Siena to Orvieto
For those who love the Camino, the Via Francigena is Italy’s great pilgrimage to Rome.
Walk the Via Francigena from Siena to Orvieto through the Crete Senesi, Val d’Orcia, thermal villages, volcanic landscapes, Lake Bolsena and one of Italy’s most dramatic hilltop cities.
Continue south on the Via Francigena, from the medieval beauty of Siena to the dramatic hilltop city of Orvieto.
This 8 day journey follows the second section of our Via Francigena pilgrimage through one of the most evocative parts of central Italy. Leaving Siena through the ancient Porta Romana, we step into a landscape of wide horizons, soft clay hills, cypress lined roads, vineyards, thermal waters, small villages, ancient churches and volcanic stone towns.
Here the Via Francigena feels spacious, quiet and deeply rooted in the land. The road crosses the Crete Senesi, where the hills roll in pale waves and the views seem to change with every hour of light. We walk along white gravel roads, open ridges and country paths, passing farms, chapels and villages that have welcomed travelers for centuries.
This part of the journey is especially rich in food, wine and local tradition. We pass through the land of Brunello di Montalcino, Pecorino cheese, olive oil, handmade pasta, simple trattorias and farmhouse cooking. Some nights are spent in welcoming country inns and agriturismi, where the rhythm of the day slows naturally around the table. Shared meals, local wine and conversation are part of the experience, not an extra detail.
The route leads us through some of Tuscany’s most memorable places. We pass near Montalcino, continue to the beautiful Renaissance town of Pienza, and visit Bagno Vignoni, famous for its ancient thermal waters and its stone pool at the center of the village. We walk through San Quirico d’Orcia, one of the loveliest stops on the Via Francigena, and continue toward the wilder southern edge of Tuscany, where the landscape begins to change.
As we approach Lazio and Umbria, the soft Tuscan hills give way to volcanic stone, deep history and lakeside views. Acquapendente welcomes us with one of the most important Romanesque churches on the route, linked to the long tradition of pilgrimage toward Rome. Bolsena brings us to its beautiful lake, its medieval quarter and the story of the Eucharistic miracle that later inspired the cathedral of Orvieto.
Our final arrival in Orvieto is one of the great moments of the journey. Perched high on a volcanic plateau, the city rises above the countryside with its towers, cliffs and magnificent cathedral. After days of walking through ancient roads, rural landscapes and pilgrim towns, Orvieto feels like a natural pause before the final approach to Rome.
As always with Spanish Steps, this is a guided journey with care, comfort and depth. Our expert local guides bring the history, art, food and traditions of the route to life. Luggage transfers, carefully chosen hotels, shared dinners, van support when needed and the company of a small group of fellow pilgrims allow you to experience the Via Francigena with both confidence and ease.
This is Tuscany at its most generous: wide open, deeply historic, full of flavor, and best understood slowly, step by step.
