After our walking tour on the Via Francigena, we took the bus from Siena to Perugia; an ancient city in Umbria. Via escalators we reach the high city. The escalators end in subterranean corridors, which are left over from an old castle. The city has large elevation differences. The many stairs give the city its own character. The city is old. The Arco Etrusco, the Gate of Augustus, is a gate in the Etruscan city wall. The gate was built about 250 years before Chr. and 40 years before Chr. restored by Augustus.
After the visit to Perugia we said goodbye to Italy.
We hear drums. It is coming closer. We are in Piazza del Campo, the main town square of Siena. Siena is the end point of our walking tour on the Via Francigena. The drummers come into the square. Dressed in medieval-looking clothes. They are beautiful costumes. The standard bearers appear behind the drummers. A beautiful parade of the city’s contrade (urban quarters) in preparation for the annual Palio, the horse race.
Siena consists of 17 contrade (city districts). Each contrada has its own name, banner and church. There is the contrade of the goose, of the snail, the tortoise, the wolf … Every year, after drawing lots, 10 of the 17 contrade participate in the Palio, the horse race in Piazza del Campo. The races date back to the early Middle Ages, but since 1650 they are still as they are today. The preparation for the Palio is long. The city districts present themselves with their drums and banners in a parade. The inhabitants of the neighborhoods sing and wear the scarves of their neighborhood (Fazoletto). And we are lucky to be able to experience such a parade.
The race is held with horses that are assigned to a city district by lottery. It is therefore not the case that a district has its own horses. The jockey is also an outsider. Before the race, horse and jockey (fantino) are blessed in the church of the city district. Riding without a saddle. And it can get rough. The winning contrada receives the Palio, a precious silk banner. There is a party after the race.
This colorful celebration reinforced our feeling that we had arrived at the final destination of our walking tour.
We walk through the northern Tuscan mountains. The weather is clear, the route is sometimes tough and leads past high-lying mountain villages, such as Pontremoli, Filetto, Sarzana, Aulla …
In Aulla we slept at Bike and Bed, a few kilometers outside the town of Aulla. We thought we could borrow a bike to go to the restaurant in town. But no, no way. We were brought by car. Also walking back after dinner was definitely not an option. We were warned for a long and tough stretch the next day with steep climbs over the mountain. And we had to be equipped for that. We were picked up after a phone call. Fortunately together with two other guests.
about walking and cycling, ... 