DAY 61 - GALLENO to SAN MINIATO - 20 June 2026

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We tried to get out early again today but our breakfast was a little later. The VF signage was unclear leaving Galleno, resulting in some backtracking when the path became overgrown. 

We soon found the right path through the woods, giving us a lovely cool green tunnel. We met a pilgrim having a rest on the path - no benches just there! 

After a while we came to Ponte a Cappiano, with its historic bridge. There is a pilgrim hostel built right into the bridge. Again, the VF signage was unclear, so we followed our app and our guidebook to walk along a dyke. First we checked in a park for a water fountain - there wasn't one, but someone had had a great party the night before! 

It was hot walking along the dyke but the slight elevation gave us great views. On a hilltop we could eventually see Fucecchio, our morning tea stop. The 72 steps were under repair so we had to take the elevator to reach the centre. The gentleman we shared the lift with kindly showed us the way in.

Much of Fucecchio centre was under repair too, and we commiserated about the heat with some workmen who stopped their work to ask about our journey. We rested in a piazza and drank lots of water. On the way out we paused to buy some fruit and the stall holder insisted on giving us our nectarines, as we were on the Via Francigena. 

After Fucecchio we did some more dyke walking, then left the VF to take a more direct route into San Miniato Basso. There is a festival on tonight (The Moon is Blue), so we made lunch our main meal, to avoid the crowds. We also resupplied at the supermarket before taking the VF again to head up the hill to San Miniato. 

On the way, we walked and chatted with some Irish pilgrims. Unfortunately the elevator was broken so we all had to take the stairs to reach the top. We checked into our accommodation for a rest before heading out again in the evening to look at the festival.

Leaving Galleno this morning
Sorting out what was the path and what wasn't
Via Francigena towards Ponte a Cappiano
Into the scrub on the Via Francigena 
A pleasant off-road path at this point
Approaching Ponte a Cappiano on the Via Francigena 
Ponte a Cappiano 
On from Ponte a Cappiano 
Heading for Fucecchio 
The Via Francigena towards Fucecchio 
Fucecchio, under construction
This looks like somewhere we could buy some healthy fruit
Eating our healthy fruit, a gift from the fruit seller
Onwards on the Via Francigena 
Crossing the Arno
On towards San Miniato on its hill
Pressing on towards San Miniato
It was pretty warm when we arrived in San Miniato Basso
We had a wonderful lunch in this air-conditioned restaurant
Pilgrim murals in San Miniato Basso 
An off-road path took us from San Miniato Basso up to San Miniato 
The lift leading to San Miniato was out of order, so we took the adjacent stairs
This statue of Napoleon celebrates his family's ancient connections with San Miniato 
Looking down the way we had come in to San Miniato 
We assumed these wall decorations were connected to the Luna è Azzurra festival, which is being held in Sam Miniato this weekend

The Seminario Vescovile in San Miniato 
San  Miniato
More of San Miniato 
We went to several events at the Luna è Azzurra festival tonight
Bits and pieces 
Birds
Day 61 - Map

Day:                               61
Distance:                      21.86 km
Walking time:               4 hrs 29 mins
Elevation gain:             236 metres
Cumulative distance:  1238.98 km

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