The Cultural Legacy of Pilgrimage in Italy

When we think about pilgrimage, we often imagine people walking towards Rome or Santiago de Compostela. However, pilgrims did much more than travel from one place to another. As they crossed Europe, they exchanged ideas, traditions, artistic styles and even recipes. For centuries, the Via Francigena, the ancient road connecting Canterbury to Rome, played a key role in this cultural exchange. Thousands of travellers from different countries crossed northern and central Italy, leaving a rich legacy that is still visible today.

Art and Architecture Along the Way

The Via Francigena encouraged the construction of churches, abbeys, bridges, hospitals and shelters where pilgrims could rest safely. Many of these buildings are now considered masterpieces of medieval art and architecture.

One of the best examples is the Abbey of Sant’Antimo, in Tuscany. Built in beautiful Romanesque style, it has welcomed pilgrims for centuries and remains one of the most peaceful places along the route.

The city of Lucca became one of the most important pilgrimage stops in Italy. Pilgrims visited the Cathedral of San Martino, where the famous Volto Santo, a wooden crucifix dating back to the Middle Ages, has been venerated for centuries. Every year, the city still celebrates the traditional Luminara di Santa Croce, when thousands of candles light up the streets in honour of this ancient devotion.

In Siena, travellers found help at the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala, one of Europe’s oldest hospitals. Located opposite the magnificent cathedral, it offered food, medical care and accommodation to pilgrims arriving from all over Europe. Today, it is an important museum where visitors can discover the history of medieval hospitality.

Further north, Pavia welcomed pilgrims crossing the River Ticino on its famous covered bridge before continuing towards Piacenza and Tuscany. Many churches and monasteries in the city still tell the story of these medieval journeys.

Music and Spiritual Traditions

Pilgrimage also helped spread music and religious traditions. Monasteries along the Via Francigena preserved and performed Gregorian chant, whose peaceful melodies accompanied prayers and religious celebrations.

Pilgrims shared stories, legends and songs from different countries. Thanks to these encounters, ideas travelled as quickly as people did, helping to create a common European culture.

Even today, many towns along the Via Francigena organise pilgrim walks, historical reenactments, concerts of sacred music and local festivals that celebrate their medieval past.

The Flavours of the Via Francigena

Food was an essential part of every pilgrimage. After walking many kilometres each day, pilgrims needed simple but nourishing meals prepared with local ingredients.

Walking along the Via Francigena today means discovering the rich culinary traditions of each region.

In Lombardy, travellers can enjoy traditional rice dishes and local cheeses. In Emilia-Romagna they find fresh handmade pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano. Tuscany offers Pane Toscano, the famous unsalted bread, Pecorino Toscano, olive oil and hearty dishes such as Ribollita, a soup made with vegetables and bread that reflects the traditional cuisine of rural communities. Reaching Liguria, pilgrims are welcomed by the aroma of Focaccia di Genova, one of Italy’s most famous specialities.

These recipes tell the story of the places and the people who welcomed travellers over the centuries.

Hospitality: A Tradition That Continues Today

Perhaps the greatest legacy of pilgrimage is hospitality. During the Middle Ages, monasteries, hospitals and local families opened their doors to travellers, offering food, shelter and care regardless of where they came from.

This spirit of welcome is still alive today. Along the Via Francigena, modern pilgrims can stay in hostels, monasteries and guesthouses specially prepared for walkers. Many villages proudly preserve their traditions and continue to welcome visitors from all over the world.

Italy in Our eTwinning Journey

In our eTwinning project, we chose Milan, Turin and Genoa as the Italian stages of our journey.

Milan has always been an important crossroads linking northern Europe with the Italian peninsula. Turin, famous for the Holy Shroud, has long been a destination for pilgrims and an important stop before crossing the Alps towards France. Genoa, one of the greatest ports in the Mediterranean, welcomed travellers arriving by sea and connected Italy with the pilgrimage routes leading to France and, eventually, to Santiago de Compostela.

These cities remind us that the Camino de Santiago was never only a Spanish route. It was part of a much larger European network that united people through faith, culture and travel.

A Shared European Heritage

Today, both the Via Francigena and the Camino de Santiago are recognised as Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe because they represent much more than ancient roads. They are symbols of dialogue, cultural exchange and friendship between nations.

Walking these routes means discovering beautiful landscapes, historic monuments, local traditions and regional cuisine, but it also means understanding how people from different countries have been connected for more than a thousand years.

The pilgrimage routes continue to teach us an important lesson: every journey is an opportunity to learn from others and to build bridges between cultures.