Pavia to Lake Constance, crossing the Alps
Via Francisca del Lucomagno
The Via Francisca del Lucomagno is an ancient route – historically documented – which leads from Constance on Lake Constance on the Swiss-German border on Lake Constance to Pavia in Italy.
When the journeys were made on foot or on horseback, this route represented a fundamental link with the Po Valley, because it was shorter than other routes.
Among the historical figures who travelled this route is remembered St. Columbanus, who died in Bobbio in 615, and the emperors Henry II and Frederick Barbarossa. The Via del Lucomagno was fundamental for the history of the Church and Europe, as it recalls all the Councils of Constance where pontiffs and bishops from all over Europe went.
In April and May 2026 I walked the Via Francisca del Lucomagno from Pavia to Chur, and returned in September 2026 to walk the 100km from Chur to Lake Constance. I did not walk to the town of Constance, but to Bregenz in Austria on the eastern side of the lake.
The Via Francisca del Lucomagno is a walk in three parts, through the extremely flat Po Valley in Italy and over hills and mountains in Switzerland and down to the Rhine valley.
This is an extremely beautiful walk, with fabulous scenery through northern Italy and southern Switzerland. Pavia, Varese’s Sacra Monte, the Lucomagno climb, Chur are highlights, but the scenery is beyond doubt what stands out.
Via Francisca del Lucomagno blog - Pavia to Chur
Day 165: Pavia to Torre d’Isola
April 29, 2026 A very short day, just more than 10km and more or less no elevation. The plan was to get to Torre d'Isola, eat lunch and catch the 1.30 bus back to Pavia. From today onwards, I am no longer following the Via Francigena, but instead the Via Francisca del Lucomagno. It is an ancient Roman-Longobard… Read more >
Day 166: Torre d’Isola to Morimondo April 30, 2026 I was up early this morning, and off to the laundrette, before joining a long queue at the bakers, having breakfast and saying hello to the owner of the room I was staying. She had sent me lots of info about Pavia during my 3 day stay. I took the bus just after 10am, back… Read more >
Day 167: Morimondo to Buscate May 1, 2026 I woke this morning, and was surprised to see that a market was being set up on the square in front of the hotel. I hadn't heard a thing. At breakfast I met the two other walkers who stayed here last night. The Italian lady left just as I arrived for breakfast, whilst a Swiss… Read more >
Day 168: Buscate to Castiglione Olona May 2, 2026 My 13th day walking and another bright and sunny day as I rose for breakfast. More UAE cyclists turned up for breakfast, probably flying into the close at hand Malpensa airport. After an excellent breakfast, I walked through town, which didn’t seem to consist of much more than a main street. Only the baker and… Read more >
Day 169: Castiglione Olona to Santa Maria del Monte May 3, 2026 A yoghurt, donut and bottle of pear juice were the sum of this morning’s breakfast - not great, and my early morning nourishment as I set off on day 14. I walked back to the old village. It was packed with stands selling all sorts of art and second hand stuff. There were already quite… Read more >
Day 170: Santa Maria del Monte to Ponte Tresa May 4, 2026 It was quiet at the top of the sacred mountain of Varese, and I had a good nights sleep. After a solid breakfast I was soon on my way. Walking up the mountain yesterday, I was thinking I could have taken the bus and funicular up and walked down today. Today the bus departures were… Read more >
Day 172: Rivera to Sementina
May 6, 2026 Sementina is a kilometer or so off the trail, just outside Bellinzona, but I chose it to overnight after a short stage (18km) as there is a Tibetan suspension bridge close by (3km and 300m climb away) which I wanted to walk over. My worst fears for the day were confirmed when I woke up… Read more >
Day 173: Sementina to Acquarossa May 7, 2026 The sun was shining this morning, which was a nice way to start a day where I will, depending on my legs, walk 42kms. As I get closer to the Alps, there is a gradual elevation from 230 to 570m. If my legs aren't up to it, I can catch a bus and make up… Read more >
Day 174: Acquarossa to Acquacalda May 8, 2026 Day 19, and I walked from red water (Acquarossa) to hot water (Acquacalda). Today was the day I was looking most forward to and the day I was most worried about. Today is the first day of two, where I will walk over the Alps, more precisely the Lucomagno pass (or Lukmanier in German). Today's… Read more >
Day 175: Acquacalda to Disentis May 9, 2026 Wow, what a stage. This is certainly one of the most memorable stages I have walked, from the harsh terrain at the top of Lucomagno to the green rolling hills of the lower Alps. And throw in two suspension bridges and crossing a snow covered path with a drop on one side, this really was… Read more >
Day 176: Disentis to Ilanz May 10, 2026 Day 21 and the penultimate day of the 9th leg of my Sagres to Rome and Home walk. Today was very much a walk in two halves. The morning mostly along roads passing through small villages, and an afternoon along a path close to the Rein Anteriur river, with little to see, not even the… Read more >
Day 177: Ilanz to Chur May 11, 2026 I had a good nights sleep at the monastery, and went down to a good, but very quiet breakfast. There were more people at breakfast than at dinner last night, but nobody said a word. I hadn't finally decided whether I would split today into two parts, walking ca. 25km and doing the rest tomorrow,… Read more >Via Francisca del Lucomagno blog - Chur to Berengz
Day 192: Chur to Maienfeld September 13, 2026 Back in Chur and ready to continue along the Via Francisca del Lucomagno, where I left off in spring, where I'd walked from Pavia to Chur over the Lucomagno Pass in the Alps. The Via Francisca del Lucomango is normally walked from Konstanz on Lake Constance to Pavia in Italy, but I walked it in… Read more >
Day 193: Maienfeld to Ruggell
September 14, 2026 This could be the shortest post I have ever written. A very uneventful day, perhaps apart from visiting a country, Liechtenstein, which I have never visited before. After a fine breakfast at the Heidi hotel, I was on my way shortly after 8 o’clock. It was grey and damp as I passed the village, Maienfeld,… Read more >
Day 194: Ruggel to Lustenau
September 15, 2026 The most noteworthy thing from today's walk was that I visited three countries. I started in Liechtenstein, walked through Switzerland and ended up in Austria. A first for me. I have never walked in three countries in one day before. Otherwise it was a very uneventful day. I walked 24km and there was 100m of… Read more >
Day 195: Lustenau to Bregenz
September 16, 2026 Day 18 of this trip and my 195th walking day since leaving Sagres. Today I reached Bregenz which marks the end of the Via Francisca del Lucomagno for me. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the official route ends in Constance in Switzerland, elsewhere on the Lake Constance. Today is a two part walk.… Read more >