TREKKING ON WAYS OF DANTE IN ITALY
Sportravelit suggests you the following Trekking Dante’s footsteps in Italy – Emilia Romagna in partnership with a local specialized operator:
FROM FLORENCE TO RAVENNA
Basic package (Min 6 pax): Price per person from Euros 1.150
Services on request:
Tour detailsDescription of the itinerary: The route passes through the Apennine ridge with overall levels of even 700 m a day. The distances are largely below 20 km, just one day it is about 25 km. The walking trail is mostly on ruts and forestry roads, rarely on footpath. Level: Middle/Difficult Average daily distance: 18-20 km Total distance: 105 km |
FROM MUGELLO TO ROMAGNA
Basic package (Min 6 pax): Price per person from Euros 1.190
Services on request:
Tour detailsDescription of the itinerary: The route passes through the Apennine ridge with overall levels of up to 500 m a day. The distances are almost always below 18 km. The walking trail is mostly on ruts and forestry roads, rarely on footpath. Level: Middle Average daily distance: 16 km Total distance: 90 km |
Day 1
Departure by train (or bus) from Florence to Dicomano from where today’s walk to San Godenzo starts. In 1302 at the Abbey of San Godenzo took place the Convention of the Exiles, the last political act of Dante Alighieri to try to return to Florence. After the failure of the conference and the expulsion of the Ghibellines from Florence and the death penalty for Dante, his exile and his journey through the Apennines actually began from San Godenzo. Distance 17km Difference in altitude: 850m.
Day 2
From San Godenzo the walk begins, quickly gaining altitude on cart tracks, while the dark forest that inspired Dante thickens around it. Reach the ridge and the view sweeps all around the Casentinesi Forests, while walking towards one of the symbolic places on Dante’s streets: the Acquacheta waterfall. Such is the roar of the waterfall that Dante compares it to that of the infernal river Flegetonte that separates the seventh circle from the eighth. Today’s destination is San Benedetto in Alpe. Distance: 18km. Difference in altitude: 800m.
Day 3
From San Benedetto begins the walk towards the small village of Bocconi. After crossing the river on the beautiful medieval bridge, if you want you can visit the ghost town of Bastia not far away. Continue our trekking Dante’s footsteps in Italy to Portico di Romagna where the family of Beatrice Portinari, Dante’s platonic love, had their summer residence. The medieval village and the humpback bridge called della Maestà are very beautiful. Distance: 19km. Difference in altitude: 600m.
Day 4
From Portico di Romagna, drive through the Montone valley until you reach Rocca San Casciano, former capital of the Tuscan Romagna from 1838 to 1923. After a well-deserved break, continue your journey to a delightful farmhouse just outside Dovadola, an ancient fief of the powerful Conti Guidi, cited several times by Dante in the Divine Comedy. Distance: 19 km. Diference in altitude: 400m.
Day 5
Wide spaces and views of the Romagna hills accompany you as you climb towards the ridge. Visit the Hermitage of Monte Paolo where Saint Anthony of Padua lived between 1221 and 1222, continue towards Castrocaro Terme, mentioned in canto XIV guilty of having contributed to the extinction of the ancient and noble civilization. Distance: 20 km Difference in altitude: 450m.
Day 6
Short but intense stage in Dante’s testimonies. Shortly after Castrocaro we meet Terra del Sole, an ideal Renaissance city commissioned by Cosimo de ‘Medici in 1564 as an admirable example of urban planning and as a fortress to defend the northern borders. We continue along the river to Forlì where Dante stayed with the Ordelaffi and with them he tried to lead an army to return to Florence. From Forlì, you transfer by train to Ravenna where he was a guest at the court of the Da Polenta and where Dante’s earthly journey also ended. We suggest a guided tour of the city of Ravenna, including Dante’s tomb. Distance: 14 km. Difference in altitude minimo.
Day 7
End of the trekking Dante’s footsteps in Italy. The visit to Ravenna continues freely.
Day 1
Meeting at the bus station of Florence Santa Maria Novella to take a bus and arrive at the starting point of the walk towards San Godenzo. In 1302 at the Abbey of San Godenzo took place the Convention of the Exiles, the last political act of Dante Alighieri to try to return to Florence. After the failure of the conference, the expulsion of the Ghibellines from Florence and the death penalty for Dante, his exile and his journey through the Apennines actually began from San Godenzo. Distance 10km Difference in altitude: 550m.
Day 2
From San Godenzo we gain altitude with a transfer, while the Dark Forest that inspired Dante thickens around us. We reach the ridge and immediately the view sweeps over the Casentinesi Forests, while we walk towards one of the symbolic places of Dante’s streets: the Acquacheta waterfall. Such is the roar of the waterfall that Dante compares it to that of the infernal river Flegetonte that separates the seventh circle from the eighth. Today’s destination is San Benedetto in Alpe. Distance: 16km. Difference in altitude: 300m.
Day 3
We leave San Benedetto for the small village of Bocconi. We cross the river on the beautiful medieval bridge and if we want we can make a small detour and visit the ghost town of Bastia. Resuming the journey, we arrive at Portico di Romagna where the family of Beatrice Portinari, Dante’s Platonic love, had their summer residence. The medieval village and the humpback bridge called della Maestà are very beautiful. Distance: 16km. Difference in altitude: 400m.
Day 4
From Portico di Romagna, we walk along the Montone valley until we reach Rocca San Casciano, former capital of the Tuscan Romagna from 1838 to 1923. Transfer to our delightful farmhouse on the outskirts of Dovadola. This village was an ancient feud of the powerful Conti Guidi family, mentioned several times by Dante in the Divine Comedy. Distance: 12 km. Difference in altitude: 300m.
Day 5
Wide spaces and views of the Romagna hills accompany us as we climb towards the ridge and reach the Hermitage of Monte Paolo. Here Sant’Antonio da Padova lived between 1221 and 1222. Today’s stop is Castrocaro. Distance: 17 km Difference in altitude: 450m.
Day 6
Short stage of the journey today, but intense in Dante’s testimonies. Shortly after Castrocaro we meet Terra del Sole, an ideal Renaissance city commissioned by Cosimo de ‘Medici in 1564 as an admirable example of urban planning and as a fortress to defend the northern borders. We continue along the river to Forli where Dante stayed with the Ordelaffi. From here we move by train to Ravenna where he was a guest at the court of the Da Polenta and where Dante’s earthly journey also ended. Guided tour of the city of Ravenna, including Dante’s tomb. Distance: 14km. Difference in altitude minimo.
Day 7
End of the trekking Dante’s footsteps in Italy. The visit to Ravenna continues freely.