St Francis Way Tuscany
Walking Italy’s Beautiful Camino Through Tuscany
Spain is normally associated with the Camino and perhaps France or Portugal. However, we were fortunate to try out a more recent route where Irish walkers are now heading – the Italian St Francis Way.
This magnificent walk takes you through the stunning landscape of Tuscany in Northern Italy. While the original pilgrimage route stretches from Canterbury to Rome via Assisi, the Tuscan section lies just north of Assisi and offers some of the most rewarding walking in Europe.
Camino Ways organised the trip and we were part of a special group led by Philip Cawley of Today FM. Philip also organises annual walking tours, including another planned for the autumn from Sarria on the final 120km of the famous French Camino to Santiago.
It proved to be one of the finest walking holidays I have ever experienced.
Related Reading: Read our guides to Lucca, Siena, and other Italian destinations on the blog.
Arrival in Lucca
The first day saw an early Aer Lingus flight to Pisa before transferring by coach to Lucca, our base for two nights.
Lucca is an ancient city enclosed by magnificent medieval walls stretching almost five kilometres, even larger than the famous walls of Derry. The historic streets offered welcome shade from the afternoon sun while its impressive cathedral and piazzas invited leisurely exploration.
There is also an Irish connection through St Frediano (St Fridianus), originally an Ulster prince who became Bishop of Lucca during the 6th century. Visitors can also climb the Guinigi Tower for panoramic views over the city.
Beginning the St Francis Way
The following morning we travelled by coach for over an hour to San Miniato, where the Italian Camino truly began.
Our opening stage covered approximately 25km to Gambassi Terme, a famous spa town.
Although challenging with several steep climbs, every member of the group completed the route.
The Tuscan countryside constantly changed around us with vineyards, wheat fields, olive groves, walnut trees and pine forests creating magnificent scenery.
With very few cafés along the trail, carrying plenty of water and snacks proved essential. Earlier that morning we had collected our official St Francis Way passport from the tourist office in San Miniato before setting off.
That evening we returned to Lucca for dinner, having also gained a quick education in enthusiastic Italian driving!
Through Vineyards and Medieval Villages
Day two was a gentler 15km walk towards the magnificent medieval town of San Gimignano.
We passed vineyards, olive groves and thermal springs before stopping at the village of Pancole, where a charming guesthouse served lunch in beautiful gardens.
Nearby stands the Sanctuario di Pancole, associated with a local legend of the Madonna appearing to a deaf child during a devastating drought. According to tradition, the child regained both speech and food, while rain finally returned to save local families.
The rich Tuscan countryside, lined with cypress trees and rolling vineyards, made this one of the most memorable sections of the journey.
By late afternoon the famous skyline of San Gimignano appeared before us, its medieval towers rising dramatically above the surrounding hills.
Colle Val d’Elsa and the Elsa River
Our next destination was the delightful medieval town of Colle Val d’Elsa, where we stayed at the excellent Hotel La Cartiera Vecchia.
The town itself receives far fewer tourists than neighbouring San Gimignano yet possesses tremendous charm and a long tradition of glassmaking.
One of the highlights of the week came the following morning as we followed the River Elsa.
We crossed rope bridges, stepped across river stones and admired crystal-clear blue-green waters coloured by nearby thermal springs.
Waterfalls, fishing spots and shaded woodland created a magical landscape unlike anything else on the route.
Along the way we stopped at family-run cafés and agriturismo restaurants where local hospitality matched the outstanding scenery.
Monteriggioni and Siena
Day four brought us to the magnificent fortified village of Monteriggioni, originally built to defend Siena.
The forest approach echoed with the sound of thousands of crickets before we climbed into the medieval village for a welcome Italian ice cream.
Nearby Abbadia Isola Monastery, dating from the 8th century, provided spectacular countryside views and remains an important retreat centre today.
Our final destination was Siena, famous worldwide for the annual Palio horse race held in its remarkable Piazza del Campo.
Unfortunately our last walking day ended dramatically as a thunderstorm swept across the Tuscan hills. Lightning forced our guide Ana to cancel the final section for safety reasons, and after sheltering beneath a farmhouse archway we eventually reached Siena by taxi.
Despite the rain-soaked ending, it somehow provided a fitting conclusion to an unforgettable week of sunshine, history and spectacular scenery.
Fellow Walkers
Mary Hearne, originally from Rathgormack, County Waterford and now living in Dublin, described the Camino Ways tour as one of the best walking holidays she had experienced.
Margaret Ward, originally from Kilkenny and now with The Irish Times, also thoroughly enjoyed the route and said she would happily return for another Italian walking adventure.
Final Thoughts
The St Francis Way offers everything you could wish for in a walking holiday — spectacular scenery, medieval villages, fascinating history, excellent food, wonderful wines and genuine Italian hospitality.
Whether you are an experienced Camino walker or simply looking for a memorable active holiday, Tuscany delivers an unforgettable experience.
More stories on Lucca, San Gimignano, Siena and Tuscany’s medieval villages will follow in future articles.
Travel Information
Getting There
- Aer Lingus flights to Pisa
- Guided tour organised by Camino Ways
- Tour leaders: Philip Cawley (Today FM) and Karl Bradshaw (Camino Ways)
Useful Outbound Links
- Camino Ways: https://caminoways.com
- Via di Francesco: https://www.viadifrancesco.it
- Visit Tuscany: https://www.visittuscany.com
- Italia.it Tourism: https://www.italia.it
