Pilgrim Passport stamps on the Italian Via Francigena

The pilgrim passport stamp is useful in authenticating your journey, demonstrating your validity as a pilgrim and for giving credence to the pilgrim passport when using it to obtain discounts for accommodation or food. The official guides all say you will need a pilgrim passport stamp for every one of the last 6 stages on the 100km between Montefiascone and Rome in order to obtain your Testimonium at St Peter's Basilica. However, don't stress this, as when I arrived, the young men just gave me a Testimonium without asking to see the Credenziale/Passport.

When I was planning my journey and on the Via for the first 27 stages, I could not find anything helpful on the internet, which is why I'm publishing this here.

This is a list of places where I was able to find pilgrim passport stamps (or know that they are available). It is generally possible to obtain pilgrim passport stamps from a tourist information office, but bear in mind that these are often closed in the evening (when pilgrims are arriving), on weekends and for lunch in the middle of the day. Some of the tourist offices, Via information points, commune and hostals require you to provide name, address, country of origin and start of pilgrimage etc.

Where there is no tourist office, sometimes bars will have them, but this is not always the case, and only rarely (despite always investigating) did I find one in a church or cathedral, somewhat surprisingly, given the nature of the route as a pilgrimage. However, the local Commune, Municipio or local government office of even the smallest towns on the route will almost certainly have a pilgrim passport stamp, although you may find it difficult to locate the appropriate office. I found that the commune often had a security guard who would point you in the right direction. Again, opening hours can be inconvenient for the pilgrim leaving early in the morning and arriving at lunchtime. Most pilgrim hostels and some other types of B and B accommodation geared specifically to the pilgrim will have a pilgrim passport stamp. And some pilgrim refreshment stops have pilgrim passport stamps too.

My general advice is: get them where you can, don't rely on being able to get them at the end of your day.

You will find references to my (often unrewarded) search for a pilgrim passport stamp throughout the daily entries, but I have attempted to bring them all together here for ease of reference. Where it says “nothing” I hadn't yet learnt about the commune/municipio, so you will probably be lucky there. Feel free to add to this information in the comments section below.

Stage 1 – St Bernard to Echevennoz. At the Monastery at the pass. Tourist office at Etroubles (1km before end of stage). The hostal at Echevennoz did not have one in 2020.

Stage 2 - Echevennoz to Aosta. Cathedral of Aosta (in a side room off to the right; ask a cleric)

Stage 3a – Aosta to Nus. Nothing.

Stage 3b – Nus to Chatillon. Nothing.

Stage 4 – Chatillon to Verres. Nothing.

Stage 5 – Verres to Pont San Martin. Bard, Self-service stamp tucked away on ledge under 2^nd archway going up the hill.

Stage 6 – Pont San Martin to Ivrea. Pilgrim information booth, Corso Botta, 3, Ivrea. Also available at Ivrea tourist office in central piazza.

Stage 7 – Ivrea to Viverone. Bollengo, cafe with pilgrim sign outside on Via.

Stage 8 – Viverone to Santhiá. Portico Cafe, Cavaglia (this is also a pilgrim BnB). Santhiá in cafe opposite railway station, also a hotel.

Stage 9 – Santhia to Vercelli. Pilgrim hostal at Vercelli (extremely friendly and welcoming).

Stage 10 – Vercelli to Robbio. Nothing.

Stage 11 – Robbio to Mortara. Nicorvo, tiny chapel in the town, on the Via. Self-service stamp.

Stage 12 – Mortara to Garlasco. At the Mortara pilgrim hostal, which requires a short detour as you leave the town.

Stage 13a – Garlasco to Villanova. Nothing.

Stage 13b – Villanova to Pavia. BnB Residenza i Mille, Via dei Mille 117, Pavia. ( Fab pilgrim-focussed hostal just a few 100m from the covered bridge.)

Stage 14 – Pavia to Santa Cristina e Bissone. The church in S Cristina on the Via Veneto. (Ask a cleric).

Stage 15 – Santa Cristina e Bissone to Oria Litta. Nothing.

Stage 16 – Oria Litta to Piacenza. In Piacenza, Il Mulino degli Orti, Via Colombo 120. The Ferryman should also have one, unless he's in a grump.

Stage 17 – Piacenza to Fiorenzuola. In the Parrochia, in the building to the right of the Duomo (grudgingly).

Stage 18 – Fiorenzuola to Fidenza. Tourist office opposite Duomo (get your free parmesan cheese sample here!)

Stage 19a – Fidenza to Medesano. Nothing.

Stage 19b/20a – Medesano to Bardone. Nothing.

Stage 20b/21a – Bardone to Berceto. Outside Cassio on the Berceto side, at the hostal on the Via.

Stage 21b/22a – Berceto to Previdé. At Passo della Cisa, cafe almost at the top of the pass. At Previdé, Eremo Gioiso, also accommodation and pilgrim oasis.

Stage 22b - Previdé to Pontremoli. Nothing.

Stage 23 – Fillatierra to Aulla. Tourist office in castle as you enter the town.

Stage 24/25b – Aulla to Sarzana. Nothing.

Stage 25b - Sarzana to Carrera Avenza. At ticket office for Luni amphitheatre (not at Roman ruins).

Stage 26b – Pietrasanta to Camaiore. Camaiore Commune on the main square.

Stage 27 – Camaiore to Lucca. Hostal at Valpromaro (also has fab toilets!). No luck in Lucca.

Stage 28 – Lucca to Altopascio. Altopascio Municipio (unfeasibly large stamp!)

Stage 29a – Altopascio to Fucecchio. Hospitalita Diffusa on main square (ditto unfeasibly large!)

Stage 29b – Fuccechio to San Miniato. San Miniato tourist office.

Stage 30 – San Miniato to Gambassi Terme. Hause Megghi, Via del Porcello, 16 (2km outside town, but very welcoming and helpful hosts, and cheap and cheerful accommodation).

Stage 31 – Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano. San Gimignano tourist office next to Duomo.

Stage 32a – San Gimignano to Il Pietreto. Nothing.

Stage 32b – Il Pietreto to Monteriggioni. Monteriggioni tourist office on main square.

Stage 33 – Monteriggioni to Siena. Attilo Camere (Airbnb just behind Il Campo).

Stage 34a – Siena to Monteroni. Nothing.

Stage 34b/35a – Ponte a Tressa to Buonconvento. Buonconvento Commune (office at top of stairs on first floor).

Stage 35b – Buonconvento to San Quirico. Tourist office opposite San Quirico museum.

Stage 36a – San Quirico to Gallina. Agriturismo Passalacqua on the Via (worth a stay). Ring the bell on the out building if no one around.

Stage 36b – Gallina to Radicofani. Nothing.

Stage 37 – Radicofani to Centeno. E-bike oasis on the Via some way outside Radicofani has a self-service stamp.

Stage 38 – Acquapendente to Bolsena. Acquapendente Cafe Dolci Passi on via Roma. Bolsena tourist office.

Stage 39 – Bolsena to Montefiascone. Montefiascone tourist office in main square of walled city (open on Sundays).

Stage 40 – Montefiascone to Viterbo. Self-service stamp at pilgrim information point opposite Post Office.

Stage 41 – Viterbo to Vetralla. Self-service stamp on Via at gate to “Barbara's Place” a few kilometres outside Vetralla.

Stage 42 – Vetralla to Sutri. Sutri Commune.

Stage 43 – Sutri to Campagnano di Roma. Tabbacheria Tina and Lamberto (aka Vizi e Virtu), just inside Porta Romana at southern end of main street.

Stage 44 – Campagnano di Roma to La Storta. Bar della Piazzetta, just round the corner from the railway station in La Storta.

Stage 45 – La Storta to Roma. In the cloakroom to the right of the steps to the Basilica of San Pietro. Stamp and Testimonium.