Via degli Dei

The Via degli Dei (Path of Gods) has now become one of Italy's best-known paths, traveled each year by thousands of walkers. The evocative nomenclature comes from the fact that the route touches some mountains whose names are linked to pagan deities, such as Giove, Venere and Giunone (Mons Junonis, today Monzuno).

The path connects Bologna and Florence, through a route of about 130 km along the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, which can be traveled in an average of 5 or 6 stages with an average of about 20 km per day, staying overnight in agritourisms, hotels and bed&breakfasts. The first tracing of the Via degli Dei is owed to the work of the Bolognese hikers' association "Du pas e na gran magnè" (in Bolognese dialect: "two steps and a big meal"), who were the first to take up topographical maps to reach the Florentine capital starting from Bologna's Piazza Maggiore. Along the Via degli Dei it is also possible to walk on a real roman paving stone: the Flaminia Militare. We owe its rediscovery (still under debate) to Cesare Agostini and Franco Santi. Originally from Castel dell'Alpi and archaeologists by passion, they were the first to discover a stretch of the Roman paving near Pian di Balestra, hypothesizing that it might be a section of the ancient military road.

The starting point is Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, the path continues along the Portico of Via Saragozza to the Church of San Luca, from which we descend to the Chiusa di Casalecchio. Afterwards, it will be possible to admire the wide rocky panoramas of the Contrafforte Pliocenico Reserve (the view from Monte Adone is particularly exciting), then continuing through Monzuno and Madonna dei Fornelli to the Futa Pass. Once you have crossed the border into Tuscany, you can climb Mount Gazzarro to the Le Croci peak, continuing to Fiesole and finally ending the walk in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

The Path of the Gods can be traveled on foot or by bicycle, alone or in company, either way you will be able to immerse yourself in the silent nature and magical atmosphere of the Apennine forests, without forgetting to taste the tasty mountain cuisine. If you decide to set out on the trail, don't forget your "credential," a special card to be stamped at the end of each stage, which will be a nice souvenir of the path for all wayfarers, hiking map and guidebook, so that you can enjoy your experience to the fullest.