I departed Pontremoli an hour later (at 6:30 a.m.) than I would have preferred. Ignatio wanted to leave a bit later than my normal time and I agreed thinking I would be able to grab a brioche and macchiato at that later hour (my B&B host provided a breakfast voucher to a spot in the main piazza and said it opened at 6:00 a.m.). Unfortunately, the later time didn’t deliver any coffee or brioche as nothing was open at 6:30 a.m., including the place referenced by my host (it opened at 8:00 a.m.). So, my day started later and was expecting very little in the way of “services” all day. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day and we were expecting a long, tough day of hiking.

Around 8:15 a.m., Ignatio decides we’ve waited long enough for a coffee (& cigarette) and approaches me with an off the trail option for a cafe’ (we’d agreed to hit the next town with a cafe’/bar, Filetto, around 10:45). Good with me. I follow him not far (5 minutes) down a highway and we strike pay dirt – coffee. After our coffees and snacks, we’re back on the trail by 8:45. Just after 9:00 a.m., we roll into Filattiera and enjoy visiting Santo Stefano Romanesque Parish Church which is a place of significant architectural interest in this region due to its well restored Romanesque architecture. Based upon archaeological findings here, it is believed a structure was in place here in the 4th-1st millennium B.C.

The remainder of the day is spent negotiating gravel, asphalt and dirt roads as we continue to benefit from the views coming down from the peaks of the Apennine mountains. We arrive in Aulla around 4:30 p.m. to find a relatively modern city with less character than many of the villages and towns we’ve been traveling through (not very picturesque, thus no photos).