Via Francigena - 02 Piemonte

The Via Francigena – 02 Piemonte is a 92-km point-to-point trail in northern Italy, tracing the ancient pilgrimage road across the Piedmont region from Ivrea to the Lombardy border. Gaining approximately 850 m of elevation over 5 days of walking, this predominantly flat route crosses Europe's largest rice-growing plain, passes Romanesque basilicas, and links medieval market towns along one of the world's most historically significant walking corridors.

About the Via Francigena - 02 Piemonte

The Via Francigena is one of Europe's oldest and most significant pilgrimage routes, stretching roughly 2,000 km from Canterbury Cathedral in England to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Piemonte section — designated Stage 02 of the Italian route — covers 92 km of this walk through Piedmont, the broad agricultural heartland that pilgrims have crossed since the early medieval period.

This section enters Piedmont from the Aosta Valley at Ivrea, a compact city perched above the Po Plain that retains an impressive Roman amphitheater and medieval towers. From Ivrea, the trail descends gradually into the vast flat plain, threading through the Canavese hill country before reaching the famous risaie — the flooded rice paddies that fill the horizon around Vercelli. These rice fields, which supply much of Europe's Arborio and Carnaroli rice, transform the landscape seasonally: silver-flooded sheets in late spring, vivid green in summer, and burnished gold at harvest in autumn.

Walking the Piemonte section means following a route that Sigeric the Serious — Archbishop of Canterbury — recorded in 990 AD, making it one of the best-documented medieval road networks in Europe. Waymarking follows the official yellow-and-blue signs of the Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene (AEVF), and the path is well-maintained as of 2026, with ongoing improvements coordinated by local municipalities and the AEVF.

Unlike the Alpine drama of the Valle d'Aosta section or the Tuscan hills further south, the Piemonte section rewards walkers with quieter pleasures: birdsong over flooded rice paddies, the Romanesque stonework of Vercelli's Sant'Andrea Basilica, the smell of bread from village bakeries, and the unhurried pace of market towns that have welcomed pilgrims for more than a thousand years. It is a route for those who value cultural immersion and landscape contemplation over dramatic elevation gain.

Route Overview & Stages

The Piemonte section runs roughly north-west to south-east, from Ivrea to the Lombardia border near Mortara. Nearly all elevation change occurs in the first two stages among the Canavese hills; from Stage 3 onward, the path levels completely onto the Po Plain, covering the final 53 km across open agricultural land with virtually no gradient.

Total distance: 92 km  |  Total elevation gain: ~850 m  |  Start: Ivrea  |  End: Mortara (gateway to Lombardia)

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Roman Amphitheater, Ivrea — One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters in northern Italy, dating to the 1st century AD. Ivrea is also home to the UNESCO-recognized Carnival (Carnevale di Ivrea), where participants re-enact a medieval battle using horse-drawn carts and oranges.
• Lake Viverone (Lago di Viverone) — A glacial lake at 230 m elevation, ringed by wetlands and Bronze Age pile-dwelling archaeological sites. The lake and surrounding shores form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.
• Castello di Roppolo — A 12th-century hilltop castle commanding sweeping views over Lake Viverone and the Po Plain. The estate now operates as a winery producing local Erbaluce di Caluso, a crisp white wine with DOC status.
• Santhià — A key junction town where pilgrims arriving via the Mont Cenis pass (from Turin) merge with those on the Gran San Bernardo route. The medieval town square and well-staffed pilgrim hostel have welcomed walkers for centuries, and the church square is ideal for collecting the local timbro (credential stamp).
• Sant'Andrea Basilica, Vercelli — Built between 1219 and 1227, this Romanesque-Gothic basilica is considered one of the earliest Gothic structures in Italy. Its paired towers, arcaded atrium, and intricate stone carvings make it a mandatory stop for any walker reaching Vercelli after 41 km of walking.
• Vercelli Rice Paddies — Europe's largest rice-growing area, covering more than 100,000 hectares across the Vercelli and Novara provinces. The flooded fields in April–June mirror the open sky, creating one of the most unusual and meditative walking landscapes anywhere in Italy.
• Santuario della Beata Panacea, Robbio — A pilgrimage sanctuary dedicated to 14th-century local martyr Panacea de' Muzzi, drawing both pilgrim walkers and regional visitors. The frescoed interior dates to the 15th century and the sanctuary hosts a feast day celebration each May.
• Mortara — The salame d'oca (goose salami) capital of the Lomellina sub-region, where the local cured meat holds IGP geographical protection status. The town's Church of San Lorenzo contains a miraculous image venerated since the medieval period, and its market square is a fitting last stop before crossing into Lombardia.

Best Time to Hike the Via Francigena - 02 Piemonte

The Piemonte section has distinct seasonal rhythms driven primarily by the Po Plain climate — cold winters, hot humid summers, and significant fog in autumn and early winter.

September is the single best month to walk the Via Francigena Piemonte in 2026. Harvest season transforms the rice paddies from summer green to burnished gold and amber; daytime temperatures settle at 18–26°C; and the cultural calendar in Vercelli and Ivrea includes harvest festivals and local sagre. Trail surfaces are firm, pilgrim hostels are open without winter closures, and accommodation is available in most stage towns without advance booking.

April and May are an excellent alternative: temperatures range from 14–22°C, wildflowers line the rural paths, and the rice paddies are being flooded — creating spectacular mirror-flat reflections that photographers seek specifically in these weeks. Daylight hours are long enough to complete every stage comfortably, and spring pilgrim hostels are rarely crowded.

June is workable but increasingly warm. Temperatures can reach 30°C on the exposed Po Plain by mid-month. Starting each day's walking by 6:30 am allows you to finish most stages before the hottest afternoon hours.

July and August are the most demanding months. The Po Plain becomes one of the hottest zones in Italy, regularly exceeding 34–36°C with high humidity. Unless you walk exclusively in early morning, heat exhaustion is a real risk on the shadeless flat stages between rice fields.

November to February: heavy fog (nebbia) settles on the Po Plain for weeks at a time, some pilgrim hostels close for the season, and paths can be muddy after winter rains. Walking is possible for experienced pilgrims but far less enjoyable.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The Piemonte section is well-served by the official Via Francigena pilgrim hostel network. Beds in pilgrim ostelli cost €15–25 per night and typically include a basic breakfast; you must carry a valid pilgrim credential (credenziale del pellegrino) and collect a stamp at each stop. The Santhià and Vercelli pilgrim hostels are among the most established on the entire Italian route — Vercelli's Casa della Francigena accommodates up to 30 pilgrims and maintains consistent opening hours from March through October.

B&Bs and agriturismi (farm stays) along the route charge €45–80 per night for a double room and do not require a credential. Hotels in Vercelli start at approximately €60 per night. Book Ivrea accommodation well in advance if walking during the Carnival period in February. Outside that window, same-day booking is generally possible in all five main stage towns.

Getting There & Back

To Ivrea (start): Ivrea is served by direct regional trains from Turin Porta Nuova station; the journey takes approximately 55 minutes and costs around €5. Turin's Caselle Airport (TRN) is the most convenient international gateway, roughly 60 km from Ivrea by car or by a bus-plus-train combination via Turin city centre. You can check current timetables and book tickets directly through Trenitalia.

From Mortara (end): Mortara has a railway station on the Milan–Alessandria line. Trains to Milan Centrale depart regularly and take approximately 50–60 minutes, making it straightforward to connect onward to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) or continue further south on the Via Francigena into Lombardia.

The point-to-point design is one of the route's practical advantages: both the start and finish towns have strong rail connections, and no shuttle service or car pickup is required.

Permits & Fees

No hiking permits are required to walk the Via Francigena Piemonte section. Obtaining an official pilgrim credential (credenziale del pellegrino) is strongly recommended, however. It grants access to pilgrim-rate hostel beds, provides proof of progress, and — if you complete the full Italian route — entitles you to the Testimonium certificate in Rome. Credentials cost around €5 and are available from the Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene (AEVF), Catholic diocese offices, and many pilgrim associations along the route.

There are no trail fees, national park entry charges, or compulsory guided sections on this stretch. Wild camping is technically restricted within most Italian municipalities; use designated accommodation at each stage town.

Gear & Packing List

The Via Francigena Piemonte is a sustained multi-day walk on mixed surfaces — gravel tracks, compacted earth farm paths, and stretches of quiet asphalt country road — rather than technical mountain terrain. Packing light is especially important on the long, flat stages where extra pack weight accumulates fatigue without any downhill relief. A well-fitted backpack in the 40–65 L range suits a 5-day self-supported walk; the Osprey Aether 65 offers full-featured load management for walkers carrying camping gear or heavier layering systems, while the Deuter Aircontact Lite 45+10 provides excellent back ventilation — important when crossing the humid Po Plain in warmer months.

For walkers prioritising minimum weight, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider delivers waterproof construction in a compact package, a smart choice given spring rain is common and the flat terrain offers no natural shelter. Make sure your nutrition plan matches your daily output — our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day will help you avoid under-fuelling on the longer 20–22 km stages. For broader kit comparison before departure, see our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026.

Key items to pack for the Via Francigena Piemonte:

• Trekking poles — useful on the descending Canavese hill stages and for maintaining rhythm on long flat sections
• Wide-brim sun hat and SPF 50+ sunscreen — the Po Plain offers almost no shade between villages on stages 3–5
• Rain jacket — spring rain is common and the open plain landscape provides no natural shelter
• 2-litre water capacity — drinking fountains are present in towns but can be 7–10 km apart on rural agricultural paths
• Light gaiters — useful in spring when irrigation channels occasionally overflow onto field-edge paths
• Blister prevention kit — extended flat walking on hard surfaces generates more friction than mountain terrain
• Pilgrim credential folder — a waterproof sleeve to protect stamps from rain and pack moisture

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the Via Francigena Piemonte has sparked your appetite for long-distance walking in Italy, the Dolomites offer a dramatic contrast: towering limestone peaks, high mountain passes, and rifugio-to-rifugio alpine stages that could not differ more from the pastoral Po Plain. These classic alte vie (high routes) are the natural next step for walkers ready to trade flatland immersion for vertical spectacle:

• Alta Via n. 2 delle Dolomiti – Dolomiten-Höhenweg Nr. 2 (Italy, 185 km) — the classic Dolomite traverse, widely regarded as the most scenic of the numbered alta vie
• Alta Via n. 6 delle Dolomiti (Italy, 180 km) — a wilder, less-frequented high route through remote Dolomite valleys with fewer crowds than routes 1 and 2
• Alta Via n. 6 delle Dolomiti – XI Tappa (Italy, 180 km) — the eleventh stage of the sixth Alta Via, showcasing the Cadore massif
• Alta Via n. 6 delle Dolomiti – X Tappa (Italy, 180 km) — dramatic ridgeline walking above treeline with long open views
• Alta Via n. 9 delle Dolomiti – Dolomiten-Höhenweg Nr. 9 (Italy, 140 km) — the most accessible of the numbered alta vie, an ideal introduction to multi-day Dolomite walking

For an international comparison on a much shorter scale, the Theth to Valbona hike in Albania offers a completely different cultural and mountain setting — a single dramatic day crossing a remote Balkans pass.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Via Francigena Piemonte?

September is the best single month: harvest transforms the rice paddies to gold, temperatures range from 18–26°C, and trail surfaces are dry and firm throughout. April and May are a close second, with flooded rice fields creating mirror reflections and fresh vegetation lining the paths. Avoid July and August when Po Plain temperatures regularly exceed 34–36°C with high humidity across the shadeless flat stages.

How difficult is the Via Francigena Piemonte?

The trail is moderate in difficulty. The first two stages through the Canavese hills involve roughly 580 m of cumulative gain and loss on gravel tracks — manageable for most walkers. Stages 3–5 across the Po Plain are essentially flat. The main challenge is sustained daily distance (14–22 km per day) on hard-surface paths, demanding good footwear, blister management, and consistent sun and heat protection rather than technical mountain fitness.

How many kilometres should I plan to walk per day?

The five official stages average 18–19 km per day, ranging from 14 km (Stage 5, Robbio to Mortara) to 22 km (Stage 3, Santhià to Vercelli). Most walkers complete each stage in 4–6 hours at a comfortable pilgrim pace. Stages are designed to begin and end in towns with accommodation, so there is limited practical flexibility in splitting them differently without resorting to wild camping.

What accommodation options are available along the route?

Pilgrim hostels (ostelli del pellegrino) operate in Ivrea, Roppolo area, Santhià, Vercelli, Robbio, and Mortara, charging €15–25 per night; a valid pilgrim credential is required for entry. B&Bs and farm stays charge €45–80 per night without credential requirements. Vercelli offers the widest hotel range from around €60. Book Ivrea during the February Carnival and Vercelli during September harvest festivals well in advance.

Do I need any permits to walk the Via Francigena Piemonte?

No hiking permits are required. The official pilgrim credential (credenziale), available from the AEVF for around €5, is not legally mandatory but is essential for accessing pilgrim-rate hostel beds across all five stage towns. It also qualifies you for the Testimonium completion certificate if you walk the full Italian route to Rome. There are no trail access fees or restricted zones on this section.