Altopascio and its ‘spitale’
A dive into the Middle Ages with the pilgrims of the Via Francigena
Altopascio
Particularly well known in the Middle Ages for its strategic position as a converging point of many roads, Altopascio is a historic stop for pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena.
Mode
on foot
Duration
5h
Number of people
2-10
Days
every day
Months
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Tour type
private
Additional information
- Activities included
- Meeting point
- Info
- Price
- Description
Activities included
- guided tour of the town of Altopascio
- guided explanation and participation on the Francigena trail
Not included in the program
- lunch
- anything not mentioned under "activities included"
Start of the pavement of the Via Francigena, at Galleno locality, at 9.00 a.m.
Comfortable clothing and hiking shoes are recommended.
For groups with more than 4 people, quotations on request.
Free for children up to 12 years old.
€ 90 per person (min 2).
Altopascio is a historic stop for pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena. The town is known for having developed a tradition of hospitality which finds its main symbol in the famous 'Spedale,' founded in the 11th century to accommodate pilgrims heading to Rome.
You will depart from the locality of Galleno and travel along a segment of the ancient Via Francigena. Arriving in Altopascio, where you will refresh yourself with a typical 'wayfarer's lunch' in a local trattoria. Next you will visit the town, with its Magione dei Cavalieri del Tau, a medieval chivalric order having as its emblem the Tau cross, also called the Franciscan Tau.
Characteristics of the experience
Host presentation
Massimo Benedetti
Massimo is passionate about art and all the charming things Italy and its rich history have to offer. For 20 years, tourists from all over the world have been admiring Massimo’s adoptive city and its beauties, Lucca, a Renaissance fortress in the green heart of the Piana and its wonderful surroundings. He constantly seeks new stimuli to widen his horizon and show his followers unique and unexplored sites.
