Via Francigena is one of the most popular routes for walkers of all ages and in 1994, it was designated a Council of Europe Cultural Route. The over one thousand kilometres of its Italian section connect Passo del Gran San Bernardo and Rome, crossing the heart of the Apennines in the provinces of Piacenza and Parma.
Here is an itinerary to have an unforgettable experience, among abbeys, parishes and cathedrals that have a long story to tell.
The Via Francigena enters the Piacenza area at the Guado di Sigerico.
After a short stretch along the Po River embankment and several straight sections on provincial roads, it reaches the outskirts of Piacenza passing through Piazzale delle Crociate, the splendid Piazza Cavalli, and finally rejoining the Via Emilia.
Traveling upstream along the Nure Stream, through woods and countryside, you’ll first reach Paderna Castle and then the Cistercian Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba.
Not to be missed
Every year, between May and June, the Cistercian Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba hosts the famous “ Infiorata del Corpus Domini,” during which a stunning carpet of flowers is laid out along the central nave of the basilica.
The route then continues into the Parma area, eventually reaching Fidenza, the second-largest city in the province after Parma.
The Cathedral of Fidenza (or Cathedral of San Donnino) was once a mandatory stop for pilgrims heading to Rome. It remains so today for all hikers who wish to undertake the journey, perhaps after stocking up on anolini topped with a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano.
To taste
There are many cheese farms to visit and dairy delicacies to sample in this area.
Getting back on the road, you arrive in Cabriolo with its small but beautiful Pieve di Cabriolo, a Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket.
You continue then towards the remains of Noceto fortress, Felegara and Fornovo, where the statue of the pilgrim in front of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta points the way.
From Fornovo, following the Val Sporzana, you arrive at the small village of Respiccio, where the ruins of an ancient xenodochium— —still stand; in the Middle Ages, it was used by travelers and pilgrims.
From here, the Via Francigena is also known as the Strada di Monte Bardone, and the climb toward the Cisa Pass begins.
Following the trail, you reach Bardone, where pilgrims come upon the Romanesque parish church of Terenzo, and finally, after a challenging climb along the Val Baganza, the small hamlet of Cassio, characterized by a stone-paved street.
Interesting Facts
In Cassio, the ancient tradition of stoneworking continues to this day, carried on by the so-called “scalpellini” (stonemasons).
From Cassio, the route runs parallel to the Strada Statale della Cisa before winding its way to Berceto, where the
Cathedral —founded during the Lombard era—amazes visitors with its grandeur and magnificence.
Here, the numerous traditional local dishes featuring Berceto porcini mushrooms are undoubtedly worth trying.
Eight kilometers from Berceto, the Cisa Pass, with the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia, bids farewell to pilgrims as they prepare to leave the region of Emilia.
