Sunday 30 December 2018

JULY 2008 : ITALY : Memories of the Via Francigena : Monteriggioni - Siena (16 kms lost in forest + taxi)




Memories of the Via Francigena July 2008

“We headed off on the track at about 6.50 for our short 16km walk to Siena. After several hours of walking on wooded (shady thank heavens) tracks Siena was nowhere in sight. In fact, San Gimignano looked closer. The others checked the position of the sun etc ( I just follow) and worked out we were travelling in the wrong direction. Fortunately we came upon a group of houses and asked directions to the closest town. We were further east and walking away from Siena. No buses..so we called a taxi to take us the correct way to Siena.As Mark said Sigaric probably accepted rides on donkeys and horse carts along the way. (We are still adding the 16 kms — even though we didn t walk the right way) 


We began climbing as soon as we left Monteriggioni and had excellent views of the medieval town.


After several hours lost in the bosco (forest) we began to wonder where we were.
While we were wandering in the wilderness we found some signs that there had been significant battles fought here in 1944 because this was a Resistance hideout. So many of these towns were bombed in WW2 and have been rebuilt.


Fortunately we came across a small hamlet on the edge of the forest to ask directions



A taxi to Siena our only solution




Siena - another town with huge influx of tourists~ hot and tired families cajoling little kids along the tourist route. We are staying at a hostel run by the nuns of St Vincent, an order of Charity nuns. Small dormitory and very busy centre. After we arrived we were asked to come down and eat lunch - and it wasn t long before we realised it was a soup kitchen for the homeless. Happy staff, very chatty and helpful. Amongst our fellow travellers in the dormitory this evening was a trio from Hereford, who have walked from their front door all the way, raising money for Amnesty International and another couple from Brussels, who were starting their walk from Siena. We have not met many walkers at all, so it was interesting comparing notes.”

Siena - a very welcome sight


The impressive Piazza del Campo


The Duomo


Bob managed to get us free entry into the Duomo with our Pilgrim Credentials.



Quirky tourists


Our accommodation in a convent, with several beds reserved for pilgrims


A warm welcome, including free lunch in the convent’s soup kitchen


Dinner at a local restaurant with a little more ambience than lunch


M&M

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