The experience
Crossing in the heart of Tuscany: the Way of St. James
The Way of St. James starts from Florence and arrives at the sea in Livorno. In the heart of Tuscany there is this small Camino de Santiago that contains an exceptional concentration of art, history and nature.
As on the Spanish roads, yellow arrows were placed along this route in the direction of Livorno, where pilgrims embarked for Barcelona and continued their journey to Santiago. These markings are usually placed on road poles or on rocks and asphalt. They are often paired with the symbol of the Way of St. Jacopo: the stylized shell of the much more important Jacobean itinerary superimposed on the lozenge of the Romanesque-Pisan.
This itinerary has been created in synergy with “Smart Walking”, Davide Fiz’s project that combines trekking and agile work, to enjoy tourism and work slowly, with a backpack on your shoulders and the desire to discover the historical and naturalistic heritage of our territories!
Shortly
Tour
Florence to Prato
The first stage of the Camino di San Jacopo is the Florence – Prato, just over 27 kilometers with very little elevation gain. The route winds mainly on asphalt on secondary but historic roads, as evidenced by the numerous tabernacles that can be found. The entrance to Prato is on safe tree-lined cycle and pedestrian paths.
Stage 1: Florence – Prato
Km 27.1 Maximum height 190 a.s.l.
Difficulty: easy
From Prato to Pistoia
The second stage is the one from Prato to Pistoia.
Intersection of five paths – the Way of St. James in Tuscany, the Way of St. Bartholomew, the Via Francesca della Sambuca, the Romea Strata and the Via Romea Germanica Imperiale, Pistoia has a memorial stone donated by the Xunta de Galicia, in collaboration with Concello de Santiago and Xacobeo 2021, which crowned Pistoia as a crossroads of ancient paths.
Here there is the possibility of being welcomed in the Hospital of Sant’Andrea and San Jacopo. A real experience of pilgrim welcome by the confraternity of St. James of Compostela, with foot washing and dinner in common.
Stage 2: Prato – Pistoia
Km 27.1 Maximum height 350 a.s.l.
Difficulty: medium
From Pistoia to Pescia
The stage is very varied and alternates flat stretches with ancient hilly paths, often paved, which reach interesting villages and castles. You then descend quickly on ancient cobbled paths to reach Pescia with its beautiful historic center and its Cathedral where the body of Sant’Allucio, hospitaller of medieval pilgrims, is venerated.
Stage 3: Pistoia – Pescia
Km 29.6 Maximum height 300 a.s.l.
Difficulty: medium
From Pescia to Lucca
The route in the first half is hilly and winds along ancient roads, while in the second half it is flat and crosses the plain of Lucca, touching numerous ancient churches and artifacts of industrial archaeology.
In the center of Pescia we take the Via della Fiaba, a beautiful ancient paved path that leads us to Collodi and the park of Villa Garzoni, crossing a nature rich in exotic plants. After visiting the village of Pinocchio, we go up to the hills of Lucca to visit the ancient villages of San Gennaro, Petrognano, Sant’Andrea in Caprile and Segromigno in Monte, with their ancient Romanesque churches and beautiful villas.
Stage 4: Pescia – Lucca
Km 26,3 Maximum height 190 a.s.l.
Difficulty: easy
Lucca to Pisa
The route leaves the city through Porta Sant’Anna to leave the suburbs on secondary roads and cross the Ozzeri Canal, built on an ancient course of the Serchio. Here, along country roads, you travel through a foothill area full of small villages, villas and beautiful early medieval churches and then climb the slopes of Monte Pisano on shady paths and military paved roads that lead to ancient hermitages, towers and fortifications.
Stage 5: Lucca – Pisa
Km 28,6
Difficulty: easy
Pisa to Livorno
Finally the sea appears to us, where you can stop to reflect or take advantage of a refreshing swim before resuming the walk in the coastal pine forest that accompanies us to the port of Livorno, where it is inevitable to cross the port area before entering the beautiful city.
Stage 6: Pisa – Livorno
Km 35,9
Difficulty: medium
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