Sentiero dei Ducati

The opening stage of the Sentiero dei Ducati immediately establishes that this is a different category of route. The long stage from Reggio Emilia to the castle rock of Canossa requires 9 hours of sustained walking with nearly 1,000m of cumulative ascent — more than any individual stage of the Via degli Dei.

The destination justifies the effort. Canossa is one of the most historically charged sites in medieval European history: it was here in 1077 that the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV stood barefoot in the snow for three days seeking absolution from Pope Gregory VII. The 'Walk to Canossa' entered the European political vocabulary as a phrase for public humiliation; arriving here on foot, by a different route, has its own resonance.

This stage is not recommended without proper preparation. Experienced trekkers should ensure they have appropriate footwear and navigate carefully: the route crosses several ridge lines and the path can be indistinct in sections.

The most demanding stage of the entire route ascends from the Reggio Emilia foothills into the high Apennines, crossing above 1,500m and spending several hours on exposed mountain terrain. Trekking experience is essential; this is not an easy day even for experienced hill walkers.

Navigation requires map and compass skills in addition to trail markings — the route crosses several unmarked sections above the treeline where the official waymarks are infrequent. All Borgoway walkers receive detailed stage notes with GPS coordinates for this stage.

The reward is the arrival at Cerreto Laghi, a high-altitude lake plateau at 1,262m — a landscape that feels genuinely alpine and far removed from any association with tourist Italy. The rifugio here is one of the best on the route.

The long descent from the high Apennines toward the Lunigiana begins here. The route drops significantly in altitude over the day, transitioning from alpine moorland through beech forest to the chestnut-covered lower slopes above the valley of the Magra.

The Lunigiana — the territory of the ancient Liguri Apuani tribe — begins to make itself felt through the archaeology of the day: dolmens, menhirs, and carved stone figures known as 'Stele Lunigianesi' appear on the hillsides. This carved stone tradition extends back 4,000 years and has no precise parallel elsewhere in Italy.

The final stage descends through the Lunigiana valleys to Sarzana, a walled medieval city at the eastern edge of Liguria that has somehow escaped the tourist attention it deserves. The route passes several Malaspina castles — the ruling dynasty of the Lunigiana — before dropping to the coastal plain.

Sarzana is a worthwhile destination in itself: the medieval centre is intact, the market on Saturdays is one of the best in Liguria, and the proximity to the Cinque Terre means onward travel options are excellent. Many walkers choose to spend an extra night here before continuing to the coast.