The Via Vandelli is a hiking route that connects Modena in Emilia Romagna with Massa in Tuscany (Via Vandelli – Wikipedia).
It is a path that can be divided into various stages based on training and the time available. Officially it is divided in seven stages (La Via Vandelli tutto quello che c’è da sapere – Terre di mezzo). We decided to complete it in three and a half days, making good use of our basic training. In any case, be aware that it is very demanding in so few days as we did. In fact, at the end our gps recorded 188 km with 5757 m+ and 5808 m-, in about 45 hours.
Before going into the details of the individual days, I’ll leave some general information.
The path is well marked, typically with black arrows and the profile of the entire route. However, you need to be careful in some inhabited centers where they are less visibile and you can get confused in the Apennines where Via Vandelli overlaps with other paths: via Matildica del volto santo (Via Matildica del Volto Santo – in cammino con Matilde di Canossa) and via Francigena (Homepage – Via Francigena (viefrancigene.org)). Therefore, it is advisable to have the gpx track with you (later in the text, you can download what we did).
There are not any particularly technical passages. The route is pretty much easy, with alternating sections of roads, mule tracks, and paths. However, having to have a backpack on your shoulders, it is advisable to be adequately prepared to manage fatigue and balance, especially along the descents from Lagadello pass and Tambura pass, in the second part of Via Vandelli.
Our backpack was loaded enough (8 kg, more or less) to be able to have everything we needed with us in case of unexpected events and bad weather, given that we had planned long-term stages.
The weather has been quite favorable for us. Despite a very rainy month of May in northern Italy, we caught just few drops of rain in the morning of the first day and then a short thunderstorm when we were starting the paths towards Tambura pass in the last day.
The temperature was ideal for spending many hours on the trails. We never really suffered from the heat, and we did not suffer from the cold in the highest pass (about 1600m). Tambura pass was a bit windy at its top.
There are several villages along the way, but in some cases they are quite far apart, so it is advisable to have a good supply of food and water with you. We traveled on average with 4.5 liters of water and mineral salts, plus a lot of things to eat.
Let’s go into the details of the individual stages.
Via Vandelli_Day 1: Modena – Levizzano Rangone
- Distance: 32,4 km
- Elevation gain: 360 m
- Elevation loss: 222 m
- Date: 22/05/2024
- Start time: 10:07 a.m.
We drove Tuesday evening to Marina di Massa, where we stopped at the Hotel Vera and where we then left the car for few days. On Wednesday morning we took a taxi (ca. €30) to reach Massa station and at 6:15 a.m. we took the train to go to Modena. We made three changes (Pisa, Firenze, Bologna) and at 10 a.m. we arrived at the station in Modena. Our hike started here!
After having a second breakfast, we walked through the streets of Modena.
We then passed through Piazza Grande, dominated by the white cathedral.
After a few kilometers we took the cycle path that heads towards Castelnuovo Rangone. Along it we met other hikers and we spent few kilometer chatting all together.
In this first part, the Via Vandelli is practically flat and runs alongside the small river Tiepido.
At km17, after about 3 hours, we stopped for a short lunch break, just before crossing the bridge over the river Tiepido. A curiosity: the last kilometer before the bridge was full of kennels and cats !
As we got closer to Torre Maina (km 26), the green color of the nature started to take over. Our all-red outfit stands out against all this green.
The only very easy climb of the day towards Madonna di Puianello began from Torre Maina. Here we were able to admire the calanchi of this area.
Before arriving in Madonna di Puianello we made a detour from Via Vandelli to reach our B&B (Agriturismo Santa Chiara a Levizzano Rangone – Visit Castelvetro), a wonderful place completely surrounded by greenery where we were welcomed with kindness and warmth by Marco, Giulia and all their cats!
I cannot forget to mention the wonderful testaroli dinner we ended the day with. Testaroli is a local type of dish in Lunigiana region (Testaroli – Wikipedia).
Via Vandelli_Day 2: Levizzano Rangone – La Santona
- Distance: 54,4 km
- Elevation gain: 2307 m
- Elevation loss: 1357 m
- Date: 23/05/2024
- Start time: 06:40 a.m.
We knew that the second day would have been one (or the) of the most challinging one. Therefore, we woke up early and we immediately directed ourself towards the Santuario di Madonna di Puianello (Santuario Beata Vergine della Salute di Puianello – Sito Ufficiale (santuariodipuianello.it)).
In the first kilometers towards Poggio Fontana, you walk through the fields skirting the Salse of Puianello area (I Geositi dell’Emilia-Romagna — Geologia, sismica e suoli — E-R Ambiente — Salse di Puianello (regione.emilia-romagna.it)).
The route continues through small villages, flowering fields and always skirting water sources.
At km 17, we were stopped by one of the locals while we were on the path. He told us that the original path of Via Vandelli passed through the property of his neighbour and this path was no longer accessible. Therefore, he directed us towards a “bypass” by crossing directly the SS12 road. It was a very good advice.
After about a kilometer we then reached the crossroads of Via Vandelli. Here, the path that starts from Modena joins with that one that starts from Sassuolo. And from this moment on there is only one path.
The following kilometers were pretty much hilly, heading towards Pavullo nel Frignano (km 28) where we stopped for a longer lunch break.
We left Pavullo along a nice bike route, just near a small local airport.
After 5 km we arrived at Montecuccolo (Castello di Montecuccolo – Wikipedia), a small bourg dominated by its castle.
After about 40 km we entered a forest characterized by several rock formations, visible on the right side of the path. The most famous and the biggest one is the so-called Ponte d’Ercole or Ponte del Diavolo (Ponte d’Ercole – Wikipedia).
We then left the forest and we arrived at Lama Mocogno (km 46), where it started the last uphill of the day, mostly again in the forest.
After about 55 km and almost 13 hours, we arrived at La Santona, where we stopped for the night at Ristorante/Albergo Conca d’Oro.
Via Vandelli_Day 3: La Santona – Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
- Distance: 45,6 km
- Elevation gain: 1228 m
- Elevation loss: 2085 m
- Date: 24/05/2024
- Start time: 07:32 a.m.
The day started with a beautiful blue sky and with the view of Monte Cimone (2165m) (Monte Cimone – Wikipedia), who accompanied us for half of the second day.
From La Santona, the route started to be marked with additional labels. Therefore, the following kilometers were pretty easy to follow.
After 5 km, we arrived at Centocroci, following very easy (sometimes paved) routes.
Similarly to the first days, we continued to skirt many streams and water sources. Here, we were at the Fontana Ducale, more or less after 10 km from the La Santona.
The next 10 km were a continuous but easy up and down. Then, around km 20 the long climb towards the Lagadello pass began. We arrived at its top (1623 m) after about 5h45′ from the start in La Santona.
The Lagadello pass represents the border between Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, the province of Modena and of Lucca, and the areas of Lunigiana and Garfagnana.
After a couple of kilometer from the pass, we arrived at San Pellegrino in Alpe (San Pellegrino in Alpe – Wikipedia), the highest town in the Apennines.
We took a short lunch break and we enjoyed the view of Garfagnana from this higher location.
The descent from San Pellegrino in Alpe is not difficult, but it is certainly very long and demanding: more or less 14 km with 1300 meters of loss in elevation. It ends at the entrance of Pieve Fosciana. However, the Via Vandelli makes a semicircle, passing first from the river park and then entering in Pieve from the other side after crossing a small bridge before two water mills.
Once we left Pieve Fosciana, we continued along the Via Vandelli to reach Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, where we arrived after almost 46 km and 11 hours. Castelnuovo is a very beautiful town, full of historical sights (Castelnuovo di Garfagnana – Wikipedia).
For the night we stopped at Ristorante/Albergo da Carlino which is exactly along the via Vandelli: Albergo Ristorante Da Carlino, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana – Prezzi aggiornati per il 2024 (booking.com).
Via Vandelli_Day 4: Castelnuovo di Garfagnana – Marina di Massa
- Distance: 54,8 km
- Elevation gain: 1862 m
- Elevation loss: 2144 m
- Date: 25/05/2024
- Start time: 07:00 a.m.
We started the last day by adding a few kilometers (not recorded) around the town.
Then we took Via Vandelli again, which runs exactly under the hotel where we slept. In the first kilometers you go along the Serchio river and the route is not very well signposted. Be careful when you reach this point and follow gpx track.
We passed through the houses of Pontecosi (Pontecosi – Wikipedia), usually on the banks of the lake. However, when we passed, there was not a lot of water.
After about 9 km from Castelnuovo, we crossed the railway bridge above the river Serchio (50+385 – Ponte sul fiume Serchio – Villetta (ferrovia-lucca-aulla.com)). The bridge is 400 m long and has an height of about 50 meter. The pedestrian way is quite narrow (but safe), and those who suffer from vertigo may suffer from looking down.
In Poggio we stopped for a small break and we chatted few minutes with a local elder. Be aware: there are no bar or grocery shops in Poggio! Therefore, no coffee break was possible for me!
We left Poggio and we returned to follow a stream.
After km 13, we were stopped by a couple of locals who advised us to follow the road and not the official path, since few kilometers later we would have encountered a dam and the lake of Vagli (Lago di Vagli – Wikipedia) and we would not have been able to cross from there. The deviation would not have been small.
This time we decided not to follow the advices and to take the risk to follow the original path.
We were right: the gate of the pedestrian crossing of the dam was open and we could easily follow the original path, without any deviation.
We walked for about 3 km with the lake on our left and we enjoyed its beauty until we stopped at a small grocery shop at the houses of Radicchi, between Vagli di Sotto and Vagli di Sopra.
At km 22 of the day, we arrived at Vagli di Sopra, where we had the opportunity to have a different view of the lake.
After we left Vagli di Sopra, and after a short and intense thunderstorm, we started the climb towards Tambura pass in the sun.
The surrounding scenery was characterized by the various marble quarries, which represent one of the working hubs of the area.
It was impressive to pass by marble blocks two or three times our height.
At km 29 of the day, we arrived at Tambura pass (1620 m), just few hundreds meters below Monte Tambura (Monte Tambura – Wikipedia).
From Tambura pass it was possible to see the sea and our final destination of the day in Marina di Massa. The view from there was simply amazing.
We started the descent and after a couple of km we first arrived at Picco Campaniletti and subsequently at Rifugio Nello Conti (Rifugio Nello Conti – Wikipedia).
The descent after the Rifugio gives the opportunity to appreciate the enormous engineering work that was carried out to build the Via Vandelli.
We continued the downhill towards the town of Resceto, where we arrived after 10h30′ and 36 km.
The following kilometers after Resceto were along a local paved road. At km 42, we could not take the section of the Via Vandelli which overlaps with the Sentiero del Bizzarro. The path was temporarily closed because the rains of the previous day had made a passage unusable and risky.
Therefore, we followed the road for about 2.5 km and at the houses of Sant’Antonio Abate we rejoined the via Vandelli. This section was pretty much nice, with frequent changes of elevation in the wood near the stream Frigido and passing by La Casetta.
After 48 km, we crossed the last bridge of the day and we entered the municipality of Massa (Massa, Tuscany – Wikipedia).
We walked through the city and we passed next to the cathedral and then in Piazza Aranci, in the city center.
We continued to walk for about 5 km along via Roma, from Massa to Marina di Massa, where we arrived at the sunset, just few minutes after 9 p.m.
Our “extended” Via Vandelli ended here. It was a beautiful experience and an unconventional honeymoon but exactly fitting with our way of living life.
Additional information
If you want more information or technical details related to this route, please do not hesitate to contact me or comment below.
Other information about ideas for explorations here: Exploring Routes | EmigranTrailer.
Other information about races, results and equipments here: Trail & Running | EmigranTrailer.
Enjoy Hiking & Trail Running!
Andrea De Filippo
Original post in english language. For other languages, please open with a web browser (i.e. Chrome) and apply the automatic translation.
Related projects and articles
You might find of interest other similar articles here: Exploring Routes | EmigranTrailer
Good morning Andrea, congratulations for having done this trek with these daily distances, truly out of reach for mere mortals, and for the detailed description. I think I am pleased to point out that the GPX file of track 3 is a replica of track 1, furthermore the possibility of using the right mouse button and therefore translating it into other languages seems to be disabled.
Have a good journey for the next adventures
Ciao Silvano! Thanks a lot for your comments and sorry…you are right. The GPX file of track 3 was instead of the track 1! I just corrected it! Please let me know if you still have an issue with it. I do not think so, but who knows! 🙂 For the automati translation, I’ll double check if I can implement a quick plugin to activate it. Normally, the translation is automatic when you open with certain browsers. Thank you again for your very useful comments.
bellissimo racconto e mi pare un bel percorso che ci viene bene per noi che partiamo il 26 di giugno e però noi lo facciamo in 7 tappe, saremo in 5. Mi domando ma come avete fatto a fare tanti chilometri, non eravate stanchi. Un consiglio è fattibile per noi che lo facciamo i sette tappe. Siamo camminatori delle Alpi apuane, ci dobbiamo preoccupare o dobbiamo stare tranquilli, ci preoccupa la lunghezza.
Comunque saluti e grazie della descrizione, auguri per i futuri traguardi.
Saluti Sergio Ulivi
Grazie mille Sergio! La scelta di farlo in 7 tappe è giustissima come suggerisce anche la guida ufficiale. Non avrete problemi. Noi siamo abbastanza allenati, facendo spesso gare di ultra-trail e amiamo camminare molto in ogni caso. Farlo in pochi giorni richiede molto allenamento ed abitudine a stare 12-13 ore sulle gambe. Insomma, non va improvvisato. Grazie ancora per il commento: sono contento che sia piaciuto il racconto scritto e fotografico. Andrea