Halfway between the Adriatic and the Mediterranean Sea

We continued our journey across the Italian “boot” and entered the Lombardy region under bright sunshine. Yesterday, on the other hand, was rather dull and rainy. We hopped on a train for a short stretch to dodge the worst of the weather, leaving Emilia-Romagna behind, then cycled a bit to reach Piacenza. Today, Wednesday, we rode from Piacenza to Pavia along pleasant, easygoing roads.

The highlight of the day was visiting the Certosa di Pavia. I was genuinely surprised to learn that the Carthusian order spread beyond France. The monastery is no longer in use, but the building remains absolutely stunning. The tradition of making herbal liqueur is still alive - only here it uses local herbs and goes by a different name than the famous French Chartreuse.

Over the past few days, we’ve met many people traveling on foot along the Via Francigena, as it follows a route quite similar to the one we took by bike between Parma and Pavia. The Via Francigena is a historic pilgrimage trail stretching all the way from England, crossing France and Italy down to Puglia - nearly 3,000 kilometers in total.

Not a day goes by without someone asking where we’re travelling from or where we’re headed, often with genuine curiosity and a spark in their eyes. Whether on foot or by other means, I guess humans have always been fascinated by travel.