P2 Stage 33 Montefiascone to Viterbo 18 km

At Montefiascone we had dinner with dear friends Jacques and Betsy. Betsy had just finished a rehearsal in Acquasparta and Jacques shared many stories about his cycling the Via Francigena, including over the Alps and up to Radicofani which he agreed was a monster.

The walk today was along the old Via Cassia, dating to about 100 CE, paved with the limestone boulders Romans used to surface to the road. This is the road used for over 2000 years by by anyone coming from or traveling to the north from Rome. D.H. Lawrence mentions it in Etruscan Places. It is so rich in legend and lore every step on it smooth surface is a history lesson.

We left Montefiascone in early morning, getting our pilgrim passport stamped at the tourist office, which was open, where we were informed that Montefiascone marks 100 km from Rome. Walking 100 km just a short while ago would have seemed extreme, now it is just a 4 day journey. We march on.

Before we descended from Montefiascone, leaving Bolsena behind, we walked through its park where an older gentleman invited us to admire the huge porcini mushroom he found near an oak tree in the park. It was an amazing fungus. He then went on to describe how he would cook it in great detail.

Tomorrow onto Vetralla.