Eight pilgrim hostels cover the Via Francigena between Parma and Pontremoli — the stretch that crosses the Apennines over Passo della Cisa. All are donation-based or low-cost, require a regular pilgrim credential, and operate on a seasonal calendar rather than year-round. This is the practical list: name, address, beds, price, and how to book, in walking order.
If you’re planning a rest day rather than just a night’s sleep, see our Pilgrim Day Off page — we handle luggage transfer and arrange a Parmigiano Reggiano tour, truffle hunt, porcini experience, or Parma ham tour around whichever of these hostels you’re staying at.
Parma to Passo della Cisa
Ostello San Donnino — Fidenza
Fidenza’s pilgrim hostel, reopened in 2026 as the city’s official reference point for walkers on the Sigeric route. Run by a local operator on a multi-year concession. Bookings: +39 331 1367510 or [email protected]; the town’s IAT tourist office (Casa Cremonini, 0524.83377) can also help with availability.
Ostello19 “Massimo Tedeschi” — Felegara, Medesano
Via Picelli 43. 21 beds across several room types including accessible rooms, run by Lasse Cooperativa Sociale Onlus. €20/night dormitory bed (private and double rooms also available). Open April–October. Sits directly on Stage 19, between Fidenza and Fornovo. Email [email protected] or call +39 331 367 3307.
Parrocchia Santa Maria Assunta — Fornovo di Taro
Piazza IV Novembre, entrance from the Pieve courtyard. Parish-run pilgrim accommodation at the end of Stage 19/20. Contact 0525 2218, or 338 3375484 (Mario) / 333 2194636 (Paola). A second option, Parrocchia Santa Margherita, is nearby in the Sivizzano hamlet.
Ostello di Cassio — Terenzo
Strada della Cisa 100, in the hamlet of Cassio — the end of Stage 20. 15 beds across 4 rooms, renovated in 2022, with garden, kitchen and laundry. €22/night. Run by Silvana Montali on behalf of ASP Terenzo. Call 0525-1700885 or 347-9069545 to check availability — phone only, no online booking.
Ostello della Cisa — Passo della Cisa, Berceto
SS Cisa 89, about 6km past Berceto, right at the pass where Emilia-Romagna gives way to Tuscany. A converted cantoniera (former road-maintenance house) with 24 beds across 8 rooms. €40/night all-inclusive, including an evening hot meal. Open April 3 – September 30 only — this is the one hostel on the list that’s genuinely seasonal in the strict sense, so don’t plan a winter crossing around it.
Over the Cisa Pass: Pontremoli and Aulla
Ospitale San Lorenzo — Pontremoli
The former Capuchin convent on Via Cappuccini, fully renovated and now the main pilgrim reference point in Pontremoli. Up to 60 beds across multi-bed rooms and 15 single rooms — the largest capacity on this list, which matters in peak season when the smaller parish hostels fill fast.
Ostello Castello del Piagnaro — Pontremoli
A foresteria built inside Pontremoli’s hilltop castle — 6 rooms, 21 beds, shared bathrooms. Open April 1 to September 30. €16/night for a bed only, €25 with linen. The setting is the draw here: waking up inside a medieval fortress is not something the other hostels on this list can offer.
Ospitale Abbazia di San Caprasio — Aulla
Piazza Abbazia, Aulla, run by volunteers of the Parrocchia di San Caprasio. 14 beds, kitchen on site. Donation-based (offerta libera). Open April–October. Check-in is strictly 3–7pm, so time your walking day accordingly. Book by email: [email protected], or call 0187 420148 / 339 6380331.
Want to taste Emilia-Romagna's finest products?
Our
half-day food tour from Bologna or Modena visits a Parmigiano dairy, a balsamic acetaia, and a prosciutto producer — transport included.
Turn Any of These Into a Food Day
Any of these stops can anchor a rest day rather than just a night’s sleep. Stay an extra night, and instead of walking the next stage we transfer your pack ahead and arrange a Parmigiano Reggiano dairy visit, a truffle hunt, seasonal porcini foraging near Borgotaro, or a Parma ham tour if you’re resting closer to Parma or Fidenza. Full details on how it works are on the Pilgrim Day Off page.
Via Francigena Pilgrim Hostels — FAQ
Do I need a pilgrim credential to stay at these hostels?
Yes, for almost all of them. These are donativo or low-cost hostels run by parishes, confraternities, and social cooperatives specifically for pilgrims — not general-purpose budget accommodation. Get your credenziale before setting out; most start points on the Via Francigena can issue one.
Are these hostels open year-round?
No. Most operate April to September or October. Ostello della Cisa at Passo della Cisa is the strictest, open April 3 to September 30 only. Outside these windows you’ll need to rely on commercial accommodation in the nearby towns instead.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, especially July and August when capacity is limited — most of these hostels have between 14 and 24 beds, and Ospitale San Lorenzo in Pontremoli is the only one with real scale at 60 beds. Booking is by phone or email; none of them take online reservations.
Which hostel has the most beds?
Ospitale San Lorenzo in Pontremoli, with up to 60 beds. It’s the safest bet if you’re walking without a reservation, though booking ahead is still recommended in peak season.
Can I combine a hostel stay with a food experience?
Yes — see our Pilgrim Day Off page. We arrange luggage transfer to your next stop and a Parmigiano Reggiano tour, truffle hunt, porcini experience, or Parma ham tour around whichever of these hostels you’re using as a base.
About Gabriele
My grandfather had a farm. He delivered milk to the local Parmigiano Reggiano cooperative every morning — the same kind of small family caseificio we visit on our tours today. The cheese was made a few kilometres away. The balsamic vinegar aged in the attic. We ate prosciutto that had been hanging in the cellar for two years.
I took all of this completely for granted, moved abroad, and then spent years being quietly horrified by what passed for Italian food everywhere else. Parmigiano that tasted of cardboard. Balsamic vinegar that was basically caramel syrup. Pasta from a tin. I’m not going to name countries.
I started Emilia Delizia in 2008 because I wanted people to understand what they were missing — and because watching someone’s face when they taste real 25-year balsamic for the first time never gets old. Seventeen years in, same producers, same obsession. Lonely Planet liked it. Channel 4 called us when they needed someone who actually knew the acetaias in Modena. TripAdvisor gave us 4.9 out of 5, which I’m choosing to interpret as proof that the other 0.1 of a star is simply unattainable.
Discover more from Emilia Delizia
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.