In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
About 205 km in the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims to Rome: from San Miniato via San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Siena through the Crete Senesi and the Val d’Orcia to the fortress of Radicofani – quiet stages on country roads, pitches with a view and walking boots for the sections of the pilgrim route.
The spirit of the route
In the Middle Ages the Via Francigena was the great pilgrim road from Canterbury to Rome, and in Tuscany it is still a route best taken slowly – on foot or by wheels. Between San Miniato and Radicofani the scenery changes like chapters: tower houses above vineyards, a perfectly round wall with fourteen towers, the bare clay hills of the Crete Senesi that look like sea dunes in autumn, then the Val d’Orcia with its avenues of cypresses, steam from warm springs and villages on tuff ridges. From the sliding door you see mist lying in the valleys in the morning, at midday the air shimmers over the strade bianche, and in the evening the sky above Montalcino turns orange. Here the camper is a pilgrim’s room on wheels: you park at the edge of the village, walk the last kilometres and eat where the landlords still cook pici and ribollita. At the end, on the basalt rock of Radicofani, a fortress waits that looks out over three regions.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: San Miniato to San Gimignano (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- From San Miniato on small roads towards Gambassi Terme and Certaldo, finally up the SP 1 to the hill of San Gimignano. Quiet, winding country roads through wheat fields, olive groves and vineyards; narrow in the village centres. A good hour in all.
- Highlights & must-sees
- San Miniato: the Rocca di Federico II with a viewing tower over the Arno valley; the town is known for its white truffles.
- Certaldo Alto, the medieval brick-built village and birthplace of Giovanni Boccaccio.
- San Gimignano with its tower houses, the Collegiata with its frescoes and the view from the tower of the Palazzo Comunale.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: In and around San Gimignano there are several car parks with motorhome pitches, according to map portals at several car parks on the edge of town; whether servicing is available and what an overnight stay costs varies – check in the apps beforehand. Alternatives are the agricampeggi and campsites in the surrounding area with electricity and sanitary facilities.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild camping in and around San Gimignano is not permitted: the municipality monitors the car parks on the edge of town, and overnighting in car parks without motorhome permission is fined. On the narrow country roads there are hardly any suitable places.
- Insider tip for campers
- The old town is a ZTL; driving in with a motorhome is not worth it – park at one of the car parks on the edge of town and walk the last few metres. The road from Certaldo climbs steeply at the end; if you tow a trailer and the gradient worries you, turn round in Certaldo beforehand.
2Stage 2: San Gimignano to Monteriggioni (approx. 25 km)
- The drive
- Along the SP 1 to Colle di Val d’Elsa, where you turn onto the SR 68 and continue via Castel San Gimignano; finally towards Monteriggioni and the Cassia SS2. Well built, with roundabouts and village roads in between. About an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Colle di Val d’Elsa with the Borgo, the old town on the hill, and the glassworks – a large part of Italian crystal is made here.
- Monteriggioni: the circular town wall with fourteen towers, mentioned by Dante in the “Divine Comedy”.
- Abbadia a Isola: a Romanesque abbey on the pilgrim route, just before Monteriggioni.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: Near Monteriggioni there is a choice of aree di sosta and agricampeggi in the surrounding area; according to map portals also a few camper areas. Check facilities, status and opening times beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild camping around Monteriggioni and in the Chianti area is banned or restricted under municipal ordinances; many car parks carry signs prohibiting motorhomes overnight. If you want quiet, take an agricampeggio.
- Insider tip for campers
- Monteriggioni is a village with a single ring road; park outside the walls and explore on foot. If you want to walk a section of the Via Francigena: the stretch from Monteriggioni to Siena is well marked and you can get back by bus.
3Stage 3: Monteriggioni to Siena (approx. 20 km)
- The drive
- On the Cassia SS2 or the Siena–Firenze expressway (RA3, toll-free) to Siena, then follow the signs to the campsite in the north. Well built, but busy. About 30 minutes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped square with the Torre del Mangia.
- Siena Cathedral with its inlaid marble floor and the Piccolomini Library.
- Palio districts (Contrade): if you explore the city on foot, the flags and coats of arms tell you which Contrada you are in.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: Campeggio Siena Colleverde, Strada di Scacciapensieri, with a bus stop for the city: electricity, sanitary facilities, servicing, season mostly spring to autumn; book in summer and for the Palio.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild camping with a motorhome is not possible in and around Siena; the old town lies in a strictly controlled ZTL. Use the campsite and the bus.
- Insider tip for campers
- Siena’s ZTL covers the whole old town within the walls, cameras record every entry; fines arrive by post. The city bus from the campsite into the centre saves any search for a parking space – check the line and timetable on site. Fountains in the centre: the water is drinkable.
4Stage 4: Siena to Buonconvento (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- On the SR 438 Lauretana into the Crete Senesi to Asciano, then up the SP 451 to the Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore and on to Buonconvento. A wide, almost treeless clay landscape with rows of cypresses; the roads are good but winding; the approach to the abbey runs along an avenue of cypresses. About 1.5 hours, much longer with sightseeing.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Asciano with the Museo Archeologico and Etruscan tombs in the surrounding area; the Crete begin here.
- Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore: Olivetan monastery with a cloister full of frescoes by Signorelli and Sodoma.
- Buonconvento: a brick-built village surrounded by a wall on the Via Francigena.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: Several aree di sosta and agricampeggi are scattered across the Crete; for example in the Torrenieri/Montalcino area. Check facilities and suitability for motorhomes beforehand; some of the access roads are gravel.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Strade bianche are common in the Crete Senesi – unsuitable for motorhomes. Wild camping at the roadside is not legal; park at the official car parks of the abbey and the villages and spend the night at an agricampeggio.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive only on asphalt roads: gravel tracks quickly become treacherous for a motorhome. In Buonconvento you can park comfortably outside the walls. The abbey opens at fixed times with a lunch break; check the current times in advance.
5Stage 5: Buonconvento to San Quirico d’Orcia (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- Along the Cassia SS2 and the SP 14 up to Montalcino, then on via Torrenieri and the SS2 to San Quirico d’Orcia. Through vineyards and cypresses; the climb to Montalcino is winding but well built. About an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Montalcino with the Fortezza, the wine town of Brunello; tastings in the enoteche of the old town.
- Abbazia di Sant’Antimo: a Romanesque abbey in the valley south of Montalcino, known for the Gregorian chant of the monks.
- San Quirico d’Orcia with the Collegiata and the Horti Leonini, an Italian garden from the 16th century.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: In San Quirico d’Orcia and Torrenieri there are aree di sosta (among others near Torrenieri, according to map portals); also several agricampeggi and campsites in the surrounding area, near Torrenieri/Montalcino. Check electricity and servicing beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Montalcino and in the Val d’Orcia wild camping is not permitted; car parks at the cypress photo spots are places to pass through, overnighting there is not welcome. If you are looking for peace in the wine regions, stay at an agricampeggio.
- Insider tip for campers
- Montalcino lies in a ZTL; there are car parks outside the walls, and the approach to the Fortezza car park is narrow. On the SS2 and the side roads many photographers stop at the cypress spots – stop only at signed lay-bys.
6Stage 6: San Quirico d’Orcia to Radicofani (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- On the SS2 Cassia via Bagno Vignoni and Castiglione d’Orcia (short detours) in wide bends through the Val d’Orcia, finishing with a climb onto the basalt rock of Radicofani. The SS2 is mostly well built; the climbs are long but not steep. About an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bagno Vignoni: the village square is a hot thermal pool – bathing in the historic pool is not allowed; thermal baths are available in the village’s spa facilities.
- Castiglione d’Orcia with the Rocca d’Orcia and the view across the whole valley.
- Radicofani: Rocca on a basalt cone, once the seat of the robber Ghino di Tacco; the tower gives all-round views as far as Monte Amiata.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
-
Official campsite or RV park: Near Castiglione d’Orcia a camper area is listed according to map portals; in Radicofani and the surrounding area agriturismi and small aree di sosta offer pitches – check facilities and opening beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Along the Cassia and around Radicofani wild camping is not allowed; the Rocca car parks are for visitors, not for overnight pitches. In Bagni San Filippo (free thermal baths in the Fosso Bianco) local parking rules apply; find out beforehand.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Bagno Vignoni the public car parks are often full by mid-morning; arrive early. The bends on the descent to Radicofani are long – save your brakes and change down. Radicofani lies on the border with Lazio: to the south comes Acquapendente, and the pilgrim route continues to Viterbo and Rome.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Italian law (Codice della Strada, Art. 185) distinguishes parking (“sosta”) from camping (“campeggio”): a motorhome may stand and stay overnight wherever parking is allowed, as long as only its wheels touch the ground. Chairs, tables, awnings, levelling legs, wedges and draining grey water are not allowed, and many municipalities also ban overnight stays by local ordinance.
- In Tuscany municipalities often enforce the ban by ordinance; in the wine regions (Chianti, Montalcino) and at the photo spots of the Val d’Orcia, parking and overnighting with motorhomes are often restricted. Fines in the three-figure range are possible.
- Agricampeggi and agriturismi often offer simple pitches with electricity and water, some with wine tasting – a Tuscan standard; call ahead, as many open only seasonally or on request.
- Useful apps: park4night, CamperOnline (Italian, with up-to-date user reports) and Campercontact; check the current status in advance.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Servicing is called “camper service” or “carico e scarico”. You will find stations at campsites, at many aree di sosta and at some agriturismi; the apps show current user reports, because broken or locked stations are common.
- Empty grey water and the toilet cassette only at a station; illegal dumping is a main reason why municipalities introduce new motorhome bans.
- Tap water is usually drinkable, look for “acqua potabile”. Public fountains (“fontanella”) are often good places to fill up in Italy, but in dry summers there can be restrictions.
- Gas: German exchange cylinders cannot be swapped in Italy. Refillable cylinders and gas tanks are filled at GPL filling stations with the Italian adapter (Dish); often only the staff do the filling, and in rural regions GPL stations are few and far between. Arrive with full cylinders.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 90 km/h outside built-up areas, 110 km/h on expressways, 130 km/h on motorways; over 3.5 t 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on motorways. Caravan combinations: 70 km/h outside built-up areas, 80 km/h on motorways. Dipped headlights are required outside built-up areas, even in daytime.
- ZTLs (Zona a Traffico Limitato) with camera monitoring exist in Siena, San Gimignano, Montalcino, Pienza, Colle di Val d’Elsa and many other places; entry without a permit is prohibited, fines arrive by post, often months later.
- Tolls: the Siena–Firenze expressway (RA3) and the Cassia SS2 are toll-free; the A1 (Chiusi–Firenze) is tolled. On the country roads you drive without a vignette. Avoid gravel tracks (strade bianche) with motorhomes.
- If a load projects beyond the rear, for example bikes on a rear carrier, the red-and-white warning panel (50 × 50 cm) is compulsory. Alcohol limit 0.5, for new drivers and professional drivers 0.0; mobile phone at the wheel only with a hands-free kit. From 15 November to 15 April winter equipment (snow chains or winter tyres) may be required on many routes – follow the signs.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Walking boots for sections of the Via Francigena – for example from Monteriggioni to Siena or in the Val d’Orcia, where the pilgrim route runs over gravel and field tracks.
- A folding bike or e-bike for the hill roads and strade bianche – the villages are often high up, so the motorhome stays below.
- Level 2 wheel ramps for the grass areas of the agricampeggi.
- A cool box or fridge with room for pecorino, salumi and wine from the enoteche.
- Red-and-white warning panel for a rear carrier or bike carrier.
- A pilgrim certificate (“Testimonium”) and a pilgrim passport: if you walk in sections, you collect the stamps in hostels and churches along the way.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
