The Way of Saint James

In the 2nd century B.C. the city of Pistoia was a stopover along the Via Cassia minor, an important Roman military road that connected Rome and Florence with the port of Luni and the Tyrrhenian coast.

To take on a long walk not only is a rewarding experience, religious or non-religious, it is also an intelligent and respectful way to tiptoe into the cultures and traditions of the villages found along the paths, a new yet an ancient way of travelling, with its centuries-old habits and rituals.

In Tuscany, the ancient Via Cassia winds through authentic and extraordinary areas: the Cammino di San Jacopo, which crosses the towns of Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Pescia and Lucca, can be considered a part of the long journey in the heart of Europe towards Santiago de Compostela, passing along the Via della Costa and the Cammino Francese.

Between the Piazza del Duomo and the Via degli Orafi, there is a “cippo”, a stone donated by the Xunta de Galicia in collaboration with Concello de Santiago and Xacobeo 2021, marking the distance from Santiago de Compostela, a town with which Pistoia famously shares the cult of the saint.

A symbol of the Cammino di San Jacopo is the stylised scallop shell with nine ribs (recalling the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela), set into a lozenge which is a typical and recurring feature in the Pisan Romanesque architectural style.

The route of the Cammino di San Jacopo passes through the towns of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Calenzano, Prato, Montemurlo, Montale, Pistoia, Serravalle Pistoiese, Pieve a Nievole, Monsummano Terme, Montecatini Terme, Massa e Cozzile, Buggiano, Uzzano, Pescia, Capannori and Lucca. It is in the process of certification by Tuscany Region.