Contessa Ava Dei Lambardi - Hostel

I was injured while walking the trail, but they still wouldn't let me cancel. If €25 is enough to make or break the business, they should rethink how they run it. They say they're trying to accommodate people walking the Via Francigena, but it felt like money was all that mattered. There was no sense of camaraderie.

We booked a pilgrims meal at the restaurant attached to the hostel during our Via Francigena pilgrimage. For €17 each, it included an appetizer, pasta as the main course, cake for dessert, plus water and bread. Wine cost extra, with the least expensive bottle at €16. The food was very good. Our double room with a private bathroom was clean, comfortable, and heated.

After hiking, sightseeing, or traveling, this beautifully restored hostel is such a peaceful place to rest. The rooms were clean and the staff friendly. Cinzia made our first breakfast especially lovely by greeting us so warmly and sharing her delicious apple pie, made from a 100-year-old recipe. At lunch she treated us to her five-cereal bread too. Wonderful baking. I'd come back just for her food!

The onsite bar and restaurant serves a very good pilgrim menu, and guests get free admission to the museum. Pilgrims with a credential can also get a special rate by booking direct. The hostel is in part of a restored monastery and is a nice place to stay.