The Salt Walk
Walk in the footsteps of the salt pan workers of Cervia and rediscover a tradition which is more than 500 years old.
The Salt Walk is inspired by the sea of Cervia and the sweet salt of Cervia, called white gold by the locals.
Traditionally, this itinerary can be traced back for the first time to 1464 when the salt pan workers embarked on the first pilgrimage to Rome with the intent of paying homage to Pope Paul II, bishop of the city of Cervia until 1456, with the fruit of their work: the sweet salt.
The echo of this tradition reaches our day, accompanying pilgrims who decide to embark on this magnificent walk.
From the coasts of Romagna, this itinerary of almost 200 km stretches from the hinterland as far as the Tuscan hills superimposing itself on the ancient route of the Via Romea Germanica, declared European Cultural route in 2020.
This walk retraces the itinerary undertaken in the Middle Ages by the German Abbot Alberto of Stade who departed the city of Stade in 1236, to continue towards the magnificent Civita di Bagnoregio and finally reach St. Peter’s Square in Rome, where our walk also ends, with the handing over of the salt to the Pope.
The Salt Walk is a cultural route of historical importance
The Salt Walk was suspended in 1870, following the events of the Capture of Rome, which interrupted diplomatic relations between the Vatican and what was the young Kingdom of Italy.
Walking along its roads it is possible to visit art cities, such as Arezzo with the Basilica of Saint Francis and Rome, with the Sistine Chapel.
But there is more: it is also a journey of discovery of some of the most beautiful landscapes of our peninsula, such as the villages of Umbria, the green lung of Italy.
A perfect opportunity to encounter the communities and become acquainted with the traditions of the 4 regions crossed, to taste the food and wine specialties offered by the territory and to immerse oneself in the nature reserves, such as that of the Park of the Casentino Forests, UNESCO Heritage Site since 2017.
Take a look and find out more
- La Via Romea Germanica, “Dieci passi nella storia” Rai Radio Live (italian language)
- Il Cammino del Sale, TGR report dated 01/10/2018 (italian language)
The itinerary
Suited to
- families, couples, friends, the minimum requirement is to be regular walkers
Altitude changes
- at the entry stages and itinerary (Tappe e percorso) of the website of Via Romea Germanica it is possible to check the changes in altitude of each stage.
Public transport for the return trip
- from Rome, it is possible to take the train from the station of Roma Termini, checking the timetables of the Trenitalia website.
Itinerary in stages
- Cervia – Forlimpopoli
27km - Bertinoro – Cusercoli
23km - Bagno di Romagna – La Verna
23km - Capolona – Arezzo
19km - Arezzo – Sassaia di Rigutino
18km - Cortona – Pozzuolo
24km - Città della Pieve – Ficulle
24km - Orvieto – Civita di Bagnoregio
19km - Civita di Bagnoregio – Montefiascone
19km - Vetralla – Sutri
24km - Riserva dell’Insugherata – Piazza San Pietro
22km
STAGES
1. Cervia – Forlimpopoli
The first stage starts from Cervia, town of salt and sea.
The Camillone salt pan echoes its past of salt producer, guarded in the Salt Museum which keeps alive the memory of work in the salt pan.
You reach Forlimpopoli, known as the city of taste and birthplace of Pellegrino Artusi, father of Italian cuisine.
2. Bertinoro – Cusercoli
The second stage departs from Bertinoro, the “balcony of Romagna”.
We can admire a hilly landscape with a succession of vineyards, olive trees and orchards to reach Cusercoli, ancient village and home to the medieval castle of the Conti Guidi family.
3. Bagno di Romagna – La Verna
The third stage goes from Bagno di Romagna, known for its hot springs and for being an area between Romagna and Tuscany, to reach La Verna, the most famous convent of the Casentino area and one of the most important places connected with St. Francis.
4. Capolona – Arezzo
The fourth stage goes from Capolona, once Campum Leonis, where the greenery of the countryside is home to the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena of Sietina, a small Romanesque church embellished with frescoes.
We reach Arezzo, with its cathedral where we can admire the fresco of Mary Magdalene by Piero della Francesca.
5. Arezzo – Sassaia di Rigutino
The fifth stage goes from Arezzo to Sassaia of Rigutino, which features a church with a rectory dating from 1100.
6. Cortona – Pozzuolo
The sixth stage goes from Cortona, ancient Etruscan city to the border between Tuscany and Umbria, to reach Pozzuolo, early medieval village on the hills of Trasimeno Lake.
The centre is an attractive location for its position, for its farmhouse restaurants, wineries, and oil mills.
7. Città della Pieve – Ficulle
The seventh stage departs from Città della Pieve, in a breathtaking landscape between Valdichiana and Lake Trasimeno, birthplace of the painter Pietro Vannucci known as Perugino.
We reach Ficulle, with the Church of Santa Maria Vecchia and the Castle of Sala.
8. Orvieto – Civita di Bagnoregio
The eighth stage departs from Orvieto, small treasure chest of famous art, above all for the Cathedral, symbol of the gothic European architecture and St. Patrick’s Well, masterpiece of hydraulic engineering.
We reach Civita di Bagnoregio, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and defined by the writer Bonaventura Tecchi as “the city that dies”.
9. Civita di Bagnoregio – Montefiascone
The ninth stage takes us to Montefiascone, which reserves the most beautiful view of the Lake of Bolsena, and guards the Rocca dei Papi fortress, built in the highest point of the village.
10. Vetralla – Sutri
With the tenth stage we depart Vetralla, a town in a highly favourable geographic position between Rome, Viterbo and the Tyrrhenian Coast with the beautiful beaches of Tarquinia Lido.
We reach Sutri which rises on an imposing relief of tuff overlooking the Via Cassia.
This area is also home to the Amphitheatre.
11. Riserva dell’Insugherata – Piazza San Pietro
The last stage departs from Riserva dell’Insugherata which preserves natural forests, animal and plant populations of great value and history.
We reach Piazza San Pietro which needs no presentation and annually welcomes millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world in a symbolic embrace.
Official Tourist Information Site of Cervia