Tuscia: a land of trails and secondary country roads, quintessentially off the beaten path. If you are a trekking enthusiast, this green area in northern Lazio will confirm you that there is always another road that ca be taken, an alternative route unknown to mass tourism.
How you get from A to B, through woods and fields, is the opposite of a straight line, of a simple and quick solution, of a utilitarian experience. Trekking lovers are by definition attracted by adventure and exploration and, in this sense, the Tuscia area is their ideal destination.
Trekking in Tuscia: The Via Francigena
Many are the signposted trails that will allow you to explore this beautiful part of Italy: here is a summary of our suggestions. The Via Francigena – also known as Francigena Way – is the ancient route that pilgrims used to walk to get from Canterbury to Rome. Its final section passes through the Tuscia region and it offers to those willing to tackle the last kilometres to Rome a rather fascinating experience.
From Proceno head to Acquapendente, the town known as the Jerusalem of Europe: here, in a crypt inside its main church, pilgrims used to stop and pray by a blood-stained stone that – according to the legend – comes from the Holy Sepulchre. From Bolsena – a lovely village on the shore of Lake that bears the same name – walk to Montefiascone, a medieval town perched on top of hill, mainly famous for the excellent wine that gets produced in the countryside just outside the city walls.
Viterbo is the most important stop along the way before reaching Rome. The capital city of the Tuscia area owes part of its past development to the Via Francigena, as many of its ancient buildings were erected in order to provide food and shelter to the pilgrims heading to the Holy See. From Viterbo there are two alternative routes that you can take, either to the left or to the right of Lake Vico.
Whichever your choice, budget some extra time for your journey as both the villages and the woods you will walk through will surely catch your attention. Waking along the Francigena Way in Tuscia surely is an experience: it is like taking a walk in history and getting in touch with the real essence of the Italian side of Europe.
Trekking in Tuscia: The Bandits’ Trail
Another interesting route you could take is deeply rooted in a local legend: the Sentiero dei Briganti (literally: The Bandits’ Trail), in the North-West part of Tuscia, was used in the 19th century by local outlaws to escape the police. Think about 100 km of trails and secret passages retracing the steps of those who used to live at large, hiding from society.
This trail is now totally safe and takes you through two Natural Reserves, one WWF protected area, along two rivers and several archaeological sites. The trail is currently divided into four main sections, each of them carrying the name of a famous bandit: Sentiero Fioravanti, Sentiero Ansuini, Sentiero Menichetti and Sentiero Tiburzi.
These two alternatives are of course not exhaustive of the infinite possibilities that the Tuscia area offers when it comes to trekking. We selected them just to give you an idea that walking around this part of Italy is much more than a sport activity: it will enrich you with history and culture, legends and stories. There are trekking trails to suite every taste and fitness level and their number is so large that you can even personalize your route and enjoy your very own adventure.
