Via Porta

The place

ecumenical pilgrimage route from a Protestant monastery to a Catholic monastery

Why go

Vienna and its cathedrals. Klagenfurt and Lake Wörthersee. Trieste and its Austro-Hungarian architecture. Venice and its lagoon. The classic Via Francigena all the way to Rome.

A bit of history

Vienna was a major starting point for pilgrims from Central and Eastern Europe heading to Rome from the Middle Ages onward. The Via Porta was waymarked in the 2010s to retrace this historic route and connect it to the network of European Roman Roads.

Getting there

Vienna: international air hub, easy access from anywhere in Europe. Rome: international hub.

Recommended gear

Lightweight hiking boots. Pilgrim credential. Passport (route crosses 3 countries).

Best season

April to October. Avoid winter in the Julian Alps.