Route Description
The via Francigena is an ancient route between Canterbury and Rome, passing through: England, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Vatican City.
The route follows more or less directly in the footsteps of Sigeric the Serious, Archbishop of Canterbury (989-994). He travelled to Rome in 989 to receive his cope and pallium (a circular band of white wool with pendant, worn by archbishops) from the hands of the Pope, as was customary for that period. Sigeric on his way home recorded the places he passed through identifying them as 'submansiones.' The manuscript of that journey is kept in the British Library and became the focus of academic research that resulted in the re-creation of this modern-day pilgrimage route. The Archbishop's description of the route proved accurate although the 10th century names differed in many instances from their contemporary ones.
The Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome is the premier resource for maps, route descriptions, and accommodation details.