The Way of the Gods

The Via degli Dei (or also Sentiero degli Dei) is a hiking trail that connects the cities of Bologna and Florence, passing through the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.

The name probably derives from the toponyms of some mountains crossed, including Monte Venere in Monzuno and Monte Luario in Firenzuola (with reference to the goddess Lua, invoked by the Romans in war), near the Futa pass.

The road, currently marked by the CAI, uses a mainly ridge route very similar to the routes used in the Middle Ages for communications between Bologna and the Tuscan capital, and even earlier by the Romans through the ancient Roman military road Flaminia.

The route, rebuilt starting in the 1990s, crosses numerous places of naturalistic and landscape interest at altitudes around 1000 m a.s.l. In some places the paths pass right on the ancient road pavements still surviving after 2000 years of history.

THE STAGES:

1. Bologna - Our Lady of the Stoves
2. Madonna dei Fornelli - Futa Pass
3. Futa Pass - Florence

The route, which can be traveled on both on foot and by mountain bike, touches the following places:

1. Bologna (54 m a.s.l.)
2. Badolo (370 m a.s.l.)
3. Monte Adone (654 m a.s.l.)
4. Monte Venere (940 m a.s.l.)
5. Madonna dei Fornelli (770 m a.s.l.)
6. Monte dei Cucchi (1140 m a.s.l.)
7. Monte Poggiaccio (1190 m a.s.l.)
8. Passo della Futa (900 m a.s.l.)
9. Monte di Fò (780 m a.s.l.)
10. Monte Gazzaro (1125 m a.s.l.)
11. Passo dell’Osteria Bruciata (820 m a.s.l.)
12. San Piero a Sieve (200 m a.s.l.)
13. Monte Senario (820 m a.s.l.)
14. Poggio il Pratone (700 m a.s.l.)
15. Fiesole (300 m a.s.l.)
16. Firenze (50 m a.s.l.).