17 days on the Via Romea Germanica (Part III)
There was a lot to see along the way: from a massive and visually stunning cathedral in Orvieto, to the imposing sight of the Civita di Bagno Regio (a fortress of a town built on a colossal pillar of volcanic rock). We even found places to swim, cooling ourselves in a river running through the town of Subbiano and swimming in waterfall-fed pools hidden in wooded hollows farther along the VRG. We walked along ancient Roman roads in the mountains of Tuscany and on the final approach to Rome. One of my favourite walks was between the villages of Pozzuollo and Villastrada: the sandy country roads, distinctly Mediterranean landscape, and the impressive vistas of the surrounding hills and lake Chiusi in the distance, made me feel like I was walking through the mythological Mediterranean of Greco-Roman Myth-I could imagine that any of these mountains overlooking the lake in the distance could be Olympus itself-where the gods of antiquity passed the heat of the day in otherworldly indolence as we poor mortals toiled in the dust of the country roads. Each little town along the way had something special - from the high tower overlooking a deep ravine and a river in Subbiano, to the gorgeous arches atop the hill at Castiglion Fiorentino, to the public square decorated with a hundred different shields in Arezzo; each proudly displaying its own hallowed coat of arms. At one point we tried to attain the Civita di Bagno Regio on foot, and were turned back by the overgrown route, which became lost in a wall of merciless thorns, we’d staggered away, shins and wrists bloody - defeated and paranoid about ticks. There were more adventures too - I’d need a whole book to describe each one.
Closer to Rome the VRG joined the Via Romea Francigena which approached Rome from France, and we met some of the pilgrims that had followed that route. I remember one was an Australian that was walking the trail in reverse to Paris, he was just walking something off. He’d been absorbed in history audiobooks along the way. He was quiet and defensive, but I couldn’t help liking him. The devil in me toyed with the idea of telling everyone around him that he was an ex-mercenary trying to conquer his demons by walking the pilgrimmage, this depraved gag would force him to open up a bit, but at that time we were staying in a house of God and I thought better of it. There was an old Frenchman, with whom I was pleased to practice my French, as well as an old French couple - and a silent Italian woman - whom another pilgrim coming along the VRF believed was making the pilgrimage to Rome for a very profound and personal reason. There was another Australian retired from a career in computers - a tall deliberate man who outpaced us all in long strides of his old legs, and a vivacious middle aged Italian man who talked my ear off on walks through airy stands of pine and close overgrown gullies about women, life and everything - he was a welcome chatterbox in English and French (in appropriate doses) and showed me a wonderfully sweet and icy cold almond drink made with syrup: a holy tonic in the heat of those afternoons - along with sweet local iced teas after grueling ascents up sheer sided hills into cobbled towns. Before the end, Nicholas and I parted ways with Marian, and were joined by Greta, Nicholas’ sister, who was also a teacher - and we continued on to Rome.
Travelling by foot across Italy made me appreciate sight-seeing in a whole new way. Somehow travelling by bus from sight to sight, ticking off things to see on a list, following guides and growing fat on gelato and complacent in cozy hotels now seemed entirely unsatisfying. In my mind travel became something more than a diversion or indulgence but something truly and substantially beneficial to my overall health and mental attitude. I've decided that travel can be something that both challenges and rewards, that helps the traveller discover their limits. Thousands of people sit on airplanes, then sit on air-conditioned buses, then join tour groups, then let themselves be lead about St. Peter's square and on to the Vatican Museum in relative comfort every season - their greatest complaints the heat or the hawkers or the waiting time - but on August 2nd 2018 only a handful of us quietly entered that illustrious space on foot with packs on our backs and blisters on our feet after a 17-day journey of more than 300km. We were exhausted, sweaty, probably stinking to high heaven, but exultant and euphoric in a way that none of the tour groups and vacationers milling about us would ever understand - we had made it.
Over the next few days I saw as much of Rome as I could but was somewhat hampered by my feet - which were screaming for a rest. For anyone planning to visit Rome after following the VRG, I highly recommend setting aside a day or two to simply lay back and relax wherever you decide to stay - for me it was an airbnb in an apartment on Via Prenestina. I had a bed, bathroom, access to a washing machine and wifi for about 30 dollars (Canadian) a night - it was all I needed. For someone without a budget constraint, however, there seemed to be no shortage of places to choose from but I would recommend booking early for anyone travelling in Italy in the summer and for anyone who wants to do the VRG without staying in a tent - as spaces in hostels and hotels fill up fast with the arrival of the tourist season. I booked my airbnb a week ahead and was happy I did. Despite being slightly impeded by the need to rest my feet, I managed to see the ruins of the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, the Museo Capitolini (which notably houses a famous bronze statue of a wolf suckling Romulus and Remus the mythical founders of Rome), the Vatican Museum and the Sistine chapel. To accomplish all this, I purchased a 72—hour Roma pass for about 40 Euros which gave me unlimited access to the subways, buses and streetcars and provided free entrance everywhere I went except the Vatican museum.
After a brief stint of sightseeing in Rome, it was time for me to be on my way. The whole trip had left me with a profound sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I'd seen a different side of Italy, tasted its food and talked to its people and walked its country paths. I felt like I'd been afforded a slight and humble insight into the country outside the crowded tourist hot spots and hotels, and the effort of trekking made each new place, each espresso, each glass of wine, each local specialty that much more gratifying. If you are looking for a unique adventure, have completed the Camino de Santiago and are hungry for something similar or want to combine exercise with your vacation, or some combination of all of these: I recommend the Via Romea Germanica or any of the multitude of pilgrimages across Europe. For the determined and well prepared the rewards are truly endless. Happy travels.
