The Way of the Gods between Bologna and Florence

Welcome to Bologna / Bologna, undoubtedly one of the most charming cities in Italy. From its incredible towers to the Palazzo del Podestà, from its endless arcades to its streets full of local and student life, the capital of Emilia-Romagna preserves an enviable historic centre: no less than the second largest medieval quarter in Europe. The best thing to do is to arrive as early as possible to enjoy all it has to offer before heading to Florence along the Via dei Diei.

Accommodation: Hotel Cavour or similar.

Distance: 26.1 km
Difficulty level: ●●○○○
Accommodation: Sasso Marconi

The adventure on the Via dei Diei begins by leaving the red city of Bologna along the most lakeside arcades in the world, leading from the arch of Meloncello to the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine di San Luca. The views at this point are fabulous: on one side the city, on the other the protected landscape of the hills of San Luca. On the descent you can also see the dam built on the Reno to divert part of its waters towards the town. Continue along its course for the remainder of the route as far as Sasso Marconi. From there, it is only a short distance to the top of Monte Frate and Campiuno, a small village where you can finish the stage and recharge your batteries.

Accommodation: Agriturismo Piccola Raieda or similar.

Distance: 24.5 km
Difficulty: ●●●○○
Accommodation: Madonna dei Fornelli

The second stage of this route along the Way of the Gods begins leaving Campiuno. The path climbs up the slopes of the recognisable Monte Adone, offering beautiful views over the Setta Valley. It is here that the most famous and most photographed panoramic view of the entire Via degli Dei opens up. The Grota delle Fate, a narrow, 50-metre-long cave where, according to popular legend, the fairies that give the crevice its name fly when the moon is full. With your eyes full of beauty, it is time to descend towards Brento, the perfect place to take the first break of the stage and recharge your batteries before continuing towards Monzuno. From there, the route continues through a chestnut wood, gaining altitude and magnificent views of Monte Venere. The climb takes you up to Poggio Santa Croce, where more beautiful views of the small valleys that surround the entire territory await you. There is then a further climb up to Monte Galletto - nothing really difficult - before beginning the descent towards Madonna dei Fornelli, the end of this intense stage.

Accommodation:  Albergo Poli or similar.

Distance: 23.3 km
Difficulty: ●●●○○
Accommodation: Santa Lucia (with transfer)

If the previous stage was short, in order to adapt the route to the geography and the rest points, it is now time to return to the longer stages. Leaving Madonna dei Fornelli behind, you will soon come across woods that you will ride through, following the remains of the ancient Via Flaminia, a Roman military road built in 187 BC, which will emerge and hide itself along the entire route. The ascent will take you along the Monte dei Cucchi to the highest point of the whole route, the summit of the Banditacce (1,205 m asl), and a few metres further on to the Poggiaccio, a place that marks the equidistance between Bologna and Florence. Along this road, and always in intermittent contact with the Roman road, you leave Emilia-Romagna behind you to enter the famous Tuscany, and reach Passo della Futa and its immense Germanic cemetery, where this third stage of the Way of the Gods comes to an end.

Accommodation: Podere Belvedere or similar.

Distance: 22 km
Difficulty: ●●●○○
Accommodation: San Piero a Sieve

The fourth stage begins with the transfer from your accommodation to Passo della Futa, from where you take the path up to the Croce di Monte Gazzaro (1,125m above sea level). Here begins a descent that should be done calmly and carefully to the Osteria Bruciata pass. Here, in the Middle Ages, there was an inn that was rumoured (later legend) to have served its guests human flesh from travellers on this route. There is no evidence as to the veracity of the saying, but the story is still told, with more or less drama, in the refuges and inns along this road. Be that as it may, it will be a relief to be able to approach, with a quick detour, Sant'Agata del Mugello, one of those timeless villages of this Way of the Gods and, in general, of Tuscany, where it is worth stopping and, perhaps, wandering through its streets before continuing on your way. The remainder of the route is more pleasant, and in about 6 km. it ends at San Piero a Sieve, across the river of the same name.

Accommodation: Albergo La Felicina or similar.

Distance: 19.5 km
Difficulty: ●●●○○
Accommodation: Elm

This is the sixth day of our journey on foot along the Way of the Gods to enter the famous region of Tuscany for good. The route quickly leaves the town of San Piero behind and climbs towards the Medicean fortress of San Martino, an undertaking of Cosimo de' Medici himself, who sought to defend the possessions and interests of the Florentine state at the time of its greatest splendour. Unfortunately it cannot be visited, but this day will reward you with other sights, such as the Castello del Trebbio that appears a little further on, surrounded by its magnificent vineyards, or the remains of the abbey of Buonsollazzo. The road becomes wooded further on and leads to another religious structure, this time surrounded by grottoes: the Montesenario convent, which is well worth a visit. From there, the landscape becomes typically Tuscan and opens up with fantastic views into the distance, which you can admire until you reach Olmo, the end of this penultimate stage of your journey.

Accommodation: Agriturismo Olmo or similar.

Distance: 17.9 km
Difficulty level: ●●○○○
Accommodation: Florence

The last stage on foot of this route along the Way of the Gods in the heart of Italy. The route heads from Olmo to Alberaccio and then immediately uphill to Poggio Pratone, the perfect place to admire the view of Florence in the distance. From there, the route then descends to Fiesole and then, flat, into Florence, from the north to its very heart in Piazza Santa Maria.

Accommodation: Hotel delle Camelie or similar.

The eighth day of this adventure along the paths of the Way of the Gods is to enjoy one of the most impressive cities in the world: the beautiful Florence. Our recommendation is to extend your trip for an extra day to explore its historic streets at your leisure. But if you don't have more time, the proximity of our accommodation to the cultural and tourist centre of the city will help you at least to take a short walk before heading home with your eyes full of beauty and the taste of Italian gastronomy engraved on your palate.