Author: Simona Spinola

The European Association of the Via Francigena ways is looking for 2 influencers/bloggers to document two hiking events that will take place from 12 to 15 September 2024 from Bari to Monopoli, and from 27 to 29 September 2024 from Torre Canne (Fasano) to Brindisi. The hikes are organized as part of the  Erasmus+ HIKE project, in collaboration with international partners such as Paths of Greece and Turkish Culture Routes Society The project aims to promote healthy lifestyles through outdoor activities that encourage a slow-paced exploration of the area.

During the two weekends, the 6 daily hikes will be interspersed with workshops, activities, and labs focused on physical activity and hiking safety. Each hike will involve 25 participants per day. The arrival in Brindisi will also coincide with the European Week of Sport celebrations.

The details in Italian are available here

If this initiative interests you, here are all the details:

Participation Period:

One weekend of your choice between:

• 12-15 September 2024 (from Bari to Monopoli)
• 27-29 September 2024 (from Torre Canne to Brindisi)

What We Ask:

Before the Event:

• 1 post and a minimum of 5 Instagram stories announcing your participation in the event, giving visibility to the technical materials of our partners, according to the instructions and tags agreed upon with AEVF.

During the Event:

• A minimum of 10 Instagram stories per day on your profile.
• 1 post on one of your social media channels for each day of the hike, according to the tags and instructions provided by the AEVF staff.

After the Event:

• 1 co-reel for Instagram.
• If you have a blog: 1 final article on your blog with a link to our site.
• If you have a YouTube channel: a short final video recounting the experience.
• If you do not have a blog or a YouTube channel, we can host a guest post written by you on our website.
• Share with us 30 high-resolution photos.

What You Will Receive from AEVF:

• A comprehensive fee of €1,000 gross (all taxes included), which includes travel costs to and from the starting point and returning home after the event.
• Accommodations and meals are covered by the organizers.
• Our partners kindly provided technical materials: a Ferrino backpack, a pair of Garmont shoes, and a CAMCO technical shirt.
• Visibility on AEVF social media channels (Instagram +31.4K followers, Facebook +74K followers).

How to Apply:

Send us your application by Monday, August 5, to the email address hike.project.eu@gmail.com including:

• Email subject: Influencer application “HIKE Puglia” indicating which weekend you prefer.
• Your portfolio/media kit listing your social media channels, blog, website, YouTube channel.
• A brief motivational letter (1 page maximum).

For more details about the HIKE project, please consult this link

If you want to participate in hikes in Greece in October and in Türkiye in November 2024, follow the news on the project website or contact the team via email.

From June 4 to 7, AEVF, together with the Council of Europe and the European Institute of Cultural Routes, organized the Training Academy on Cultural Routes in Brindisi.  

This exchange event involved a record number of 100 representatives from 37 Council of Europe routes from 22 countries. This year’s event focused on cooperation and sustainability. The academy was part of the celebrations for the Via Francigena, which in 2024 will mark its 30th anniversary of European certification. The event saw the active participation of some long-time partners who share our Association’s vision and values. In addition to the EAVF staff, attendees included Giorgio Rabajoli, Sales Director Italy of Ferrino, Marco Zucchetti, Head of Press Office of FlixBus, and Matteo Corrado, Founder of CAMCO. 

“The transition towards new travel models, more conscious and respectful of the environment and communities, is a unique opportunity to seize and a journey to undertake together” – commented Marco Zucchetti. “Through targeted synergies and ongoing dialogue, organizations and associations, both public and private, can drive this change and alter the way people connect with places. The very concept of tourism as we knew it, an ephemeral and self-contained experience, is giving way to a new need for authenticity and deep contact with the territory. It is up to us now to network and determine how to best respond to this need.” Sustainability in the choice of transport to reach the first stage of the Francigena or return home after the journey is no less important than the ethical and conscious purchase of technical equipment and clothing. “I noticed a great interest in the story of a small brand that attempts to offer a few products that, but also curiosity about the materials used, and especially regarding merino wool and the importance of it being mulesing-free – explained Matteo Corrado – The practice of mulesing is not known to the vast majority of people, and when explaining why it is an important ethical choice, aimed at animal welfare, it always attracts significant attention. The event, during the short time I attended, impressed me greatly. This was due to the charming location in the historic center of Brindisi, the topics discussed, and the clear sense of positivity and participation”. 

During the Training Academy, the European HIKE project, in which EAVF participates along with international partners Culture Routes Society  – a Turkish non-profit organization managing over 20 local and international trekking routes – and Paths of Greece – a social cooperative enterprise dedicated to promoting Greek cultural heritage and environmental conservation through hiking trails- was officially presented. The project’s schedule includes six free hikes in Puglia along the Francigena route connecting Bari to Brindisi, with details available on the official website at this link. 

The event would not have been possible without the logistics organization by the association “Brindisi e Antiche Strade” and contributions from the Puglia Region and the municipality of Brindisi. 

Launched in April 2024, the HIKE initiative is ready to unveil the first details of the upcoming hikes in the three countries involved in the project. Here is a preview of the program, which is still being updated. Join us to walk through the beautiful stages of the Via Francigena in Puglia, and other trails in Greece and Turkey with the project partners The Paths of Greece and Culture Routes Society.

In September 2024, six hikes are planned along the Via Francigena, from Bari to Brindisi. These walks, scheduled for the weekends from September 12 to 15 and from September 27 to 29, will take us to discover the Bari area through the coastal beauties of Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, and Ostuni. The following weekend, we will explore the historical sites around Brindisi. In conjunction with the European Week of Sport, these events will combine free walks open to everyone with activities and workshops on physical preparation and safety during a hike along the Via Francigena.

The details in Italian are available here and the registration form will be soon online on the official website.

In October 2024, it will be Greece’s turn with the Via Egnatia, a historical route traced by the Romans, extending from Edessa to Arnissa, passing through locations such as Agras, Nisi, Ekklisiochori, and Prophitis Ilias. The hike will begin on October 11 at the picturesque Edessa waterfalls, then proceed through the lands of Agras and conclude near the tranquil Lake Vegoritida in Arnissa. The adventure continues the following weekend with a 17 km circuit around Prophitis Ilias, ending with a 10 km walk on October 20 through the historical sites of Edessa. Built between 146 and 120 BC, the Via Egnatia remains a significant symbol of Roman engineering, extending approximately 1,120 km from Durres to ancient Byzantium, present-day Istanbul. Named after the Roman governor of Macedonia, Gnaeus Egnatius, this road played a crucial role in establishing the Eastern Roman Empire.

Finally, in November 2024, we will explore the Tolerance Way in Turkey, discovering the rich history around Izmit. Amidst untouched nature and cities to find, these trails cover areas of great charm, such as the Izmit waterfront, the natural parks of Kayalar, and the historic villages of Servetiye and Kırıntı, with the ancient aqueducts of Gölkay Park. Animations and targeted activities will enrich the walks, combining physical activity with culture and field training. The Via della Tolleranza, approximately 126 km long between Izmit (Nicomedia) and Iznik (Nicea), draws inspiration from historical figures such as the French traveler Charles de Peyssonnel and the Canadian botanist Robert Chamber. This significant route has been notable since Roman times, highlighted by the Edict of Tolerance of Emperor Galerius in 311 AD, which paved the way for the first religious freedoms.

Each event of the HIKE project promises unique experiences suitable for all levels of hikers. Keep an eye out for further details on the official website here.

Connie Nolan, a councillor delegated for the city of Canterbury, met with the President and staff of the European Association of the Via Francigena ways (EAVF) in Fidenza during the last edition of the Francigena Fidenza Festival, which this year reached its fourth edition.

For Nolan, it was an opportunity to personally experience a segment of the Via Francigena route as well as visit the EAVF headquarters. She actively participated in some of the festival’s activities, which this year included over fifty initiatives. Specifically, the councillor took part in a scientific conference organised by the University of Parma and EAVF, dedicated to the development of the Via Francigena and its cultural heritage, and she gave an interview to the staff.

Canterbury, the zero kilometre point of the Via Francigena, has been a member of the EAVF since 2005 and participates in numerous initiatives that can be consulted here, in preparation for the 30th anniversary of the route’s recognition as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe.

The English city council is also supporting the establishment of the Francigena Britannica, an extension of the Via Francigena linking London and Canterbury along a 150-kilometer stretch of the path, which recently saw a delegation at work to certify this extension.

The event, open to the public, will be held on June 19 in Piazza Duomo and will be followed by a tasting of the “bruschetta del viandante” and a guided tour of the Santa Maria della Scala complex, home to the historic pilgrim hostel recently reopened.

Fidenza, May 29, 2024 – On Wednesday, June 19, the new issue of the magazine “Via Francigena and the European Cultural Routes” will be presented in Siena, at Santa Maria della Scala in Piazza Duomo.

The 57th edition of the trilingual magazine (house organ of the EAVF), soon to be available on the website www.rivistaviafrancigena.it/en/, includes a special focus on Siena, the splendid Tuscan city traversed by the Francigena route, as attested by the diary of Sigeric, the English archbishop who in the year 990 covered the journey between Rome and Canterbury in 79 stages, after receiving the Pallium from the Pope’s hands. Even today, the official route crosses the city of Siena and its province for 120 kilometers, through hills, cypresses, and breathtaking villages such as San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, Castiglione d’Orcia, Radicofani, San Casciano dei Bagni, as well as the Abbadia San Salvatore variant.

The route connecting Siena to Rome is one of the most frequented sections by wayfarers from all over the world, who reach the Vatican from the famous Piazza del Campo in about 14 days, after 285 km of pure beauty.

INSIDE THE NEW ISSUE

The new issue of the magazine features in-depth reports on the recent EAVF General Assembly in Vevey, Switzerland, accounts of international events such as the “Grand Randonnée FFR” towards Paris and the snowy experience at the Hospice of the Great St Bernard, as well as specials on places of interest related to the route such as the UNESCO heritage city of Mantua, along with practical tips for organizing the journey, thanks to the opening of the hostel in Medesano along the Parma stage from Fidenza to Fornovo.

The magazine includes an important editorial by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić, highlighting the crucial role of the Francigena route in promoting intercultural dialogue and European heritage on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the recognition of the Via Francigena as a cultural route of the Council of Europe. This is followed by a speech by the Italian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, emphasizing how the Francigena is among the emblems of slow tourism, as well as one of the main assets of the 2023-2027 Strategic Tourism Plan on which the Italian Ministry is working.

At the beginning of the presentation, which is open to the public, there will be a video link with the Itailian Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè and institutional greetings from the Siena’s Tourism Councillor Vanna Giunti, Regional Councillor of Tuscany Francesco Gazzetti, and EAVF Deputy Vice President Francesco Ferrari: this will be followed by speeches by Luca Faravelli, EAVF Project Manager, the magazine’s publisher Stefano Guidotti, the director of the Consorzio Prosciutto Toscano DOP Emore Magni, and Igino Morini from the Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano’s Territorial Promotion. Chef Alessandro Pieragnoli, creator of the famous “bruschetta del viandante,” will participate, with a delicious tasting planned.

A guided tour of the Santa Maria della Scala complex will follow, which houses the Casa delle Balie, where abandoned or unrecognized children were taken in: currently, the structure is a 25-bed hostel, reopened last March 29 after a period of inactivity during the pandemic. A place rich in history in the historic center of Siena, an unmissable stop for those seeking an authentic experience in the heart of one of Italy’s most fascinating cities.

For more information:

Simona Spinola, AEVF Communication Contact: simona.spinola@viefrancigene.org – www.viefrancigene.org

We’re delighted to announce important updates about the EAVF’s new European project HIKE with the official launch of its website today! The project’s objective is to guide participants along three iconic European paths, promoting healthier and more active lifestyles through tailored hiking events designed for all fitness levels. This new online platform provides detailed information about free excursions, and activities planned across hiking routes in three countries involved in the project. Here participants will find trail maps, event schedules, and registration procedures. The news section offers updates, insightful articles, and educational materials on healthy habits and lifestyles, while the media section showcases photos and videos from the events.

Together with the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways, the following partners are part of the project:

Culture Routes Society: A non-profit organization in Türkiye focused on creating and maintaining long-distance routes for walking, biking, and horse-riding. It oversees more than 20 local and international trekking routes catering to various interests of hiking enthusiasts.

Paths of Greece: A Social Co-operative Enterprise dedicated to promoting Greece’s cultural heritage and environmental conservation through hiking trails. They specialize in designing, implementing, and promoting trails based on historical footpaths, tailored to modern needs.

The project’s schedule includes:

September on the Via Francigena: Explore the scenic path in the sunny Apulia region of Italy. Two hiking weekends will take place on the coastal legs of the itinerary, from Bari to Monopoli and from Torre Canne (Fasano) to Brindisi, featuring cultural, sports, and gastronomic activities, along with unforgettable sunset celebrations. More details on the Via Francigena agenda here.

October in Greece on the Via Egnatia: Journey along the Via Egnatia in Greece, where you can trace the remnants of this ancient road engineered by the Romans. Explore stretches covering Edessa, Prophitis Ilias, and Arnissa, with stunning waterfalls, interactive workshops, and cultural visits to significant industrial heritage sites. Learn more about our walks on the Via Egnatia.

November in Türkiye on the Tolerance Way: Experience landscapes that have shaped civilizations, from gentle strolls through historical districts to vigorous treks across rustic settings. Events will feature diverse landmarks, including Izmit’s scenic waterside and Kayalar Nature Parks, the charming villages of Servetiye and Kırıntı, and the ancient aqueducts near Gölkay Park. Visit the Tolerance Way section for more information.

Stay tuned to our website for the latest updates, registration, and organizational details!

For 2024 as well, the Via Francigena renews its collaboration with the Sales Unit North West, coordinated by Alessandro Mauri of Banca Generali, who shares with our Association values related to environmental responsibility and ecosystem protection. The financial group, at the forefront of promoting a sustainable future, operates every day on multiple fronts to encourage investments that integrate environmental, social, and good governance factors: in other words, it offers concrete support to help citizens take care of their life projects.

Environmental protection, understood as a daily responsibility that concerns all of us, is at the heart of the photographic project BG4SDGs – Time to Change, through which Banca Generali concretizes its commitment to the fight against climate change and more conscious use of natural resources. Through the shots of photographer Stefano Guindani, Banca Generali aims to investigate the implementation status of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that make up the UN Agenda 2030, and which constitute fundamental guidelines for developing peace, justice, and equality at all levels: from corporate governance of large companies to responsible lifestyles for individuals.

Poverty, education, nutrition, hygiene, and gender equality appear in the Agenda’s roadmap, alongside clean and accessible energy, water availability, responsible production and consumption, and industrial innovation. This results in a complex picture, rich in difficulties and delays, but also in virtuous actions from which to draw inspiration, each in their own context. EAVF embraces the cause, actively committing to the enhancement of territories and the creation of tangible environmental awareness: the Via Francigena thus emerges as a message of peace, facilitating sustainable mobility, intercultural dialogue, and the spread of common ideas and values for a greener and more cohesive Europe.

The most representative photos of the BG4SDGs – Time to Change project have been selected for a traveling exhibition inaugurated in Venice, which will be set up in major Italian cities throughout 2024. The goal? To generate reflections related to the environment, work, and communities that must continue to concern each of us, without exception.

With the arrival of spring, the “I Love Francigena” hikes – a format including a series of free hikes open to all those who want to travel along the official route of the Via Francigena – are back. The initiative is supported by Coop, one of the leading brands in large-scale distribution and a partner of the EAVF since 2022, which also this year will accompany us in discovering Italy from north to south.

Involving its six million members, Coop aims to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle by organizing outdoor events with the EAVF to explore and rediscover our territories with their scenic, gastronomic, and cultural beauties.

In 2022, thanks to the partnership between Coop and the EAVF, the “Coop Outdoor” project was launched, consisting of 13 free excursions involving 291 participants in Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Tuscany, and Lazio. Last year, the renewal of the collaboration led to 16 Coop Outdoor events involving 415 hikers, with the addition of the Puglia region to the calendar. Furthermore, in 2023, some Coop stores also participated, offering refreshments to travelers at the end of the events. The 2024 edition will be part of the celebrations for the thirtieth anniversary of the certification of the Via Francigena as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, which took place in 1994.

◆ HERE IS THE HIKING CALENDAR 2024 ◆

Saturday 4 May – Piemonte, from Ivrea to Palazzo Canavese: sign up here

Sunday 5 May – Piemonte, from Palazzo Canavese to Viverone: sign up here

    Saturday 11 May – Lazio, from Montefiascone to Viterbo: sign up here

    Saturday 11 May – Lombardia, from Parco del Ticino to Pavia: sign up here

    Saturday 11 May – Emilia-Romagna (Via Romea Strata), from Bomporto to Nonantola: sign up here

Sunday 12 May – Emilia-Romagna, from Fidenza to Salsomaggiore: sign up here

Sunday 12 May – Veneto (Via Romea Strata), from Stra to Padova: sign up here

    Saturday 18 May – Emilia-Romagna, from Parco dei Boschi Carrega to Collecchio: sign up here

Saturday 18 May – Toscana, from Colle di Val d’Elsa to Poggibonsi: sign up here

Sunday 19 May – Emilia-Romagna, from Costamezzana to Medesano: sign up here

Saturday 25 May – Toscana, from Siena to Monteroni d’Arbia: sign up here

Saturday 8 June – Lazio, Via Appia: sign up here

Saturday 15 June – Piemonte, urban trekking in Susa: sign up here

Sunday 16 June – Piemonte from the Sacra San Michele to Avigliana: sign up here

   Saturday 7 September – Liguria, from Castelnuovo Magra to Sarzana: sign up here

Sunday 8 September – Emilia-Romagna, trekking urbano a Piacenza: sign up here

Saturday 14 September – Lombardia, urban trekking in Pavia: sign up here

Sunday 15 September – Liguria e Toscana, from Castelnuovo Magra to Avenza: sign up here

  Saturday 21 September – Puglia, from Polignano a Mare to Mola di Bari: sign up here

   Saturday 21 September – Lazio, from Abbazia di Fossanova to Priverno: sign up here

Saturday 21 September – Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Via Romea Strata), from Venzone to Gemona: sign up here

Sunday 22 September – da Tricase a Santa Maria di Leuca, Puglia: sign up here

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up!

The accessible tourism project by the Piedmont Region will be among the protagonists at the “Fa’ la cosa giusta” fair scheduled in Milan from March 22nd to 24th. A dedicated stand and a specific event will promote the “Via Francigena for All” project in Milan. This project was presented by the Piedmont Region in 2022 during a call for proposals from the Office of the Prime Minister on accessible and inclusive tourism for people with disabilities.

In particular, the talk-show scheduled for Sunday, March 24th at 3 p.m. in Piazza Terre di Mezzo will focus on the added value of training for tourism operators. This training enables visitors with disabilities to independently experience the Via Francigena through a range of services tailored to their specific needs. Speakers will include Franco Lepore, President of UICI Piedmont; Serafino Timeo, President of ENS Piedmont; Bruno Migliorati, President of CAI Piedmont, and an operator who participated in the training sessions. The journalist and writer Fabrizio Vespa will moderate the discussion.

The “Via Francigena for All” initiative, built around the historic route and cultural itinerary of the Council of Europe, concerns Via Francigena’s segments of the Canavese Ivrea-Viverone route and the Susa Valley variant Villar Focchiardo-Avigliana, along with neighboring territories. This initiative aims for innovation by embracing inclusive experiences from all angles. At the stand, visitors can obtain information about the cultural, naturalistic, sports, and gastronomic tourism offerings along the route, as well as updates on the project’s progress.

Numerous initiatives have been implemented or are underway: after making tourist offices accessible, training hospitality operators, and offering extracurricular internships in tourism for people with disabilities, the coming months will see the completion of green and accessible rest areas, the installation of multisensory panels along the routes and at 20 sacred sites (with visual, tactile, and Braille graphics, QR codes, NFC audio-video, and sign language in Italian and foreign languages). There will also be mapping of accessibility and usability of routes and tourist contexts for autistic adults. In May, there will be the “Walk in Blue” in support of Autism and the “I love Francigena” walk in collaboration with the European Association of the Via Francigena ways. In September, there will be the closing event.

For further details on project partners, updates on scheduled events, and ongoing developments, visit this link.

Walking along the Via Francigena is an experience that encompasses history, culture, and amazing landscapes. The European Association of the Via Francigena ways is taking significant steps to make this experience accessible to everyone, including those with motor, visual, and auditory disabilities.

In collaboration with AllTrails, an app specializing in mapping and tracking trails, the Association has conducted an in-depth mapping project along two segments of the Via Francigena in Piedmont: the Valsusino stretch from Villar Focchiardo to Avigliana, and the Canavese stretch from Ivrea to Viverone.

This project has been an integral part of the broader “Via Francigena for All” initiative, led by the Piedmont Region through the Regional Directorate for Coordination of European Policies and Funds – Tourism and Sport. Project partners include the Local Tourist Promotion and Welcome Agency Turismo Torino e Provincia, the Ecclesiastical Region of Piedmont with the Regional Consultation for Ecclesiastical Assets of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, and the support of Visit Piemonte, a partner of EAVF.

The primary goal of the project was to assess the feasibility of inclusive use of the Via Francigena. The collaboration with AllTrails allowed for precise trail mapping, identification of challenges, and provision of useful information to hikers, regardless of their physical abilities.

The accurate mapping, carried out in close synergy with the B-Free Association, has identified solutions to make parts of the trail accessible that were previously considered challenging for people with disabilities. This targeted effort aims to open the doors of the journey to a wider audience, offering everyone the opportunity to experience the emotion of the Via Francigena.

The “Via Francigena for All” project not only aims to make tangible improvements to the accessibility of the trail but has also raised awareness within the community and among walkers about the importance of inclusivity in tourism.

The commitment of the European Association of the Via Francigena ways and the partnership with AllTrails represent a significant step towards a walking experience that embraces diversity and celebrates accessibility for all. The app is available with a 30% discount for Francigena pilgrims and allows access to over 200 guides for less than 2 euros per month. 👉 Click here to take advantage of the offer.

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