July 6 - 3rd Day Off
Treviso
When you’re in the tunnel, it’s hard to see outside of it. Thankfully, Lisa nudged me to take a day off—and she was right. I was so out of it yesterday that I forgot to do the Wordle before I left, breaking a streak that dated back to before the start of the run!
Last night, Christina found a great Italian restaurant here in Treviso, and the whole city seemed to be out in the piazza next to our hotel, especially with the temperature finally dropping after the storms passed. After dinner, we walked the 600 meters back to the hotel—and had our pick of five gelato shops along the way. That’s Italy.
I got 10 hours of sleep, and still, my legs feel flat. I’m wiped out. I spent the morning in bed recasting the route to Istanbul which took hours. While there are still a few question marks, overall I feel it’s shaping up well.
We’ll be taking the Via Egnatia when I enter Albania, and the more I read, the more fascinating it becomes:
The Via Egnatia: A Road Through Empires
The Via Egnatia was built in the 2nd century BCE by the Romans to connect the Adriatic Sea to Byzantium (now Istanbul), spanning over 1,100 kilometers across modern-day Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. It was the eastern continuation of the Via Appia, linking Rome to its farthest eastern provinces. Some interesting travelers on this storied route include Roman legions marching eastward on it, the Apostle Paul likely walked it as well as Byzantine emperors, Crusaders, Ottoman armies—all passed this way.
Today, remnants of the original stone road are still visible in parts of Albania and northern Greece. For travelers on foot, it offers a rare blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
The modern interpretation of the Via Egnatia has been mapped by various groups (like the Via Egnatia Foundation) to create a walkable version from Durrës on the Adriatic to Istanbul, passing through cities like Elbasan, Ohrid, Bitola, Thessaloniki, Kavala, and eventually to the Turkish border at İpsala all of which we will pass through.
With that comes a major logistical question: crossing into Turkey. The border crossing at Kipoi (Greece) to İpsala (Turkey) only allows motorized traffic. That means I’ll need to get into a car to travel the final few hundred meters. I’ve read that other Via Egnatia walkers often hitch a ride to solve this. There is a pedestrian border at Kastanies ↔ Pazarkule, but it’s a 204 km detour to the north. Not ideal.
Another consideration is Jax. He’s been issued an EU Pet Passport, which allows him to travel freely through the EU—but Turkey isn’t in the EU. Before we left Portugal, he was tested for rabies, and the results (which took four weeks to process) are now part of his record. Before we reach the Turkish border, we’ll need to send his passport back to Monica in Portugal, have the authorities notarize it, and then get it back to us in time. Turkey requires proof of this certification for animal entry. Timing will be everthing for this.
Looking ahead, we’ll cover 1,310 miles over the next 45 days, averaging just under 30 miles per day through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey.
I’m hopeful this day off will help resolve the blisters and the small muscle issues—and reset my mind. The fatigue is real, but either way, it’s showtime. The Final Act begins now!
If anyone has any knowledge about the Turkish border process or the Via Egnatia through Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, or Turkey, please reach out to me.
And thank you, Valerie, for one of the best massages of my life. If you’re passing through Treviso, look her up at Momento Massage.
Thanks for following and for all your support.
Cheers,
David.
