The “Via Francigena. Road to Rome 2021. Start again!” initiative has been selected and is now on the official platform of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): the ‘Tourism for SDGs’ platform “. It represents a showcase and best practice, accessible worldwide, aiming at the relaunch of sustainable and responsible tourism after Covid-19.

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The platform, developed by UNWTO, frames a selection of inspirational stories, education and training activities, research projects, initiatives and events, including our relay march, in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (so-called SDGs) , outlining the contribution of each of these practices to the global quest for sustainable development. As the UNWTO highlights, sustainable tourism must take full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts.

The 17 SDGs were defined in 2015 by the United Nation’s Member States to set clear and shared objectives to pursue globally and unitedly until 2030. Tourism is only one of the many sectors and topics tackled by the official goals, yet the contribution of the Road to Rome event extends across many of them. Most relevantly, not only the Road to Rome initiative but the Via Francigena itself contributes to develop decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and partnership for sustainability (SDG 17).

We are preparing a section on our website explaining how this is done in much more detail, and how the European Association of Via Francigena Ways (EAVF) continuously works to get closer and closer to the achievement of these sustainability goals. As we never forget about, the very constitution statement of our Association outlines that sustainable development is the fundamental goal of our work!

Three new “Stop & Taste” spots are now open where pilgrims can have a taste of delicious Parmigiano Reggiano thanks to an agreement between the European Association of Via Francigena ways (EAVF), the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano and the Official Via Francigena Magazine emitted by editor Studio Guidotti.

We may hypothesise that Sigeric, archbishop who travelled between Rome and Canterbury in 990 a.d. describing his 79 itinerary stages in a diary – now base for the development of the route of the Francigena – had a chance to taste one of the earliest forms of Parmigiano Reggiano during his passage in the province of Parma.

This leads to the idea that modern pilgrims should have an experiential visit along the Via Francigena, devoted to the discovery of Parmigiano Reggiano. The title “Stop & Taste” already underlines the nature and the intention of the project: pilgrims are now able to stop at locations that take part in the initiative and taste this product, discover its characteristics, such as various aging techniques, and explore the variety of production sites spread across the thirteen municipalities in the province of Parma along the Via Francigena.

The list of locations taking part in the initiative is quite long, building a flavourful network of actors who want the Via Francigena experience to be increasingly special and tasty. The list can also be explored on the official EAVF website, in the purposely made section “Sosta e Gusta”.

• Twenty cheese factories
• Five markets
• Fourty-one restaurants

The real news for Spring 2021 is the inauguration of three “Stop & Taste” spots in

• Fidenza: Ufficio Turistico IAT Casa Cremonini Piazza Duomo, phone +39 524 83377
  From April to October: every day, from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00.
  From November to March: from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 17.30. Closed on Mondays. Closed 25 – 26 December and 1 January.
• Fornovo di Taro: Ufficio Turistico IAT Via XXIV Maggio 2, phone + 39 346 9536300
  Open year-round from Monday to Sunday. From Monday to Friday 8.30/12.30- 15/17; Saturday 8,30/12,30; Sunday 9/12
• Berceto: Info Point, Piazza Don Giovanni Bosco 2, tel. +39 5251939109
  Open every day from 9:00 to 13:00

Pilgrims who visit these three “Stop & Taste” locations will receive a ‘MITO’ single portion of Parmigiano Reggiano and an informative pamphlet about the collaboration, explaining where to find this precious cheese along the Via Francigena. Whoever feels comfortable with it will also be photographed with their special sample, to share images on EAVF’s social media and with project partners.

Dutch, polyglottal and cosmopolitan 36-year-old Myra Stals has just joined the staff of the European Association of the Via Francigena Ways – the EAVF. She will be the Social Media Manager of the event “Road to Rome 2021” as will walk and cycle along the entire 3,200-km route from Canterbury to Rome and Santa Maria di Leuca.

Myra’s face and voice will be on the social media of the Association every day to tell us about her long journey. Pictures, livestreaming, podcasts, videos and radio interviews – she will have a number of tools available to get people to follow her on the journey. Video makers, bloggers, influencers will always be with her, along with all the pilgrims that the cheerful “Road to Rome 2021” group will meet on the Via Francigena. Members of the EAVF staff will also be present along the itinerary: Luca Bruschi, Luca Faravelli, Angelofabio Attolico, Jacques Chevin, Edgar Lebras, Elena Dubinina, Sami Tawfik, Micol Sozzi, Eleonora Martinelli, Marika Massotti, Martina D’Agostino, Sara Louise Costa, Nicole Franciolini, and Garance Potier.

“I’m in trepidation. I can’t wait to start this big adventure! Mentally, I’m more than ready. Physically, I know I must train carefully for the event because I know it will be demanding”. It is not the first time that Myra has embarked on such an adventure: in the last years she has travelled 16,000 km throughout Europe by bicycle for her project Cycle 2 Recycle.

“I’m super happy I have received my new Garmont shoes and my Ferrino backpack, so that I can start using them in training and make them perfect for me in these last weeks before the departure. I’ll be more than ready on the 16^th of June!“, she says enthusiastically. “Anyway, I know that the mental challenge will be the hardest part because I will have to speak with many different people every day and I won’t have any quiet moment to recharge my batteries – very different from what I’m used to when travelling by bicycle. However, people will be my strength, not my weakness”. Myra says she feels the responsibility to represent the EAVF during such an important event; however, there’s not single hint of concern in her words, only huge pride. After all, she is the perfect ambassador for the Via Francigena: a world citizen speaking several languages and knowing different cultures, a “slow” traveller with an eye for sustainability. In other words, she embodies all that EAVF values.

Have a nice long journey, Myra!

Three new “Stop & Taste” spots are now open where pilgrims can have a taste of delicious Parmigiano Reggiano thanks to an agreement between the European Association of Via Francigena ways (EAVF), the Consortium of Parmigiano Reggiano and the Official Via Francigena Magazine emitted by editor Studio Guidotti.

We may hypothesise that Sigeric, archbishop who travelled between Rome and Canterbury in 990 a.d. describing his 79 itinerary stages in a diary – now base for the development of the route of the Francigena – had a chance to taste one of the earliest forms of Parmigiano Reggiano during his passage in the province of Parma.

This leads to the idea that modern pilgrims should have an experiential visit along the Via Francigena, devoted to the discovery of Parmigiano Reggiano. The title “Stop & Taste” already underlines the nature and the intention of the project: pilgrims are now able to stop at locations that take part in the initiative and taste this product, discover its characteristics, such as various aging techniques, and explore the variety of production sites spread across the thirteen municipalities in the province of Parma along the Via Francigena.

The list of locations taking part in the initiative is quite long, building a flavourful network of actors who want the Via Francigena experience to be increasingly special and tasty. The list can also be explored on the official EAVF website, in the purposely made section “Sosta e Gusta”.

• Twenty cheese factories
• Five markets
• Fourty-one restaurants

The real news for Spring 2021 is the inauguration of three “Stop & Taste” spots in

• Fidenza: Ufficio Turistico IAT Casa Cremonini Piazza Duomo, phone +39 524 83377
  From April to October: every day, from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.00.
  From November to March: from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.00 to 12.30 and from 15.00 to 17.30. Closed on Mondays. Closed 25 – 26 December and 1 January.
• Fornovo di Taro: Ufficio Turistico IAT Via XXIV Maggio 2, phone + 39 346 9536300
  Open year-round from Monday to Sunday. From Monday to Friday 8.30/12.30- 15/17; Saturday 8,30/12,30; Sunday 9/12
• Berceto: Info Point, Piazza Don Giovanni Bosco 2, tel. +39 5251939109
  Open every day from 9:00 to 13:00

Pilgrims who visit these three “Stop & Taste” locations will receive a ‘MITO’ single portion of Parmigiano Reggiano and an informative pamphlet about the collaboration, explaining where to find this precious cheese along the Via Francigena. Whoever feels comfortable with it will also be photographed with their special sample, to share images on EAVF’s social media and with project partners.