St Francis Way in Umbria: from Assisi to Rome - La Via di Francesco

From Assisi, the hometown of St Francis, we set off towards Rome, the heart of Italian Christianity and culture. Today’s final destination is Foligno. Start the walk at the Lower Basilica of St Francis towards the Basilica of Santa Chiara and then leave town through Porta Nuova. Continue along the same street through the new residential areas of Assisi and once you pass the Belvedere del Buon Ladrone you’ll be in the pristine nature of the woods of Mt. Subasio, to your left, and a landscape man embellished with olive trees to your right. The route is relatively flat and features secondary roads without traffic. When you get to the juncture with Via degli Olivi, turn left and pass two votive shrines on your left. A lovely trail with views of the Valley of Assisi begins here, and the route alternates between paved roads and dirt roads until you reach Maestà di Mascione, a shrine full of ex-votos, near a water fountain. Soon after you will enter Spello by the Porta Montanara. The town is well worth a visit for the lovely works of art it is home to. Once done, it’s time to continue to Foligno. The first portion takes you over paved roads used by few cars, but to enter Foligno you need to cross Viale Firenze, where there is always plenty of traffic. Continue onwards and cross the bridge over the Topino river to get to Piazza San Giacomo, where there is a church of the same name dedicated to the saint who protects pilgrims, and then on to Piazza della Repubblica, where a plaque commemorates the place where Francis once sold his father’s fabrics to raise funds for the rebuilding of the Church of San Damiano in Assisi.

From Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis, on a discovery hike to less-known places where some of the most important episodes of Francis’ spiritual life took place. The destination is Foligno. Leave Assisi through Porta Perlici to the Eremo delle Carceri nestled in the woods of Mt. Subasio. Continue along a narrow, rock and dirt trail that winds through the pristine heart of Subasio Regional Park. Silence and sound, light and shade, city and nature, this is one of the most difficult yet beautiful parts of the route. You need to be fit to face the first part, but once you reach the top and look out over the lovely valley below you will be struck by the utter enormity of space, and this pleasant feeling will linger in your mind for the rest of the journey. The walk continues through woods of oak trees along the side of the mountain, you will be delighted and tired all at once. When it begins to slope downwards to the valley you’ll walk through olive groves until you reach Spello, at the southern edge of Subasio. Walk through town and exit through Porta Consolare, one of several Roman landmarks that have been preserved over the centuries. The street that leads to Foligno is paved, and once there you’ll find that the residents are frank and pleasant, happy to welcome you to their city with gracious cordiality.

This stage leads through the places of early Franciscan origins along a mostly flat route. It invites reflection on the relationship between spirituality, agricultural landscape and historic settlements, following the traces of Saint Francis and the first friars. The return from Cannara can be made on foot or by public transport. Leaving Assisi, the route enters the Bosco di San Francesco, a natural area restored and managed by FAI. The passage through the wood represents a first immersion in the Franciscan message of respect for creation and harmony between humans and the environment. Entry to the FAI woodland requires a donation to support conservation activities; alternatively, a public pedestrian route can be followed.

After leaving the wood, the route leads to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which houses the Porziuncola, a central place of Franciscan spirituality. Here Francis understood his vocation, welcomed his first companions and laid the foundations of the Order. Visiting the Basilica and the Porziuncola is an essential step and a moment that allows a deeper understanding of the meaning of the journey.

Continuing on, the route reaches Rivotorto, where the remains of the Tugurio, the dwelling of the first friars, can be found. This place conveys a concrete image of the simple and communal life that characterised the early Franciscan movement. The path then continues across the Umbrian plain, among cultivated fields, canals and rural roads, in an open landscape that encourages a steady and reflective pace.

Arrival in Cannara introduces the walker to a village rooted in the agricultural traditions of the valley, famous for the Onion Festival, with opportunities for rest and refreshments. From here, a short final stretch leads to Piandarca, traditionally associated with the famous Sermon to the Birds. In this open setting, immersed in the valley landscape, one perceives one of the most universal aspects of Francis’s message: the fraternal relationship with all living creatures.

Due to its altimetric characteristics, the stage is easy. The distance of about 25 km invites a slow pace, allowing time for visits and stops along the way. This section of the Via di Francesco combines accessibility, historical value and spiritual meaning, offering a balanced experience between walking, knowledge and landscape. The route can be organised over one or two days. From Cannara it is also possible to return to Assisi by public transport, making the stage easily manageable as a linear itinerary.

The route retraces, in reverse, the final journey of Saint Francis, from Assisi towards the territory of Nocera Umbra, undertaken in the days preceding his death. It follows silent paths, largely shaded by the forests of the Mount Subasio Park, immersed in a landscape that invites slowness, listening, and reflection. Those who choose to continue beyond Nocera Umbra, passing through the Franciscan hermitage of Romita to Bagnara di Nocera Umbra and the Angel’s Cave, are rewarded with the discovery of evocative and authentic places, far from mass tourism routes.

This stage holds strong evocative value, linked to an episode of great importance in the life of the Saint. According to the Franciscan Sources, when the Municipality and the Bishop of Assisi learned of his imminent death, they sent a solemn delegation of knights to Bagnara. Francis was thus escorted on horseback towards his hometown, where he would experience the Transitus.

The route begins in Assisi and, passing the Rocca Minore, gradually leads the walker into increasingly secluded environments, offering wide views over the Tescio Valley. The path provides glimpses of the Rocca of Assisi, as well as vineyards and olive groves shaping the landscape, and allows for a short detour to the Church of Satriano, built in 1926 by the Company of Knights on the site of the former village of Satriano, where Francis and the knights stopped along the way.

Beyond the Termine Pass, one encounters the ruins of the Rocca of Postignano, once the castle of the Counts of Nocera, and the still-inhabited village of Villa Postignano, which depended on the castle and was primarily devoted to agricultural functions.

After passing Villa Postignano, the route reaches Nocera Umbra. Saint Francis passed through this town several times due to its strategic position as a junction along the Via Flaminia towards Fano and as access to a shorter route towards the Marche region. Evidence of his passage remains in one of the city’s medieval gates dedicated to him and in the Church of Saint Francis, now the Municipal Art Gallery.

The journey continues towards Bagnara, crossing places of worship such as the hermitage of Romita. This place, imbued with spirituality, has welcomed Francis’s followers since the earliest times and hosted the Saint himself in the summer of 1226. From here, one can enjoy the silence and peace typical of the places loved by the Saint, along with a splendid view over Nocera Umbra and the Topino Valley, down to Bagnara.

Immediately after the hermitage, the route passes through the medieval village of Le Cese, restored following the 1997 earthquake. From here, a short detour leads to the evocative waterfalls of the Topino River, known as the Cascate de le Ferce. The path descends towards Bagnara, and after about 1 km, the marked trail to the waterfalls begins. Immersed in woodland, it leads to the watercourse and the five cascades formed by the river over time.

From the Cascate de le Ferce, the trail climbs back to the road along the Topino Valley, and following it towards Bagnara, one soon reaches the hamlet. The Franciscan Sources recall how, in the final days of his life, the Saint was brought to Bagnara to find relief from his suffering thanks to the healthy climate and the presence of waters believed to have healing properties. From here, he was reached and taken by the knights, who accompanied him back to Assisi.

After visiting Bagnara, walkers are encouraged to continue to the Cave of Saint Angelo. This ancient mountain sanctuary, set against Mount Pennino, stands beside a natural cave from which a copious spring flows. It was here, in the summer of 1226, that Saint Francis stayed: gravely ill, he was brought here to benefit from the “stilla” shortly before his Transitus.

At the end of the stage, walkers can stop at one of the accommodation facilities in the municipality of Nocera Umbra.

Leave Foligno by the Porta Romana and take the paved road towards the Castello di Sant’Eraclio along the ancient Via Flaminia. Stock up on water in town at the grand Cinquecento fountain. The walk proceeds over a dirt road as the slope gradually becomes steeper, but without posing any sort of difficulty. Continue through olive groves and then follow the paved road that takes you through the small towns of Matigge and Santa Maria in Valle. Along the way, you’ll find that the senior citizens seated at the outdoor tables of the coffee bars become a great way to get to know the locals and their culture, as well as being a good excuse to take a break from walking, get a snack and replenish your water bottle. From the small church of Santa Maria in Valle, take the easy dirt road that also offers wonderful views of the Umbrian Valley. Leave the trail to walk through olive groves and face the ascent that finally leads to the centre of Trevi. It is the day’s final ascent, so take it easy, fall into the slow rhythm of the countryside itself. At the top you’ll find Trevi with all its monasteries and monuments, and in the evening you can reward yourself with tasty dishes seasoned with the DOP olive oil this town is so celebrated for.

The walk from Trevi to the castle at Poreta is suited to everyone, but you need to approach it with a slow and constant pace as there are numerous ups and downs over the hills, and stop now and again for a well-deserved break. It’s all downhill from Trevi to the Monastery of the Madonna delle Lacrime, well worth a visit if it’s open, and then over a paved road that leads to a panoramic trail. You’ll pass through the little town of Alvanischio, then ascend over olive groves set on terraced plots delineated by drywalls, rounded structures that hold up the soil and look almost like vases. In order to grow olive trees on the steepest of slopes, man very wisely crafted one of the most difficult, grandiose and wondrous irrigation systems in the history of agriculture in the Mediterranean. From the water fountain at Camponi, take the paved road first, then get on the dirt road to reach an old monastery. From there go downhill towards the castle of Campello, whose white walls stand out in the landscape. Replenish your water supply at Lenano and then get back on the road lined with heartfelt votive shrines devoted to the Madonna. The road is paved and continues downhill all the way to Poreta, your destination. Use whatever energy you might have left to climb to the top of the castle of Poreta, a part of the next leg of the journey.

The route towards Spoleto begins with a few ascents that should be taken slowly, then it’s all downhill or flat. Start out by going up to the old castle at the top of the hill above Poreta. As you skirt the ancient walls, you’ll reach loc. La Piaggia, where you can slake your thirst at a water fountain next to a votive shrine. A narrow trail leads through the woods to loc. Osteria, a name that would indicate that there was once an inn for travellers here. After a brief walk over flat land, there is an ascent through in shade of lush vegetation. It will take you to Bazzano Superiore, where you can take a break and fill your bottle with fresh water in the cool stand of pine trees in front of the church. From here it is all downhill or flat, starting with a descending trail through the woods. When you get to the castle of Eggi, go to the church of San Giovanni Batista to see the frescoes painted by Lo Spagna.

Then continue along paved roads through the countryside to discover the Basilica di San Salvatore, an exceptional example of artistic heritage from the Lombard period and a UNESCO world heritage property. Your point of arrival for this portion of the journey is Spoleto’s magnificent Piazza del Duomo.

The walk takes you through nature in the Spoleto valley, the Valnerina and the Nera river. It’s a mountainous stretch with plenty of uphill, but well worth it for the peace and spirituality of Monteluco’s Sacred Woods and the numerous peaceful Franciscan hermitages that seem to take the edge off the fatigue. Make sure you bring plenty of water with you. This leg of your journey is one of those you’ll remember forever. Go to the Rocca Albornoziana fortress and, as you walk over its belvedere, you’ll find yourself uttering - like Francis did -Nihil iucundius vidi valle mea spoletana(or “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than the Valley of Spoleto). Cross the Ponte delle Torri bridge, a grand aqueduct that links the city to the Sacred Woods of Monteluco, and then go uphill through a dense wood of ageless oak trees. The Romans named it the Sacred Woods and in the V century AD Monteluco was home to a colony of hermits from Syria. St. Francis spent long periods of time here, and, being one of his favourite places, he also built a monastery here. The place has a soul of its own, one that makes it truly unique, and a stop here is a must. Continue over the trail until you reach the fork at Castel del Monte, the highest point, after which you descend through woods and past hidden hermitages towards the Nera river valley until you get to Ceselli.

This stretch of the route is flat and follows the meandering of the Nera River. Cross the SS 209-Valnerina from Ceselli and then over a bridge to loc. Osteria di Ceselli. From here you head out on a trail through the valley of the Nera River Park. The walk takes you over paths surrounded by steep slopes, cultivated fields, woods and the pleasant gurgling of the Nera. Once you reach loc. Colleponte, stock up on water at the fountain on the main square and then continue on over a dirt road. Once out of the town walk until you see the great bell tower of the San Pietro in Valle abbey on the slope of the mountain on other side of the river. It really is worth a visit, and, if you have enough time, follow the red and white CAI trail markings from Loc. Macenano to get there. Once past the gate, which you should close behind you out of respect for local custom, you’ll come across an old red building, a touch of colour in the intense green of the valley. You’ll pass another water spring and soon reach Arrone, an ancient village founded by the Romans. Its vicinity to the famous Cascate delle Marmore falls have turned this town into an important centre for popular water sports like canoeing and kayaking.

The first part of this walk is easy, but after the Marmore falls the trail goes through woods and there are some ascents. Start out from Arrone along the Nera River past the monastery of St Francis. The Nera river will accompany you much of the way, its cool water making the walking more pleasant on hot summer days. In less than 6 km – all over flat terrain - you’ll reach the spectacular Cascate delle Marmore falls, where you’ll stop to take in the beauty of the landscape and the sound of the rushing water. As you leave the Nera River you’ll begin climbing to the Velino river, which will keep you company as you progress. Without too much trouble you will get to Piediluco Lake and find the town itself, the destination of today’s walk. Slow the pace and let the walk will become a stroll around the lake. Soon you will reach the town. Piediluco and its magical lake are the last stop before you leave Umbria for the Holy Valley of Rieti and then Rome.

This stage is the first of the route variant of the Via di San Francesco towards Rome, which allows entry into the Sacred Valley of Rieti via the Sanctuary of Greccio. The following stages are Terni – Stroncone – Greccio and Greccio – Rieti in Lazio, where the variant rejoins the main route coming from Lake Piediluco and Poggio Bustone.
Leaving Arrone, the route follows the main Via di Francesco. After passing the Convent of San Francesco, it enters the characteristic village of Casteldilago.
The route is flat and runs along the Nera River. Attention is required at the fork where the path splits. To head towards Piediluco, continue uphill gently. To follow the direction towards Terni, pay close attention: near the ticket office of the Marmore Waterfall, follow the signs to the Pennarossa Belvedere (Trail no. 4) and then to San Liberatore. Note: at the time of writing, Trail no. 4 Pennarossa is closed due to a landslide (check the official Marmore Waterfall website for updates).
The recommended route climbs the mountain with a steady ascent, offering a full frontal view of all three drops of the waterfall from two panoramic terraces. Some sections are demanding up to San Liberatore. It is recommended to tackle the climb at a slow pace; the remaining part of the route is easier.
From San Liberatore, a long downhill stretch begins along secondary roads.
After crossing the modern outskirts of Terni, the route reaches the lively and welcoming historic city centre.

From the flat city of Terni you gradually ascend to reach Stroncone. From here the walk continues over verdant fields and through woods to enter Lazio. Make sure your pace yourself early on as you climb upwards, and then enjoy the beautiful views. Leaving the cathedral of Terni behind you head from the historical centre towards the Basilica di San Valentino, where the remains of the patron saint of lovers lie. The walk is a gradual but constant ascent, step by step the city outskirts fade away and then you reach the medieval village of Stroncone, one of the loveliest in all of Italy. St Francis came here in 1213 and a chapel was given to him here. Head towards Greccio over one of the route’s prettiest stretches. Once past the church of the Madonna at Colleponte and the charming chapel of Madonna del Tresto, you will find yourself walking over an old mule trail. Along the way plaques commemorate the journey over this same route made by St. Bernardino from Siena. After a few stretches of paved road you will reach the plains known as the “Prati di Stroncone”, where you can rest and recharge your batteries. The Greccio Sanctuary is 4 km from here, nestled in nature with a brilliant view over the entire Rieti plain. The Greccio Sanctuary in Lazio is one of those special places where you can breathe in the spirituality of St Francis. Stay for a few hours to really enjoy the atmosphere, you deserve it.

Among green meadows and juniper bushes, we reach Morro Reatino, and then continue towards Rivodutri, where the Beech Tree of di San Francesco rises. According to legend, during a heavy storm, Francesco sought shelter under this beech tree, which, by the will of God, bent its branches to protect him from the rain, taking a unique, extraordinary shape. Past the adjacent Chapel of San Francesco al Cepparo, we continue along a dirt road leading to the Franciscan Sanctuary of San Giacomo in Poggio Bustone, where the Saint addressed the locals with the greeting “Good morning, good people”. Let us keep walking up a path in the wood, hosting six small chapels, built around 1650 in memory of Francesco’s miracles, and reach the Sacro Speco. This cave, where he retired in prayer, is now incorporated into a small church embedded in a rock hidden by the woods.