The Via Matildica del Volto Santo is a path of almost three hundred kilometers that crosses three regions, four provinces, dozens of municipalities and countless communities.
From the great plain drawn by the river Po and its tributaries, to the profiles of the Matildic hills, from the peaks of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park , to the history and landscapes of the Garfagnana .
Lombardy, Emilia and Tuscany.
Mantua, Reggio, Modena and Lucca.
A journey rich in history, culture, spirituality and nature in the name of Matilda of Canossa .
Three paths in one.
The “ Via del Preziosissimo Sangue ” from Mantua to Reggio.
Three long stages that cross the Po Valley starting from the immense cultural and spiritual heritage of Mantua, to then touch San Bendetto Po, long the burial place of Matilde, Guastalla, a small jewel of the Gonzagas and finally Reggio Emilia, city of squares, theaters and the first Tricolor. In the middle the large spaces of the Po Valley where the echo of the works of Guareschi, Antonio Ligabue and Cesare Zavattini mixes with the horizons of peasant civilization.
The “ San Pellegrino Walk ” from Reggio to San Pellegrino in Alpe.
The heart of the Matildic territory, with the dense network of Matildic castles (starting from Canossa and Rossena) parish churches and abbeys (such as those of Marola and Toano), nestled in the natural beauty of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park that gravitate around the unique profile of the Pietra di Bismantova. And then the landing on the ridge between Emilia and Tuscany, where tradition places the remains of San Pellegrino, a figure of long-standing popular devotion in these lands.
The “ Via del Volto Santo ” from San Pellegrino to Lucca in the name of the face of Christ carved in wood, crossing the Garfagnana, land of villages and history, from Castiglione to Castelnuovo, from Barga to Borgo a Mozzano and carving into memory unique places such as the Barga cathedral and the Ponte del Diavolo. And finally Lucca, crossroads of paths on the road to Rome.
A journey of 11 stages, 4 variants with a unique diversity of environments and terrains.
The possibility of travelling it on foot and by bicycle.
An ancient and young path at the same time.
A project born in 2015 that retraces the paths and trails traveled by pilgrims for centuries.
The advice is to walk them in at least 14 days , breaking up the most difficult or longest stages.
Also evaluating the possibility of being able to travel it in different stages, depending on the time available and the season.
