A long day. It ended up being 35km with a couple of steep hills with almost 700m in elevation, and a steep downhill on a track that could barely be called a track. It was beautiful weather all day, if anything too hot to walk.
I was up early and had finished the ultra-processed breakfast by 7.30am – nothing fresh, cakes and biscuits in plastic. Not really my idea of a breakfast. Pietrasanta was slowly coming alive as I walked through, with the odd bar opening for the early risers. After passing the cemetery, the day started with a short climb, initially along a fairly quiet road, passing the parish church of Saint John (Giovanni) and Felicity, the first mention dating back to the 9th century. In January each year there a ceremony blessing animals, when dogs, cats, rabbits, and, above all, elegantly dressed horses arrive from all over the surrounding area.
I followed a path towards Camaiore, passing a small waterfall, through a bamboo forest, before following a river for several kilometers. There were quite a few joggers and dog walkers on the path. Camaiore is another Roman town, with an historical centre, originally built an outpost to Lucca. I stopped at the town hall to purchase the Via Francigena stamp book. The town hall didn’t have any, but the tourist office next door had one left. I was lucky. I paid my 8 Euros, and got my first stamp.
I probably should have stopped for a coffee, now there was the chance, but instead left town along some small paths and back roads. I took a break in a forest, sitting on a log eating a couple of biscuits. Unbeknown to me, 100m further there was a rest area with benches and a table. I met my first fellow hiker, from Bergamo. She was walking to Siena and would do Siena to Rome next year.
I was still on paths when I visited the church of Saint Andre Apostolo, before starting a very steep climb to Montemagno. There was a queue at the water fountain at the top of the climb, next to a wooden carved figure, with great views over the surrounding landscape and back towards Camaiore. I took the main road downhill, without much to see, and with more cyclists than cars. I saw a restaurant with a cyclist menu; a pilgrim menu wasn’t mentioned. It was around 11.30, so I continued, leaving the main road at Valpromaro and immediately finding a small bar at the crossroads. I stopped for a coffee and lemonade before continuing through the village.
There is hostel in the village, and as I walked past they called out and asked if I wanted a stamp. The owners, an Italian and German are avid walkers, and last year had walked Shikoku, that I’d walked in 2018 – so we chatted about our respective experiences.
I was only halfway to Lucca, so with a second stamp in my book, I said goodbye and continued towards Piazzano with a 100m climb up towards the village, dominated by the church. There was a small ice box outside the church with water and biscuits, which I took and left a donation. Leaving Piazzano, I missed a turn and carried on along the road. When I realised, I doubled back; I wish I hadn’t. The path was a rocky, steep decline; barely a path. Well at least it wasn’t raining so that it was slippery as well. In fact it was hot – almost 30 degrees.
Safely at the bottom, the next 5 kilometers were along a quiet road. I saw a dead snake on the road and was beginning to feel relatively tired. I reached Ponte San Pietro, a bridge crossing the Serchio river with a statue of a pilgrim (perhaps Saint Peter) in the middle. I was still 5km from Lucca and an additional 2km to reach the B&B I was staying. From the bridge, the path to Lucca followed the river. There were many cyclists and a few people out for a stroll.
I reached the beautiful, medieval town of Lucca, passing through the San Donato gate. I stopped at the tourist office to get a stamp and walked through the centre of Lucca, stopping to admire the San Michele in Foro church on the square. Lucca was very busy with many tourists. I left the town through the gate at the opposite end of town, and had another 500m to the B&B.
It was late, almost 6pm, so a quick shower and out again. I walked back into the centre of town, passing through one of the gates in the 4.2km of walls that surround the city. I passed La Torre Guinigi, the world famous tower with the trees on the top. I had climbed to the top when I was here in the 1990’s, so I didn’t need to do it again and instead visited Piazza dell’ Anfiteatro, with its yellow buildings built on top of an ancient roman amphitheater. Nowadays, restaurants are found along pretty much the whole perimeter. I also visited the cathedral, with its beautiful front, (it was closed) and saw the statue of the composer Pucchini, sitting in front of his birth place.
I was tired, so at 7.30pm I walked over to Trattoria da Leo, a trattoria we had eaten back in the 1990’s and still exists today. Last time it was packed with locals and we had to stand in line to get in. This time it wasn’t quite as busy, but the food and service was excellent.
I walked slowly back to the B&B, through a town that was almost deserted and was in bed by 10pm.