Stage 1: Rome to La Storta — May 20 - 21, 2022

 (By Jim)

While staying in Rome we decided to ease into the trek by spreading the first stage of the VF over a couple of days, sans backpacks. 

Before embarking on Stage 1, however, we first of all picked up our credentials (pilgrim passports) from a lovely artist at her studio.  We will endeavour to collect a stamp in our passports at each stop along our route.

On May 20, after a short tour of St Peter’s Basilica, we got our credentials stamped, stopped for lunch, and then began our first backwards leg of the Via Francigena by walking up to and through Monte Mario Park, where we met eight pilgrims finishing up their journeys.  The park overlooks Vatican City and Rome with splendid views.  Our return trip took us along a switchback thoroughfare with a narrow sidewalk that slowly vanished as we progressed.  With cars whizzing by and no exit in sight, we found ourselves regretting that we hadn’t bought a rosary from one of the many Vatican vendors.  But you don’t need to be religious to have faith — after walking two kilometers along a thin white line that separated brambles from Ferraris, we exited an off-ramp unscathed with a new respect for Italian drivers.

On May 21, we got up early and caught the train towards La Storta so we could walk back towards Monte Mario Park.  This trip was an even mix of roads and parkland.    While in La Guistiniana, we stopped at the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate Church to get our pilgrim’s passports stamped.  The housekeeper at the rectory found a unilingual Italian Priest to assist us.  Knowing little Italian, we relied on charm and charade skills (which apparently are no substitute for an Italian phrasebook) to communicate our request.  Although eventually we got our stamp, the priest was concerned that we were unaware that we were going the wrong way!  We arrived back in Rome in time for a lunch of veal sandwiches at the Testaccio Market.  Our route back to our casa took us past the Caracalla Baths, amazing ruins that rival the Colosseum for sheer scale.