“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the most pleasant sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure.”

―Freya Stark

Over the 89 days I was traveling, I stayed in almost 89 different places. These ranged from the hayloft of a goat farm (the best) to a Tibetan monastery overlooking Lac Leman and the Swiss Alps (really the best), to the occasional three-star hotel and many, many, ostellos, BnBs, and hostels. Most bookings were made upon arrival or at most, one day in advance. As the countries and regions changed, so did the system of hotels and accommodation. I encourage using the tourist offices in France/Switzerland and a guidebook or the Via Francigena app (from GSB) Dormi-Topo Francigena III app in Italy (from San Gimignano), with the caveat you may need to ask an Italian speaker to help you book over the phone.

Of course, if none of these solid options work out, I found there would usually be at least one hotel in town, and if the hotel is booked- the goat farm.

Sometimes the worst planning is the best adventure.

b o o k i n g • l i n k s

London (Stansted Airport) AIRBNB • Canterbury KIPPS HOSTEL • Calais AIRBNB • Wissant HOTEL DE LA PLAGE • Licques POMMIERS DES TROIS PAYS CAMPGROUND • Wisque ABBAYE SAINT-PAUL • Arras ROYAL VARIETIES HOTEL • Bapaume DORMITORY • Trefcon VAL D’OMIGNON BNB • San Quentin AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE • Laon HOTEL DU TRAMWAY • Corbeny HOTEL DU CHEMIN DES DAMES • Reims CIS DE CHAMPAGNE HOSTEL • Verzy ALAIN LALLEMENT BNB • Chalons en Champagne HOTEL DU POT D’ETAIN • La Chaussee sur Marne LA FERME GOURMANDE BARN • Vitry Le Francois CASTOR HOTEL • St Remy en Bouzement AU BROCHET DU LAC BNB • Outines GITE LE COURLIS • Brienne Le Chateau PILGRIM GITE • Bar Sur Aube HOTEL LE ST NICOLAS • Chateauvillian PILGRIM APARTMENT • Langres L’ABRI DU PELERIN • La Liez HOTEL LES VOILIERS • Leffond MOULIN DE LA PAPETERIE BNB • Dampierre Sur Salon HOTEL DE LA TOUR • Gy LA CHARMOTTE BNB • Besancon HOTEL DU NORD • Vuillafans ACCUEIL FAMILIAL CHEZ BERNARD ET SOLANGE • Pontarlier AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE • Jounge MIREILLE GODART BNB • Orbe HOTEL DU CHASSEUR • Monte-sur-Lausaunne PAROISSE DE ST AMEDEE • Mt Pelerin RABTEN CHOELING BUDDHIST MONASTERY • Villeneuve RITA MARZIO BNB • Aigle HOTEL DU NORD • Martingny HOTEL FORCLAZ-TOURING • Orsieres CLOCHER DE SIECLE • Bourg St. Pierre PRIVATE HOME • Gran San Bernardo HOSPICE AT GSB • Aoste MAIZON DE SARA BNB • Chatillon LOCANDA IL CERVINO • St. Vincente HOTEL ELENA • Verres CASA DEL PELLEGRINO COLLEGIATA DI SAINT GILLES • Pavia HOTEL AURORA • Belgiogioso HOTEL CAVALIERE • Santa Christina PARROCCHIA DI SANTA CRISTINA E BISSONE • Pontremoli AZURRA ART NOUVEAU BNB • Villafranca ALBERGO MANGANELLI • Aulla ABBAZIA SAN CAPRASIO • Caniparola OSPITALITA CANIPAROLA • Massa OSTELLO PALAZZO NIZZA • Camaiore OSTELLO DEL PELLEGRINO DI CAMAIORE • Lucca ACCOGLIENZA CANONICI REGOLARI LATERANENSI DI LUCCA • Altopascio L’OSPITALITA DEI PELLEGRINI • San Miniato L’HOSPITALE DEL PELLEGRINO SAN MINIATO • Gambassi Terme OSTELLO SIGERICO • San Gimignano OSPITALE DEI SS. AGOSTINO GIACOMO • Monteriggioni CASTELLO PER FERIE SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA • Siena AIRBNB • Ponte D’Arbia CENTRO CRESTI • San Quirico IL PALAZZO DEI PELLEGRINO • Radicofini OSPITALE DEI SAN PIETRO E GIACOMO • Acquapendante ALBERGO TOSCANA • Lake Bolsena HOTEL LIDO • Montefiascone HOTEL URBANO V • Viterbo HOTEL VITERBO INN • Vetralla LOCANDA DAL SOR FRANCESCO • Sutri PRIVATE HOME • Campagno di Roma HOTEL BENIGNI • Roma VILLA TASSONI