Author: Redazione AEVF

Terre di mezzo and the European Association of the Vie Francigene present the digital edition of the official guide, available at the app store and the play store in the free “I Percorsi di Terre di mezzo” app.

It will therefore be possible to “travel light”, with just the digital edition of the Via Francigena, from the Great St Bernard to Rome guide in Italian or in English, with the same information as the famous paper guide. For one month (until the 5th April) you will be able to download the Italian guide for free from “I Percorsi di Terre”.

The digital guide is just as reliable and up to date as the paper version: the entire contents is completely available, with the possibility of geolocation along the route so you’ll never get lost, as well as the ability to phone or email hostels or hotels for an overnight stay at just the click of a button.

The guide begins with the legs, subdivided by region: Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Tuscany, and Lazio. Each leg contains all necessary information: the technical data of the route (length, difference in altitude, difficulty), the altimetry and a detailed description of the journey; but most importantly online and offline maps.

Thanks to geolocation you may find your exact location and know if you are on the right path or not, and reconnect with the correct route or find a more convenient alternative. The route description on the map is clarified by various waypoints and icons which indicate accommodation and attractions: if you find yourself off course, or if you’d like to go to a certain waypoint, all you need to do is click on the icon and, through google maps, the app will tell you how to get there. If there is no Wi-Fi access, you can still consult the offline map (with the exact route, waypoints and icons).

The last part of the leg page supplies information on the history and art of the most important areas. In the “Info” section, you will find practical information: public transport, bars, restaurants, supermarkets, tourist information offices, and naturally a detailed list of accommodation.

Back on the main menu, in the “Before you go” section, general information can be found: types of terrain, weather conditions, a photo gallery, historical information, how to prepare for the journey, what to bring, and when and where to begin. The app is the full package which, from today, is equal to the paper guide: after having prepared for your journey on the sofa back home, reading the descriptions supplied by the Terre di Mezzo authors – Roberta Ferraris, Luciano Callegari and Simone Frignani – you will be ready to set off, leaving (if you wish) the traditional guide at home and relying on the digital version.

The Francigena app is a great tool for the promotion of the Via Francigena in all of Europe: the digital guide in English (available in the “I percorsi di Terre di mezzo” app on the app store or the play store at 9.99 euros) flanks the English paper version already sold on Amazon and in certain sales points in Europe. However, unlike the paper version, the digital guide does not come across distributional barriers: so even the numerous foreign pilgrims and hikers interested in the Francigena can easily and quickly access the up to date guide with one simple click!

Download the app from Google Play Store

Download the app from Apple Store 

Happy walking!

Comunicato stampa: Terre Di Mezzo – Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene

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Architecture meets the world of walking. From the 28th February, the announcement for the “Premio Raffaele Sirica – La via degli Architetti” will be online, which foresees ideas and plans for the theme of historical, cultural and spiritual walks. 

The 2018 edition is connected to the wider “Architects on the road” project, created by the National Council of Architects together with the European Association of the Vie Francigene, at the Via Francigena European Festival – Collective Project, with the participation of FederlegnoArredo and the support of Federturismo Confindustria, Symbola – Fondazione per le Qualità italiane and Made Expo.

The initiative, dedicated to home security, sustainable urban regeneration and to the selection of original and innovative projects of young professionals, will award the best proposal of the competition for a finalised idea for a “circular hostel“. The participants will be able to propose accommodation modules in wood for pilgrim and tourist accommodation structures in places crossed by historical, cultural and spiritual routes. 

“Finally environmental needs will meet historical-touristic valorisation and potential new professional techniques. This is the result of a route shared for a year which will swiftly expand to new areas linked to walking routes,” says Sandro Polci, the director of the Via Francigena European Festival – Collective Project. 

The proposals will be evaluated by a commission, which will judge the different aspects of each: its rational use, its eco-sustainable flexibility, its compliance to the principals of Universal Design, its affordability, the ease of its implementation and handling of modules and interior design – innovative solutions for communal spaces. 

Deadlines. From the 5th – 20th March requests for information will be possible (https://www.concorsiawn.it/ostello-circolare/quesiti). From the 20th May until 12pm of the 30th May, it will also be possible to apply and send the report and administrative documents. After the requisite check, the definitive classification will be released by the 30th June with the declaration of the winner, as well as the minutes of the judicial commission. The publication of all the participants’ proposals will follow this in July as well as the exhibition of said proposals. The detailed programme will be promoted and published in due course. 

In order to participate and access more details of the competition, follow the link: https://www.concorsiawn.it/ostello-circolare/home.

The Sirica award was established by the Consiglio Nazionale degli Architetti, Pianificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori in 2010, in memory of Raffaele Sirica, the driving force of Italian architects from 1998-2009.

Download the attached announcement.

The past 20th of February, at the Officine Cantelmo in Lecce, the results of the South Cultural Routes project were presented, with the valorisation of the Salento tract of the Via Francigena in the South.

The meeting was organised by the association of “La casa delle comunità ospitanti degli Itinerari Francigeni della Puglia meridionale” as an event of the project, with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, Regione Puglia, Puglia Promozione and the European Association of the Vie Francigene. 

Speaking at the event were Loredana Capone – Assessor of Tourism and Culture of Regione Puglia, Carlo Salvemini – Mayor of Lecce,  Angelofabio Attolico – European Association of the Vie Francigene, Anna Trono – University of Salento, Gianluca Bambi –  University of Firenze, Michele Del Giudice – Association of Cultural Routes, Renato Di Gregorio – President of IRIFI, Gaetano Cusenza – President of Unione dei Comuni Foggiani, Maria Rosaria Buri – President of Soroptimist Lecce. The meetings were moderated by Luigi Del Prete of the association of “Le Comunità ospitanti degli Itinerari delle Vie Francigene della Puglia meridionale”.

The main element of the South Cultural Routes project is the integrated valorisation of cultural, landscape and environmental heritage of the Salento tract. The events were developed by Regione Puglia, Puglia Promozione, the European Association of the Vie Francigene, in collaboration with Itineraria e In Itinere, association of “La casa delle comunità ospitanti degli Itinerari Francigeni della Puglia meridionale”, experts and scholars of the area.

The study and project. Over the past months the three “Francigena” directions which cross Puglia-Salento from North to South were decided: one along the Adriatic coast (via Traiana-Calabra), one along the Ionian coast (via Sallentina) and the third internal (via Leucadense). They are ancient historical routes which, over the Middle Ages, were utilised to reach the ports of the Salento peninsular to the Holy Land, as well as to reach Leuca: “Finis Terrae” the last beacon of Italy, first sanctuary of Europe and the World of the Marian cult.

These three routes have been defined as archaeological routes thanks to the materials published by academics and local historians: precious in the sense that they are the result of the contributions of Universities in Puglia, whose research teams spent the past twenty years identifying the ancient communication carriers. After studying the sources and definitions of the archaeological route, they proceeded with the delineation of the  contemporary viability both through research and reconnaissance and examinations in the field, followed by communication with associations and residents of the rest-stop towns. The project expects to lay vertical and horizontal signage, utilising the parameters of the signage abacus of the European Association of the Vie Francigene.

On site examination and results. The survey work and checking of the pedestrian route of the Francigena in Puglia aims to take a GPS measurement of the Via Francigena-Via Traiana Calabra routes, of the Via Francigena from Otranto to S. Maria di Leuca, of Via Sallentina from Taranto to S. Maria di Leuca, of Via Leucadense from Lecce to S. Maria di Leuca. This work has been accompanied by a technical report which marks the route’s criticalities and opportunities for improvement, it marks the route’s attractions (points of interest, services, accommodation), it documents the data collected regarding cultural, landscape and environmental heritage, regarding accommodating structures and the services along the route.

Around 20,000 geo-reference photographs have been produced, as well as maps of the route; GPS tracts; documents describing the cultural, landscape and environmental heritage; and lastly the implementation of vertical and light signage (stickers and paint) along the three directions, with the involvement of local communities and the coordination of the “Casa delle comunità ospitanti degli Itinerari Francigeni della Puglia meridionale” (House of the hosting communities of the Francigena Routes of Southern Puglia).

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The ‘Tuscan Via Francigena‘ will be the first homogeneous touristic product launched since the regional law came into force.

To take stock of the progress of the routes, maintenance, touristic value, accommodation and coordination with other routes, the last cycle of the ‘Our Francigena‘ meetings took place, on Friday 23rd February, in the Auditorium del Consiglio regionale of Florence.

The initiative, organised by Regione Toscana, the managing director of the Via Francigena president, Toscana Promozione Turistica and Fondazione Sistema Toscana, in collaboration with the European Association of the Vie Francigene, was launched last November; five stops (Fucecchio, Pontremoli, Siena, Lucca and Florence) to include all those involved in the structuring of the touristic product. 

State of the route. The walking route has now been established and will soon be approved as a definite track. The cycle route has been marked and the last critical points are currently being verified before the final route is approved; the region has recently made 315 thousand euros available to put towards the signage and security of the route, works should conclude by the summer. The bridleway is at a similar stage, where some problems in the Cisa-Lucca tract are being solved through taking advantage of the Cammino del Volto Santo; the work for the vertical and horizontal signage (in accordance with RET-Rete Escursionistica Toscana-standards) has been assigned to the University of Florence. This will mean a georeferenced update will be necessary by the end of 2018. 

Homogeneous Touristic Product of Tuscany. 39 municipalities in 4 distinct areas with four leading municipalities: North (Pontremoli), Central North (Lucca), Central South (Fucecchio), South (Siena). All those involved have signed an agreement and the leaders are currently formalising operative protocols with Toscana Promozione Turistica (promotion) and Fondazione Sistema Toscana (web communication). The aim of the agreement is to enable: the practice of hospitality and touristic information on a supra-local level, periodical maintenance, the promotion and access of the touristic product, and the monitoring and analysis of touristic flow. An operative and coordinating group will be established for a complete, unitary promotion of the product, as well as a three-year plan which will foresee its inclusion in sector fairs and the realisation of events and campaigns. 

Maintenance. The walking route has been categorised into four categories: roads, white ways, dirt tracks and trails. For each of these necessary maintenance activities have been identified as well as implementation methods. 360 thousand euros have been made available for usual maintenance over the three-year period.

Touristic Monitoring of the Product. This is the tool available for the touristic product, with tasks including the constant valuing of sustainability and competitiveness of hospitality and territorial organisation through the inclusion of all those who operate in the area. Irpet will periodically supply survey statistics and analysis regarding the product and its supply and demand with details of medium and short-term periods, of the increase of presence generated by the main national and international markets, medium tourist spending, data on added value and employment benchmark analysis. 

Tourism Infrastructure. The main aim is to create a hostel network which allows bookings through an integrated system and digital reservations. An information activity will soon begin to make people aware of the typology introduced by the new regional law on tourism, that is excursionist shelter, a normative tool which enables the creation of hospitality along routes with simple and specific managerial rules. Currently 15 hostels are financed by Par-Fas 2007-2013, with a total of 487 beds. A reconnaissance of religious structures which offer free accommodation for pilgrims has almost been concluded. Lastly, minimum standards for private accommodation will soon be formalised.  

Coordination and connections with other routes. The completion of the project as a whole also includes the connection with other routes, such as the Via del Volto Santo, Via Romea Strata and Via Romea Germanica. The preparation of a masterplan is also proceeding, with rules and methods for all those who, along the lines of the Francigena, want to organise a route on foot, by bike or on horseback. The document will identify the security and viability characteristics as well as organisational, maintenance and accommodation rules for the route. These potential routes include the Vie di Francesco, the Via degli Dei and the Cammini Etruschi. 

Source: Toscana Notizie