Orvieto to Rome
Walk through our part of Italy and arrive in Rome the way pilgrims have for centuries: on foot.
Walk the final section of the Via Francigena from Orvieto to Rome, crossing forests, volcanic lakes, medieval towns, ancient roads and the countryside of Lazio before arriving at St. Peter’s Basilica.
This journey takes us through the landscapes we know best, from the dramatic hill town of Orvieto into the heart of Tuscia and along the Via Francigena toward Rome.
For Spanish Steps, this part of the journey is especially personal. Viterbo is home to Dana and Virginio, and the Via Francigena here runs through the landscapes and towns that are part of their everyday life.
Our journey begins in Orvieto, perched high on volcanic rock and crowned by its magnificent cathedral. From here we turn south toward Montefiascone and continue along the Via Francigena through Viterbo and the countryside of Lazio toward Rome.
The landscape changes almost every day.
There are volcanic lakes and wooded hills, ancient roads, hazelnut groves, medieval towns and quiet stretches of countryside. You walk through a part of Italy shaped by Etruscans and Romans, medieval pilgrims, farmers, monks and generations of travelers heading toward Rome.
And because this is our home territory, we can share much more than the path itself.
In Viterbo, you discover one of Italy’s best preserved medieval quarters with a local guide who calls the city home. Around the Cimini Mountains and Lake Vico, the landscape becomes greener and wilder. At Sutri, centuries of history seem to sit almost on top of one another, with its remarkable rock cut amphitheater, ancient necropolis, Etruscan cuttings and the extraordinary Madonna del Parto.
All the while, Rome is getting closer.
That slow approach is one of the things we love most about this journey. Rome does not simply appear at the end of a train ride. For days, it has been your destination. Each morning you set out knowing that you are walking a little closer.
Then comes the final day.
From Monte Mario, the dome of St. Peter’s appears for the first time. After everything you have walked through to reach this point, that first view means something different.
You descend into the city on foot, following the footsteps of pilgrims who have been arriving in Rome for centuries, until the journey finally leads you to St. Peter’s.
For pilgrims carrying a pilgrim credential and meeting the required distance, Rome is also where the Testimonium marks the completion of the pilgrimage.
But the arrival is only part of what makes this journey special.
It is the mornings setting out together. A quiet path through the countryside. Coffee in a small town. Lunch after a good morning of walking. The stories behind the places you pass. The people you meet. And the friendships that naturally grow when you share the road.
With Spanish Steps, you walk with experienced guides, while we take care of the details around you: luggage transfers, carefully chosen accommodations, shared meals and van support when needed.
Our small groups allow the journey to remain personal, flexible and well cared for, while preserving the spirit of pilgrimage and the simple pleasure of traveling through Italy on foot.
This is not simply a walking tour to Rome.
It is a pilgrimage through the part of Italy we call home, ending with one of Europe’s most memorable arrivals on foot.
