Cammino di San Tommaso
Technical Information
Request your Pilgrim’s Credencial before setting off: it serves as proof of your journey along the Cammino and allows you to present it at accommodation providers for discounts and special offers. Don’t forget to pack your essentials: sunscreen, hat, waterproof jacket, personal and first-aid medicines, cord, sunglasses, and trekking poles.
Duration
16 days
Distance
316 km
Difficulty
medium
Altitude difference
780 m (avg.)
Number of Stages
16
From Rome to Ortona, through the Heart of Abruzzo
Whether you are a devoted pilgrim, searching for yourself and life’s essentials, or simply eager to discover a land of natural and cultural beauty, the Cammino di San Tommaso is an experience that will undoubtedly leave you enriched.
Peter and Thomas, Rome and Ortona (CH): the route begins at St Peter’s Basilica and unfolds over approximately 316 kilometres, linking it to the Cattedrale di San Tommaso in Ortona, a historic cathedral that has housed the Apostle’s relics since 1258.
This journey leads you through the Apennines, into the very heart of Abruzzo, where you will encounter breathtaking landscapes and sacred places that speak to the soul through their profound silence.
The Abruzzo section, stretching for about 190 kilometres, crosses the extraordinary biodiversity of natural parks – including Parco Naturale Regionale del Sirente Velino, Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, and Parco Nazionale della Maiella – all the way to the sea. On your journey, you will pass through places steeped in history and spirituality: from the franciscan convent of Tagliacozzo to the archaeological site of Alba Fucens, from the traditional “Pagliare” of Tione and Fontecchio to the fresco masterpiece of Oratorio di San Pellegrino a Bominaco, from the Basilica di San Clemente a Casauria to the Basilica del Volto Santo in Manoppello, and from the Ducal Castle of Crecchio to the Aragonese Castle of Ortona.
This very path was once travelled by Saint Bridget of Sweden, the patron saint of Europe, between 1365 and 1368, when she came to visit the tomb of Apostle Thomas. In memory of her pilgrimage, an ancient church in the nearby town of Arielli and a commemorative stone placed in front of the Chiesa di San Rocco in Porta Caldari, Ortona, are dedicated to her.
The Cammino di San Tommaso can be travelled on foot, by road bike, by mountain bike, or on horseback. Make it your journey! Choose your stages, set your pace, decide where to stop – and fully embrace the extraordinary places you will encounter along the way, turning it into a truly unique and personal experience.
