The way of the gods

Monte Giove, Monte Venere, Monte Adone, Monte Luario, Monzuno: names of ancient roman gods (or derived from them) that are actually not found on the road to Olympus, but in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, in that slice of land that divides Bologna and Florence and that precisely because of these locations and mountains can be seen to be crossed by the Way of the Gods.

It is a route that unites the two cities, a route much traveled by walkers who want to get from Piazza Maggiore to Piazza della Signoria, or vice versa. It is the ancient Flaminia Militare, a link that sees its origins in 87 BC.

Used by Roman and Etruscan merchants, it has been rediscovered in recent years and attracts tourists from all over Italy and beyond. One can start from the Portico of San Luca in Bologna, the longest in the world at 3,796 meters, and arrive in Badolo by skirting the river. Then to Monzuno and Madonna dei Fornelli, where it is worth stopping to eat because immediately afterwards the climb begins! If you want to take another "flat" break, you can visit the unique Futa Cemetery. After breathtaking natural landscapes, we enter Fiesole, from where we can instead admire Florence from above, finally arriving in the Tuscan capital.

This path is really wonderful and on the way, you can admire churches, shrines, villages, and castles. It will take just a few moments more than the 35 minutes of the High Speed Rail (on average, it is covered in 5 stages, of 1 day each), but it is absolutely worth it.