Via di Francesco, Day 9: Sansepolcro - Agriturismo Casale La Burgne

Wednesday, May 31
18 km
Aprx 400 m

We breakfasted on fresh fruit, toast, and cheese, and of course the ubiquitous Italian coffee, before heading out to find the way again. While Sansepolcro has a lovely medieval center, the path in and out of town is noisy with car traffic. We were relieved to turn off the autostrada near the Buitoni pasta factory, and quickly found ourselves in the Tuscan countryside.

The day warmed quickly, reaching 80F before 9 am, and we were thankful for each shady tree along the route. We were even thankful to reach the first hill of the day, as it was heavily wooded. Just a couple hundred meters up, we arrived in Citerna, a charming, and impeccably maintained, medieval village on a hilltop, and our first stop in Umbria.

Citerna has spectacular panoramic views from the square, a lovely medieval church with sculptures by Luca della Robbia, and an Madonna and Child by Donatello. There are also two bars offering coffee, gelato, and panini on the square, and shady benches with views just beyond the old city walls -- for those pilgrims who prefer to pack a picnic. What Citerna lacks, however, is accommodations. So, despite it being our guide's designated endpoint for the day, we planned to continue walking.

We enjoyed panini and affogatto on the square, then strolled down the shady hillside, covering two miles with ease. The last mile and a half was a sweaty mid-afternoon slog up a mostly sunny hillside. A dense grove of chestnut trees shaded us on the final ascent to our agritourismo-- a large stone and stucco farmhouse nestled in pines and smelling of wood smoke.

We arrived sweating profusely. Our host welcomed us graciously, offering cold water and gelato, and showed us to the pool (a luxury we're not at all accustomed to but were thrilled to see). Then, as is typical on camino, we handwashed our laundry and hung it to dry.

Laundry is a constant pilgrims' task, but something I rarely mention here. It deserves more explanation. Veteran pilgrims know: one carries two pairs of socks, two pairs of underwear, two shirts, one pair of pants, and one pair of shorts. That's it, because clothes are heavy. Consequently, at the end of every day, a pilgrim must shower, put on their clean change of clothes, and handwash their sweaty day-clothes.

The bar of soap I carry washes my body, my hair, AND my clothes, and it's the single heaviest and most indispensable item in my pack. A pilgrims room, bathroom, or, if we're lucky, terrace is always strewn with damp clothes. We pray they're dry by morning. If not, we put them on damp. If we have (Foolishly? Brilliantly?) decided to haul a whole extra pair of socks and undies on camino, then we hang the still-damp pairs from our packs with safety pins, and let them dry in the sun as we walk the next stage. For the record, I'm a three-pairs evangelist, but many pilgrims vehemently disagree!

My laundry is now complete and drying in the sun with a stunning view of the valley; I'm free to relax beneath the trees, listen to the dogs bark and bees buzz, and await  a dinner that will have no menu; each course will be a surprise, and my always-hungry pilgrim's belly is eager to greet them.