St Francis Way in Umbria from Assisi to Rome – Stage 17 – from Assisi to Foligno - 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.