Via Francigena from Siena to Rome: The Final 12 Stages to the Vatican
The last 277 kilometers of the grand journey from Canterbury. White gravel roads across the Val d’Orcia, free natural thermal springs, Etruscan and Roman roads through Tuscia, and the unforgettable arrival at St. Peter’s Square.
The Final Push Toward Rome: Landscapes & Emotion
If someone only has two weeks off and wants to experience the aesthetic and historical essence of Italy, this is the most famous stretch of the entire Via Francigena. For those of us walking all the way from the English Channel with over 1,700 kilometers in our legs, leaving Siena marks the emotional countdown to the finish line.
- The Crete Senesi & Val d’Orcia: Three postcard-perfect stages among cypress-lined avenues, golden clay hills, walled towns like Buonconvento and San Quirico d’Orcia, and the thermal waters of Bagno Vignoni and Bagni San Filippo before tackling the steep climb up to the fortress of Radicofani.
- Tuscia & Volcanic Lazio: You enter the ancient heartland of the Etruscans and the Papal States. You walk alongside the giant volcanic crater of Lake Bolsena, taste the historic Est! Est!! Est!!! wine in Montefiascone, soak at sunset in the free thermal pools of Bagnaccio just outside medieval Viterbo, and walk past the rock-carved Roman amphitheater of Sutri.
- Entering Rome via Monte Mario: On the final stage (
IT44from La Storta), after crossing the Insugherata nature reserve, you climb up to the viewpoint atop Monte Mario (Mons Gaudii, the “Mount of Joy” for medieval pilgrims) where you finally spot Michelangelo’s dome in the distance before descending straight into the Vatican.
Official Stage Table: From Siena to Rome (Stages 75 to 86) + Grand Totals
Click on any town in the table below to open its location in Google Maps:
| # | Code | Start (Map) | Finish (Map) | Km | + Ascent (m) | – Descent (m) | Difficulty | Km from Canterbury | Km to Vatican |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇹 Italy — Tuscany Region (Southern Sector: Val d’Orcia) | |||||||||
| 75 | IT33 | Siena | Ponte d’Arbia (Buonconvento) | 25.7 | 153 | 326 | High | 1767 | 250 |
| 76 | IT34 | Ponte d’Arbia | San Quirico d’Orcia | 26.1 | 502 | 340 | High | 1792 | 225 |
| 77 | IT35 | San Quirico d’Orcia | Radicofani | 32.5 | 973 | 592 | Very High | 1818 | 193 |
| Subtotal 14 stages in all of Tuscany (IT22 to IT35): | 367 | 5887 | 6259 | ||||||
| 🇮🇹🇻🇦 Italy — Lazio Region & Vatican City | |||||||||
| 78 | IT36 | Radicofani | Acquapendente | 24.0 | 202 | 597 | Medium | 1850 | 169 |
| 79 | IT37 | Acquapendente | Bolsena | 22.1 | 213 | 295 | Medium | 1874 | 147 |
| 80 | IT38 | Bolsena | Montefiascone | 17.7 | 583 | 288 | Medium | 1897 | 129 |
| 81 | IT39 | Montefiascone | Viterbo | 17.9 | 82 | 355 | Low | 1915 | 111 |
| 82 | IT40 | Viterbo | Vetralla | 18.3 | 278 | 323 | Medium | 1932 | 93 |
| 83 | IT41 | Vetralla | Sutri | 23.9 | 255 | 235 | Medium | 1951 | 69 |
| 84 | IT42 | Sutri | Campagnano di Roma | 27.1 | 288 | 297 | Medium | 1975 | 42 |
| 85 | IT43 | Campagnano di Roma | La Storta | 24.5 | 359 | 466 | Medium | 2002 | 17 |
| 86 | IT44 | La Storta | Rome (Vatican City) | 17.2 | 44 | 195 | Low | 2026 | 0 |
| Subtotal 9 stages in Lazio Region: | 193 | 2313 | 2954 | ||||||
| Total 44 stages in Italy: | 1011 | 12964 | 15309 | ||||||
| GRAND TOTAL VIA FRANCIGENA (86 Official Stages): | 2044 | 24129 | 24126 | ||||||
*Note on total kilometers: While the point-to-point sum of the 86 official stages is 2,044 km, on the ground—once you add scenic variants, searching for wild camping spots, detours to supermarkets or parish hostels, and walking around towns—your GPS will log around 2,200 real kilometers in your legs.