Discovering the paths that cross the province of Forlì








In the last episode of the blog we talked about Paths and the aspects to take into account when preparing to face one. Below you will read a rundown of the main paths that cross our province, in case any of the readers want to try their hand at the proposals that pass near home.


WAY OF SANT’ANTONIO
About 410 km long (of which 258 km in Emilia-Romagna), the Way of St. Anthony develops between Veneto, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, along a route that touches the places of spirituality and faith where the Saint lived and preached to the early twelfth century.
It starts from the Basilica del Santo in Padua and continues south, making its entrance into our region through the ford on the Po, then continuing from Ferrara to the Sanctuary of San Luca in Bologna. The route passes through the Casentinesi Forests until it reaches the Eremo di Montepaolo, a sanctuary near Dovadola, where Saint Anthony lived between 1221 and 1222 (this year marks the eighth centenary of his death).


VIA ROMEA GERMANICA
2221 km long (of which 260 km in Emilia-Romagna), the Via Romea Germanica retraces the journey undertaken by the monk Albert of Stade in 1236 towards Rome and was, in ancient times, one of the most frequented itineraries by pilgrims of the time (“Peregrinationes Majiores ”), Also visited by the Kings and Emperors of Swabia and Saxony for diplomatic relations with the papacy. The itinerary starts from Augsburg, then passes through Trento, Padua and Ferrara, until it reaches the Apennine ridge near Bagno di Romagna, crossing the Serra pass. Passing the Parco delle Foreste Casentinesi, the route descends again towards Tuscany in the direction of Rome.


DANTE’S WAY
395 km long (194 km of which in Emilia-Romagna), the Cammino di Dante is a circular itinerary between Romagna and Tuscany, along the road that Dante traveled during his exile from Florence, until reaching the city of Ravenna. The departure is from Dante’s Tomb in Ravenna and ends at Dante’s House in Florence. Along the way you will touch some of the places mentioned by the poet in the Divine Comedy (one above all, the Acquacheta waterfall in the Casentinesi Forest Park).


THE WAY OF ASSISI
290 km long (of which 72 km in Emilia-Romagna), the Way of Assisi is a spiritual itinerary that brought together in a single large route the small pilgrimage routes that had the figures of St. Anthony and St. Francis as their theme. The path starts from the Hermitage of Montepaolo (near Dovadola) and along the Apennine ridge reaches Assisi, touching the key places of the Franciscan faith.


PATH OF SAN VICINIO
300 km long (210 km of which in Emilia-Romagna), the Cammino di San Vicinio is a circular route dedicated to the first bishop of Sarsina (San Vicinio), who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries AD. saint brought his work of evangelization, from the Savio Valley to Monte Fumaiolo, up to the Adriatic. In addition to crossing environments of significant naturalistic importance, such as the Casentinesi Forest Park, the itinerary offers the pilgrim the opportunity to experience moments of spirituality in significant places in the area, such as the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte in Cesena or the Basilica of San Vicinio. in Sarsina (where it is possible to attend the rite of the Saint’s Collar). The path also passes from the Sanctuary of La Verna to the “Volto Santo” in Sansepolcro and the Hermitage of Camaldoli.


WAY OF SAN FRANCESCO FROM RIMINI TO LA VERNA
110 km long (98 km of which in Emilia-Romagna), the Way of Saint Francis from Rimini to La Verna was inaugurated on the 800th anniversary (2013) of the Saint’s journey to Valmarecchia in 1213. It starts from the Convent of the Friars Minor in Verucchio, passing by the convent of Sant’Igne at the foot of the cliff of San Leo. There are places of spirituality (convent of the Poor Clares and Friars Minor in Sant’Agata Feltria) and historic villages such as San Leo. The route winds along ancient pilgrimage routes and reconnects to La Verna with other paths in central Italy, to give rise to a single itinerary of faith up to Rome.


VIAE MISERICORDIAE
245 km long (225 km of which in Emilia-Romagna), this itinerary was conceived by the Diocese of Faenza, on the occasion of the “Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy”, as an opportunity to rediscover a territory rich in faith. It starts from the Abbey of Pomposa and arrives at the Eremo di Gamogna, with a linear route in the first section and subsequently a ring, which touches cities of tourist importance such as Comacchio or Faenza, up to cross natural environments of high naturalistic value, such as the National Park of the Casentinesi Forests.


HIGH WAY OF PARKS
493 km long (entirely in Emilia-Romagna), it is a thematic trail that runs along the Apennine ridge between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany up to the Marche, connecting the main protected areas of the Region in 27 high-altitude stages.
On the way, which starts from the town of Berceto (PR), you cross two National Parks (Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and Casentinesi Forests), five Regional Parks (Cedra and Parma Valleys, Upper Modena Apennines, Corno alle Scale, Suviana and Brasimone , Vena del Gesso Romagnola) and an interregional one (Sasso Simone and Simoncello).
Along the way it is possible to experience a very varied hiking experience, passing from the high altitudes of the Emilian mountains to the gentle hills of the brisighellesi gypsum.




As you will have understood, some of these paths, in certain territories, overlap, while others connect to each other, giving the possibility to pilgrims to expand the possibility of walking.
Whether you follow these paths for religious reasons or for hiking reasons, the Way is an intense experience that confronts your abilities and possibilities, an experience that I recommend to do at least once in your life.








Discovering the paths that cross the province of Forlì-Cesena