, the Via Francigena in southern Tuscany and Lazio is far less isolated, so you'll find more places to stay, and will generally be nearer to civilization. The Via Francigena del Sud, running south from Rome, is another possibility. @jungleboy recently described the Via Elenica in Puglia, and that would be a further possibility because it is at low altitude and in the south of Italy. Ditto some routes in Sicily, such as the Magna Via Francigena, which I walked last spring.

I would gently suggest you change your choice of routes, unless you're comfortable with walking through very isolated countryside in potentially extreme weather. The Via di Francesco bears little resemblance to the Camino Frances. It passes through mountainous country, with long stages between stopping places, and much of it is far removed from civilization. As others have pointed out, you'll be facing full winter weather, and you can't use Florence as a weather comparison because Florence is at a much lower altitude. (I have only walked pieces of it myself, but I know the area).

There are other routes in Italy that might be preferable in mid-winter. For example, my wife and I walked the last 100 k of the Via Francigena -- from Viterbo to Rome -- in December some years ago, and the weather was fine for walking. In general, the Via Francigena in southern Tuscany and Lazio is far less isolated, so you'll find more places to stay, and will generally be nearer to civilization. The Via Francigena del Sud, running south from Rome, is another possibility. @jungleboy recently described the Via Elenica in Puglia, and that would be a further possibility because it is at low altitude and in the south of Italy. Ditto some routes in Sicily, such as the Magna Via Francigena, which I walked last spring.

Thank you for your honesty. I think I needed that.

The Via Franciggena del sud looks amazing!!! Do you have any experience with that? Do you think that will be safe?

Plus, I think it passes through my grandmother's village!

 

[GPeachy]

I live 17 KM from Assisi. It is cold here in November. When we moved here from the US I was kicking myself for getting rid of all my flannel sheets thinking we wouldn't need them. It normally doesn't snow in the low areas where we live, but it does snow in the mountains. Even without the snow the temps are in the 30s, not the 50s (in F). It can also be windy, which makes it feel even colder.

 

[JamesG]

I hiked from Lucca to Rome November 2023. More wet and damp than cold the first 100k. Perfectly safe, nothing to challenging and longest day was about 32k ish. I stayed mostly in pensions and hotels all of which were great experiences.

Buen Camino!

 

[andycohn]

Thank you for your honesty. I think I needed that.

The Via Franciggena del sud looks amazing!!! Do you have any experience with that? Do you think that will be safe?

Plus, I think it passes through my grandmother's village!

There you go! Seems like a better choice for that time of year. I have't walked the VF del Sud, but I've spent time in southern Italy, and the weather should be perfectly fine. Maybe akin to Cincinnati in October (just a guess; I've never actually been in your home town). Another advantage is that the area through which you'll pass is much less touristed than (for example) the Tuscany of the Via Francigena, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to practice your Italian as English will be much less widely diffused. Indeed, you may find that you're something of a curiosity -- an American in winter -- and local people will seek you out.

You can find threads on the Via Francigena del Sud on the Forum here by using the search button. I know @timr has walked it, and he's likely to chime in if you have questions. There's also a guidebook in English published by Terre di Mezzo. If you can't find it on Amazon in the US, the Italian bookseller, IBS.it, offers reasonable shipping rates.

If your safety concern is about fear of being assaulted, the chances of anything happening to you are way lower than in the US. Of course s--t can happen anywhere, but if you were comfortable walking the Camino Frances you'll feel no less comfortable in Italy. It will be a lot more of a solo experience, however.

 

[Janade]

I walked the Way of St Frances starting in Florence in late April and it was chilly, especially at night. At times we would sleep in all of our clothes, our coats, hats, and gloves, huddled in our sleeping bags and under any thin blankets we were provided and still had uncomfortable nights.

What you need to understand is that you will be hiking mountain trails for a good portion of this route to La Verna and even some onto Assisi. We often didn’t see anyone on the trail all day and only had a few pilgrims in the places we stayed. There is not the infrastructure that the Spanish Caminos offer. We often did not have cell service during the day (and sometimes not in the places we stayed at night). If we had gotten into trouble, we would have been on our own to get out of it. No one will be coming along the trail in the next ten minutes and there is not another village in 5km like you find on the Spanish ways.

I am a seasoned hiker living in the Rocky Mountain area if the US and I found that the hiking was difficult at times with steep ascents and descents. We skipped a section after La Verna due to bad weather and were glad of it when one of the pilgrims we met that night told us that they had been frightened they might die as the trail was so dangerous and slippery. Another pilgrim had fallen and his journey ended due to his injuries.

If you were my child I would strongly caution you not to attempt this in the winter. As others have mentioned, there are other Caminos in Italy that would not involve mountain hiking or isolation. You would also probably would not have as many weather related issues.

 

[Corned Beef]

Could I echo the comments above about not walking the mountainous centre of Italy in the winter. And having been on the Via Francigena del Sud this year suggest you don't do that either unless you like a lot of road walking. Also Italy is not expensive but it is more expensive than Spain especially in some of the coastal towns.

From a geography point of view, starting in Southern Europe in December gives you more chance of avoiding the sort of weather that would make your walk unpleasant. Have you considered the Camino Portuguese from say Lisbon to Santiago? Or part of the Via de La Plata from Seville? Portugal is cheaper than Spain if cost is an issue.

 

[Pilgrim 122]

Hello
I walked the via di Francesco from Assisi to Rome in February 2017.It was very cold with freezing fog and when I got to Rieti there was some heavy snowfall. I spent an extra day in Rieti waiting to see if it would clear but it was very deep and I had to abandon the rest of the walk and take the train straight to Rome where it had also been snowing. I managed to find accommodation which I booked before I left I think most of it was in the Way of St Francis guide mentioned above. I also walked part of the via Francigena del sud to Monte Sant'Angelo in February 2022 the weather was fine,. I even had to buy a sun hat one day so going further south you are more likely to be ok. The last time I walked in winter in Italy was Feb 2023 heading north from Siena on the Via Francigena (in reverse) , there was no snow but an icy cold wind that cut right through me and the many layers of clothing I was wearing. I thought Tuscany would be ok at that time of the year and the local people said it usually is so I was just unfortunate. I know Its all part of the pilgrimage but I'm avoiding the winter months now. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[KWay]

Hey all,

I want to walk the Via di Francesco in December. I know it's not ideal, but it might be my only shot for a really long time.

I'm going back to school to change careers and I'll have a gap in my co op for 30 some days from mid December to mid January.

I want to practice my Italian, grow stronger in my faith, and lose weight. I feel like this is a great way to do all three.

I walked the Camino Frances a couple years ago and loved it.

The only problem is that I will have to do this over my winter semester. While the program is completely online I worry about my laptop getting too cold and having Internet connection. Do you think these are valid concerns?

Also, are there a lot of hostels like the Camino? If so how expensive does this trip usually break down to per day?

Thank you all and God bless!

We walked from Assisi to Rome in October. The weather was pretty good, can’t talk to December though. But, I would caution that it is much more mountainous than the Camino and it takes more planning, as towns are further apart and accommodations are harder to find. Another thing to keep in mind, when we went in October it was dark by about 5pm. Again, I haven’t walked it in December, but I would not recommend it based on my October experience!

 

[Schmutdo]

There you go! Seems like a better choice for that time of year. I have't walked the VF del Sud, but I've spent time in southern Italy, and the weather should be perfectly fine. Maybe akin to Cincinnati in October (just a guess; I've never actually been in your home town). Another advantage is that the area through which you'll pass is much less touristed than (for example) the Tuscany of the Via Francigena, so you'll have plenty of opportunity to practice your Italian as English will be much less widely diffused. Indeed, you may find that you're something of a curiosity -- an American in winter -- and local people will seek you out.

You can find threads on the Via Francigena del Sud on the Forum here by using the search button. I know @timr has walked it, and he's likely to chime in if you have questions. There's also a guidebook in English published by Terre di Mezzo. If you can't find it on Amazon in the US, the Italian bookseller, IBS.it, offers reasonable shipping rates.

If your safety concern is about fear of being assaulted, the chances of anything happening to you are way lower than in the US. Of course s--t can happen anywhere, but if you were comfortable walking the Camino Frances you'll feel no less comfortable in Italy. It will be a lot more of a solo experience, however.

Sorry for the late response. Busy weekend.

If it's like fall in Cincinnati it will be perfect. That's my favorite weather by far.

I bought a guidebook, so I should be getting it soon. God willing!

No, I wasn't really afraid of being assaulted. I just wanted to know if there was anything I should look out for. Mainly with the weather.

This trail being more solo and quiet will probably be a good thing. I will be taking online classes so I will need to find time to study. As long as I can talk to one or two people in Italian the day will be worth it!

 

[Schmutdo]

I walked the Way of St Frances starting in Florence in late April and it was chilly, especially at night. At times we would sleep in all of our clothes, our coats, hats, and gloves, huddled in our sleeping bags and under any thin blankets we were provided and still had uncomfortable nights.

What you need to understand is that you will be hiking mountain trails for a good portion of this route to La Verna and even some onto Assisi. We often didn’t see anyone on the trail all day and only had a few pilgrims in the places we stayed. There is not the infrastructure that the Spanish Caminos offer. We often did not have cell service during the day (and sometimes not in the places we stayed at night). If we had gotten into trouble, we would have been on our own to get out of it. No one will be coming along the trail in the next ten minutes and there is not another village in 5km like you find on the Spanish ways.

I am a seasoned hiker living in the Rocky Mountain area if the US and I found that the hiking was difficult at times with steep ascents and descents. We skipped a section after La Verna due to bad weather and were glad of it when one of the pilgrims we met that night told us that they had been frightened they might die as the trail was so dangerous and slippery. Another pilgrim had fallen and his journey ended due to his injuries.

If you were my child I would strongly caution you not to attempt this in the winter. As others have mentioned, there are other Caminos in Italy that would not involve mountain hiking or isolation. You would also probably would not have as many weather related issues.

I appreciate your response. I'm taking your all's advice and not doing the Via Di Francesco, but I'm looking into the Via Franciggena del sud. Do you have any experience with that?

 

[Schmutdo]

Could I echo the comments above about not walking the mountainous centre of Italy in the winter. And having been on the Via Francigena del Sud this year suggest you don't do that either unless you like a lot of road walking. Also Italy is not expensive but it is more expensive than Spain especially in some of the coastal towns.

From a geography point of view, starting in Southern Europe in December gives you more chance of avoiding the sort of weather that would make your walk unpleasant. Have you considered the Camino Portuguese from say Lisbon to Santiago? Or part of the Via de La Plata from Seville? Portugal is cheaper than Spain if cost is an issue.

Yeah, I really liked the idea of going on the Camino Portuguese, but I was hoping to do one in Italy as I was hoping to practice my Italian.

Ah gotcha, so southern Italy would be more expensive than Spain? Are there still options for Pilgrim housing like on the Camino?

Are the towns spread out like I've been seeing on the Via Di Francesco? Or are they close together like on the Camino Frances?

Thank you for your time!

 

[krystianw]

The only problem is that I will have to do this over my winter semester. While the program is completely online I worry about my laptop getting too cold and having Internet connection. Do you think these are valid concerns?

I don't think it's going to be all that cold. Or at least it doesn't look bad on CaminoWeather. (Here's the link for December: https://caminoweather.com/francesco/example/december). Either way, don't worry about your computer, I say this as an IT guy. Even if you were to turn on your laptop at sub-zero temperatures, it'll warm up in a few minutes. The inside of a laptop is actually really hot, a lot of engineering goes into keeping them from melting.

Also, are there a lot of hostels like the Camino? If so how expensive does this trip usually break down to per day?

Looks like the Via di Francesco is pretty well-documented on Gronze, so you could just look up distances/prices over there: https://www.gronze.com/camino-san-francesco

 

[Liica]

Hey all,

I want to walk the Via di Francesco in December. I know it's not ideal, but it might be my only shot for a really long time.

I'm going back to school to change careers and I'll have a gap in my co op for 30 some days from mid December to mid January.

I want to practice my Italian, grow stronger in my faith, and lose weight. I feel like this is a great way to do all three.

I walked the Camino Frances a couple years ago and loved it.

The only problem is that I will have to do this over my winter semester. While the program is completely online I worry about my laptop getting too cold and having Internet connection. Do you think these are valid concerns?

Also, are there a lot of hostels like the Camino? If so how expensive does this trip usually break down to per day?

Thank you all and God bless!

Via di Francesco is very secluded in a few areas and specially the second, third stages the internet is almost unavailable (at least were I stayed). I can’t imagine how it is in December. You will hike in some very isolated and possibly snowing areas in the mountains (specially first stages) and I don’t think it’s a good idea actually. I’d suggest some other Camino, a bit more flat and less secluded for this time of year.