Here are all answers to the most frequently asked questions, from us who have had first-hand experience of the Magna Via Francigena. Among the many activities with our local partners, suggested in the EXPERIENCES section, you will find the Magna Via Francigena of Sicily. A Way of Italy in the heart of non-touristic Sicily. An authentic journey in yourself, a moment that you will take to listen and really DISCONNECT THE PLUG from the daily routine. We love the paths for this, because they are high value travel experiences not only naturalistic and but also human and because… you change every time you walk one!
3 QUESTIONS – 3 ANSWERS FOR YOU
1.How many days does the Magna Via Francigena take?
It’s up to you! Your training level and the days you decide to dedicate to the trip. 9 stops in total will take you to walk about 188 km from Palermo to Agrigento through the mountainous and agricultural hinterland of Sicily. If you have less days available we recommend to skip the first stop Palermo -Santa Cristina Gela, or at least leave from Monreale reachable by bus. You could also give up the last part to Agrigento…even if we know it will not be the typical arrival of the paths, you can still walk the section from the station to the cathedral, where you will receive your TESTIMONIUM!
Moreover Manu (one of our receptionists) skipped the first and second stage almost totally and stop one day more in Prizzi. It was a necessary stop after the long solitary walks of the previous stages that allowed her to visit also Palazzo Adriano, where they shot Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. It did not include the detour to Santo Stefano di Quisquina because from Sicily you already happened to visit it. If you have never been there, it is absolutely recommended! Both for the Andromeda Theatre and the Santa Rosalia Cave.
2. What do I need to start?
- Of a Credential, surely! You can collect it at our hostel in exchange for a cash donation or by bank transfer to this IBAN Banca Etica : IT 23 L 03599 01899 0501 8853 3564 “Associazione Amici dei Cammini Francigeni di Sicilia“. Furthermore to receive the credential you also need to fill out the form of the pilgrim that you find HERE. Each place where you will go to sleep will release the stamp of passage but if you decide to sleep in a tent you can always ask the host committee in the country for a stamped contact. Remember that to receive the testimonium of any path you must travel for at least 100 km.
- GPS tracks! I know it’s not nice to be glued to the phone during a walk, but these tracks will be very useful in case of indecision! You can definitely request them at this LINK.
- You will also need a well-balanced backpack! Remember that your backpack should never exceed 10% of your body weight, food and water included. For this reason the key is LESS IS MORE! Think about everything you can do without and try to really live on the essential. If you bring a tent consider that this will constitute the majority of your weight but it will give you wild and authentic nights. In addition heavy backpack means also greater chance of injuries and a strong slowdown on the average speed of the route. You may also deliberately decide to slow down and have everything you need with you, in this case plan well where you will sleep, you will have to shorten the stages.
You can BOOK on our site at a reduced price by entering a discount code! Contact us on whatsapp or email to get the code :)A Casa di Amici also offers you the possibility to store excess luggage at a cost of 3 € per day for the duration of your journey.
3. What is the best time to walk along the road?
Obviously Spring with the colorful fields and autumn with the magic of green fields just recovered from drought. It is not a recommended route from the second half of June or in September, when the vegetation is dry and the landscape has few colors. Nevertheless we do not recommend to start the walk from the second half of November until February. You may encounter snow but especially mud! The mud would slow down your path, but above all it would be impossible to make the marked fords. You should turn to winter variants on the asphalt notwithstanding, safer but less pleasant.
The best time is from March to the first half of June where you can also enjoy the beautiful festival of the Devils of Prizzi or the hooded of Sutera or the Breccialfiorata of Acquaviva Platani and many more! Each small town has its traditions and festivals, but the invitation in general is to know the history of the countries where you will stay. The slow and experiential tourism will allow you to visit the CIDMA of Corleone, the archaeological museum of Milena and Prizzi and the theater of Racalmuto. You could take a tour through the streets of Grotte following the city murals or eat a good cannolo in Santa Cristina Gela.
We conclude by saying that the best way to stay informed about what happens day after day in any path is to follow the associated Facebook group of walkers. In this case, Amici della Magna Via Francigena di Sicilia, with posts updated on the variations of percoso, weather, difficulties and goals achieved successfully.
We are here to support you along the path of your journey! But most of all we hope you will fall in love with the endless landscapes and human biodiversity that you will encounter.
Buon Cammino! ❤
Amunì 😀
