Dante's Way is thethe only Italian itinerary that the travel experts Lonely Planet for Best in Travel have included in the ranking of the thirty routes not to be missed in 2021. Certainly an apt suggestion and of great timing because 2021, as is now repeated continuously throughout the peninsula and beyond, recalls the seven hundred years since the death of the Supreme Poet. And if you want to walk through history and literature, remembering Dante at every step, this is certainly an experience to tell and not to be missed.
Twenty stages in a path of about 400 kilometers that connects Romagna and Casentino
"Along the way you will experience the Middle Ages - explains Oliviero Resta, president of the Il Cammino di Dante association - touching stage after stage what were the streets of Dante in his exile. After 700 years, we walk right where he passed, where he suffered, and this is the keystone of the experience of the Way. To cover the almost four hundred kilometers of the itinerary, placing our feet on those Roman paving stones that were already there at the time of Dante and on which he too had walked. Moreover, this experience led us to discover new ones that were previously unrecognizable because they were covered by vegetation. We have indicated them to the various relevant municipalities. Ours is a country so rich in history and testimonies… Unfortunately, the public institution does not always take responsibility for it".
The Cammino di Dante is the first trip organized between medieval paths and streets that at the time united Romagna and Tuscany. On those paths made by the Supreme Poet during his exile, when he wrote the Divine Comedy. And it is precisely the places of the Tuscan-Romagna territory mentioned in the Comedy, or directly experienced by the Poet during his years of exile, those that accompany the traveler. Along the way, the Divine Comedy "speaks" through large panels with the periphrasis (to make the text understandable to all) of the three canticles. From Ravenna to Florence the protagonist is Hell, from Florence to Forlì Purgatory, from Forlì to Ravenna it will be Heaven, inside the pine forest of Classe where it is thought that the great poet was inspired by the third canticle.
When trekking also becomes a cultural, artistic, philosophical and spiritual path
The itinerary develops through a ring that connects Romagna and Casentino in 20 fixed stages. Departure and arrival points, Dante's Tomb a Ravenna and the Dante's House Museum a Florence. Along the way there are very few asphalted roads, many paths that often coincide with ancient Etruscan-Roman roads. The main road of Dante's Way is in fact to maintain this ancient dimension as much as possible. “Other - he explains - can be poetically reconstructed, or retraced with the same difficulties and stimulating beauties of the medieval era”. Ideal opportunity for slow and sustainable cultural tourism. Not only a trekking path but also a cultural, artistic, philosophical and spiritual path through the landscapes of Romagna and Casentino between nature and historic villages, food and tradition.
The Cammino di Dante is also the first and most complete excursion route with a Dante theme in the Tuscan-Emilian and Romagna territory. A project born in 2011 from an idea of its creator and founder, Giordano Bezzi, and from the passion for the Supreme Poet shared by a heterogeneous group of people. In 2016 the first pilgrims began to walk the path, while the maintenance and improvement works (still work in progress) of the whole path continued by theDante's Way association. A step towards Culture, established in 2014. With many difficulties and little economic and operational support.
Few contributions, the bulk of the project was carried out - in every sense - by private individuals, whose work has made an important contribution to the enhancement of Dante's places. For example, it was the association of the Way that gave dignity to the Ponte del Cicaleto that Dante crossed on 8 June 1302 to go to San Godenzo to the palace of the Guidi counts, known as the mirror.
"This journey was intense, but full of wonder"
To compensate for all this, the satisfaction in the comments of the travelers. Just scroll down the Facebook page of the Way. "What can I say, pure show ... it is the penultimate stage, we feel the sadness of the imminent end of this beautiful experience". "After ten days of walking we arrived at the Dante's House Museum. This journey was intense, but full of wonder! ". "Beautiful everything"... .. and so on. Dante's Way today makes use of adedicated app that allows you to know at any time how many kilometers have been covered and how many are left to arrive. With the indications of all the water and refreshment points. And a guide, Dante's Way. From Ravenna to Florence and back, published by the Terre di Mezzo publishing house.
(ph credit: Dante's Way Association)
