We are all wanderers on our personal pilgrimage

Bagno Vignoni. Val d’Orcia. Via Francigena. The year is 990 AD. Archbishop Sigeric was walking back to Canterbury after receiving the Papal Pallium. He took his time, a leisurely pilgrimage between the Mediterranean and the Channel. Treading Europe – the very same Europe that some people today would like to break down or cancel.

What foolish thoughts these people have, their heads filled with nuclear dreamscapes.

The Via Francigena today is a beating artery awoken from its slumber in the heart of Europe thanks to hundreds of people who explore it, at their own pace, on foot or by bike. Nobody needs to prove something here – they are regular people, who have not necessarily ascended a summit or won the Giro d’Italia. Far-flung, evocative destinations are not necessary: even a simple walk can represent a veritable pilgrimage. All you need are a pair of good shoes, a good bicycle, and, at most, a rucksack. A pilgrimage can take place even in your city, be it on foot or pedalling on its roads and streets. The act of cycling or walking can be revolutionary in itself – all you need to do is give up some creature comforts.

Erlin Kagge writes, “To escape the tyranny of speed means to dilate the wonder of every moment and return to life.”

Who walks or cycles enjoys better health, more efficient memory, is more creative. Take it from us – in Val d’Orcia we have experienced precisely that. The renowned Via Francigena runs across Val D’orcia. We would like to invite our guests to walk this path, and turn a slow, leisurely ramble into an incredible adventure. And find the shelter and hospitality needed to make their dreams come true at the Albergo Posta Marcucci, which has been welcoming guests for decades in Bagno Vignoni. What kind of dreams? All sorts of dreams – where love, freedom, travel, take centre stage. Dreaming, and walking, are part of being a human being. After all, as Heraclitus himself said, everything flows. If something flows, it moves, and if it moves, it travels. Travelling is part of us and, therefore, we have put together this collection of poems dedicated to travelling. We hope they provide you with inspiration to travel, and explore life, the universe, and nature. And as you do so, know you will always have a place here. After all, we are all wanderers on our personal pilgrimage.