Via Romea Germanica

In short: Via Romea Germanica: from Stade to Rome. Length: around 2,200 km, duration: about 3 months. Best time: May to October.

Overview

The Via Romea Germanica goes back to Albert of Stade, an abbot who made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1236 and wrote down the route. It leads from the lower Elbe across Germany via Würzburg, Augsburg and Innsbruck, then over the Brenner Pass into Italy.

In Germany this route does not yet have infrastructure as dense as that of the Way of St James. Many pilgrims therefore walk only single sections, for example the part through Bavaria and Tyrol.

If you want to walk from Germany all the way to Rome, this is the classic line. Careful planning of your accommodation matters more here than on the well-known routes in Spain.

Planning your stages

How long you need depends on your daily distance. The table works this out for 2200 kilometres, with one rest day a week.

Who is this route for?

With some hiking experience this route is very manageable. Expect climbs and keep your days from getting too long.

What does the route cost?

With an albergue or simple guesthouse and one hot meal, 60 to 80 euros a day is usually enough. Over about 128 days that comes to roughly 7,700 to 10,250 euros, plus travel and gear. This is a guide figure.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Europe, Pilgrimage in Germany, sorted by religion under Christian pilgrimage routes.