Day 27: Montefiascone - Viterbo

18.5 km

 

Another short stage today. Before leaving Montefiascone I visit the Cathedral and climb to the top of the Torre del Pellegrino, a lookout tower by the Rocca dei Papi, which was the seat of temporal power of the Papal State during the years that the popes were in Avignon. From the top of the tower I can see all the way to Radicofani - three days of walking away behind me!

 

Lago di Bolsena & Rocca dei Papi

Duomo di Montefiascone

Montefiascone 

Just outside Montefiascone the Via Francigena follows a section of the original Roman paving of the Via Cassia, perfectly preserved.

The olives are ripe and ready for harvesting

These guys are doing it the easy way, with a mechanical branch shaker that causes the olives to fall onto nets spread out on the ground.

Montefiascone retreats into the distance as I follow winding country lanes.

Coming to Terme di Bagnaccio, a hot spring where I enjoy a very welcome hot bath before proceeding!

Finally I arrive in Viterbo and locate the pilgrims' hostel, in the little building next to St. Thomas International School. Here I am reunited with the French, Begian and German pilgrims who were with me last night in Montefiascone and on Wednesday in Radicofani.

After settling in and discussing the options for the next leg of the walk with the ospitaliere, I head out to explore Viterbo, hoping to take a few photos before it gets too dark - we put the clocks back last night and suddenly it seems late, early!