We advise you to set off early in the morning, in order to have enough time to visit the village of Greccio and the Franciscan sanctuary, a place of extraordinary importance in the life of St Francis. The first leg is a long one and you can enjoy a splendid view of the peaks of Terminillo and of the Valle Santa. Departure is from the Cathedral of Rieti, setting off from the medieval old town centre. The route begins on a flat, tarmac road and gradually climbs along a white, dirt road. We advise you to stop at the sanctuary of Fonte Colombo, where you can enjoy the peaceful and spiritual atmosphere of this place.
Here, there is a drawing of a Tau, which might have been created by St Francis of Assisi himself, who deeply loved this symbol. You need to save your energy for the uphill climb at Colle Sant'Elia, the only difficulty along the way. Continuing on, the road crosses the hills along a path featuring slight uphill and downhill stretches, mostly in the shade of great downy oaks, that lead to Contigliano. Pilgrims are welcomed by the old village of Contigliano Alto that overlooks the more recently constructed inhabited village.
The route takes you to the village of Contigliano and continues on through the woods and uphill, alternating between stretches of cart-track and tarmac road, until the majestic abbey of San Pastore emerges. Leaving the valley behind you, you continue to walk towards the Franciscan sanctuary of Greccio, set on the rocky ridge of the mountain. The Sanctuary is famous all over the world for having been chosen by the Poor Man of Assisi as the stage for the first re-enactment of the Bethlehem Nativity in the history of Christianity, which took place on the night of Christmas 1223.