bosco di san francesco pilgrimage st francis way

Via di Francesco - St Francis' Way - Southern Way from Roma to Assisi

Stage 10 - From Ceselli to Spoleto

From Ceselli to Spoleto, you walk uphill, passing by the hermitage of Monteluco and through the Holy Forest.

This challenging leg is 17 km long and is one of the most beautiful along the St Francis' Way. From the narrow, green valley of the Nera river, you pass into the sunny Spoletana valley, to reach Spoleto, a city of art with a magnificent cathedral, where the original letter written by St Francis is kept.
From
Ceselli
To
Spoleto
Distance
16,240 Km
Increase in altitude
+ 1.090
Loss of altitude
- 980
Surface
gravel road-tarmac-path
Road Sign
yes (vertical and horizontal yellow-blue signs)
Travel time
7 hours
Water sources
yes (Ceselli, Pontuglia, Monteluco, Spoleto)
Resting areas
yes
Degree of difficulty
 
challenging
You set off from Ceselli and, after having crossed the valley of Pontuglia, a long and challenging climb begins, taking you 8 km to the Castelmonte crossing. In several stretches, the slope is significant and you need to proceed at a slow and constant pace, enjoying the beauty of the woods and the splendid views of the Nera Valley. You go through the alleys of the ghost town of Sensati. Your arrival in the sacred forest of Monteluco, where the hermitage of St Francis is located, is a taste of the joy you will feel upon arrival in Assisi. The place is so fascinating that it deserves a pause for thought and a visit to the convent's rough little cells.
The route is downhill from here to Spoleto. The path is dotted with pretty buildings and numerous hermitages, originally inhabited by Syrian hermits: the hermitages of San Girolamo and Delle Grazie and the church of San Paolo Protoeremita. The descent is steep at times with large steps. At the end, you reach the Ponte delle Torri (Bridge of Towers), which joins the town to its forest and almost gives you a sensation of vertigo when you cross it. Once you have reached the foot of the Rocca Albornoziana, the Cathedral of Spoleto is a only short distance away, with its magnificent façade, in which one of the very rare original letters written by St Francis is kept. The city, already capital of the Lombard Duchy, is worthy of a visit for its rich heritage of art and monuments.
What you should know before departure
Sources 
There are water fountains in Ceselli, Pontuglia, Monteluco e Spoleto. Remember to fill your water bottle with at least 1.5 litres of water in the summer.
Intermediate legs 
There are resting areas where you can stop and take a regenerative break or find accommodation and shorten this leg of the journey. We recommend the Hermitage of Monteluco with its Sacred Forest.
Suggestions
Along the route, the Sacred Forest and the hermitage of Monteluco are definitely not to be missed. A visit to Spoleto deserves a whole day, allowing you to discover its rich heritage of works of art. Inside the Cathedral, there is one of the rare examples of an original letter written by St Francis. We recommend that you have the maps of the trail with you. Simplified maps can be downloaded by clicking on the online map. Remember to always have a small supply of food with you (fruit, dried fruit, chocolate, energy bars, something energy-giving in general).
Information (e.g. how to get there using public transport)
IAT (Tourist Information) Office – Tourist Information
Address: Largo Ferrer, 6 (C.so Mazzini) - 06049 Spoleto (PG)
Phone: 0743 218620/21 - Fax 0743 218641
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Spoleto pilgrimage of Francesco southern way walking

Southern Way - Walking

m the path of south from arrone to ceselli

Stage 9

From Arrone to Ceselli

<< previous stage

m bosco di san francesco pilgrimage st francis way

Stage 10

From Ceselli to Spoleto

m the path of south from spoleto to poreta

Stage 11

From Spoleto to Poreta

stage next >>

Tags: CeselliSpoletoWalkingAll the directionsSouthern WayChallengingCeselliSpoletoCeselliSpoleto

There are different forms of hospitality available to those who are walking

  • cammino di francesco unione europea
  • cammino di francesco repubblica italiana
  • cammino di francesco regione umbria
  • la via di francesco cammini europa
logo-footer.png
© Via di Francesco | SVILUPPUMBRIA | PI 00267120541 | Privacy & Cookie Policy | Credits
Web Agency: Graficherò - Login