Welcome to the land of the"chequered sea": every year from March to May the flooded rice fields create a unique scenery, with the water reflecting the Alps on clear days.
But no matter the time of the year, there is always something to be in awe of: Herons and Egrets are your travel companions as you walk along irrigation channels and between the banks of rivers Sesia and Ticino.
Your destination is Pavia, a gem of a Francigena city: historic yet contemporary, with a rare cultural riches and a lively soul - the city is also home to an important university, and students swarm the squares and cobbled streets of the old town centre.