Following the footsteps of St. Francis
TOUR DETAILS
Assisi is one of the most touristed sites of Italy with of course a lot of good reasons, this itinerary will not only take you in the classic sites of interests but will make you discover places off the beaten path where big coach bus do not go. From Assisi you will walk on the western flank of Mt Subasio through the Sacred Hermitage of the Carceri then continue to the beautiful upper meadows to enjoy the fantastic view of the valleys and then downhill though the olive groves and the Roman foundation town of Spello. On the next day we will cross the Valle Umbra getting to Cannara and then to the hills on the other side of the valley to Collemancio, then the walks will continue on this line of hills down to the valley to Bevagna –to us the quintessential Umbria village- with good food lots of ancient crafts and a medieval soul. The walk will be by now into wine country, the land of Sagrantino wine the most prestigious red wine of the region, we will get then to the hilltop town of Montefalco also known as the “Balcony of Umbria” and then the quiet village of Castel Ritaldi surrounded by olive groves. From the lower hills of the Monti Martani we will then walk to Spoleto the charming medieval town that hosts the “Festival of the 2 Worlds”, Spoleto and its environs deserves to be explored on foot in the end as the Swiss writer Herman Hesse said “Spoleto is the most beautiful discovery that I made in Italy, there is such a wealth of beauty almost unknown, mountains, valleys, oak woods, monasteries and waterfalls!”.
| Duration | 8Days/ 7Nights | |
| Season | March-October | |
| Area | Umbria | |
| The Tour starts in
The Tour ends in |
Assisi (PG)
Spoleto (PG) |
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| Tour Type | Walking tour | |
| Navigation | GPX routes | |
| Ready for Rental
Regions Visited |
GPS units ( batteries not included), walking poles
Umbria, Italy |
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| Distance Traveled
Terrain |
15-27 km/day, daily distance and elevation gain may be revised and subject to change depending on the accommodation availability, weather conditions, paths and roads conditions
Footpaths, gravel road & mule tracks, some asphalt roads |
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| Minimum Age Limit | 18 (Younger Guests Must be Accompanied by Relatives) | |
| Skill Levels Accommodated | Advanced | |
| Self Guided | It means you will be walking on your own, we do provide assistance and support with our local guides or drivers in case of help. | |
| Guest Capacity | 2-14 | |
| Available | Yes | |
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| Accommodations | A mixture of very nice two and three-star hotels/B&Bs, Rifugios and Agriturismo all comfortably located within the historical center. Most of them are family run. Accommodation upgrades are available. | |
| Meals | 7 breakfasts are included. | |
| About Beverages | Not Included | |
| Average Price Per Person
(Rates shown are in Euros. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice.) |
Option A – With Luggage Transfer –,00 € per person in double room occupancy. (minimum two participants) Single supplement: –,00 €GPS Rental Fee: 25 € per unit ( batteries not included – works with 2x AA)Accommodation Upgrade: Available |
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Before you come on the holiday we recommend you to subscribe an adequate travel insurance, which must include cover for baggage, medical expenses and the cost of repatriation should you become too ill to continue, including helicopter rescue and air ambulance. |
Map currently being updated …
Day 1: BENVENUTI! Arrival at Assisi
Today you will be met in the hotel by our representative that will introduce you to the itinerary.
Special Event of the Day: The visit to the monumental are of the town where imposing churches and palazzo are.
Day 2: Assisi – Spello 15.1km +679m
Highlights of the Day: Views of the Valle Umbra from the Mt Subasio, the charming old village of Spello
Walk Details: The level is moderate –from the upper gate of Assisi take the path that leads to the Hermitage of Le Carceri (3km) through a conifer wood, save some time to explore this wonderful place then continue with another path to the area above the tree lines where the mountain meadows are. From the Sasso Tondo overlooking point there is wonderful view of the valley where you can see from Perugia to Spoleto. The path stays level for other 4 km then gradually descends down to the town of Spello.
Day 3: Spello – Cannara – Collemancio 19.6 km +323m
Highlights of the Day: Views of the countryside.
Walk Details: The level is easy- moderate – from the pink limestone village of Spello we will walk in the plains of the Valle Umbra passing wheat fields and corn fields and orchards, after Cannara we will gradually climb uo to the hilltops of the western side of the valley where the ancient Roman dwelling of Urvinum Hortense near to Collemancio.
Day 4 : Collemancio – Bevagna 18.4km +436m (+ shorter walk)
Highlights of the Day: hilltop views, the historic centre of Bevagna.
Walk Details: Moderate. From the hilltop of Collemancio we will cross some olive grove areas for 3 km and then get into the evergreen oak forests covering the hilltops for 9km circa then we will gradually descend down the valley to the beautiful town of Bevagna still surrounded by its town walls and the remains of the moat. Bevagna is a great place to get lost and visit the many “Gaite” (medieval workshops) in the town.
Day 5: Bevagna – Montefalco 11.4km +419m (+longer route available)
Highlights of the Day: the wine country the “Balcony of Umbria”, the Benozzo Gozzoli works in San Francesco.
Walk Details: Easy – moderate. Exit the town crossing the brodge on the Timia river and take country roads that call several wine estates such as Milziade Antano and Arnaldo Caprai then some gravel roads to get up to the town of Montefalco and the longer option has even more Sagrantino wine estates listed.
Day 6: Montefalco – Castel Ritaldi 16.7km +281m
Highlights of the Day: the quiet village of Castel Ritaldi
Walk Details: Easy. Start descending the Montefalco hill going south through the wine estates then enter some farmland areas where there is a predominancy of wheat and corn from 7 km start ascending and enter an area of Olive groves, pass the picturesque hamlet of Colle del Marchese (10.6km) then descend down to the valley then at 13.4 start a steep climb to the last hill of less than a km and once at the top descend to Castel Ritaldi.
Day 7: Castel Ritaldi – Spoleto 19km +328m
Highlights of the Day: the imposing town of Spoleto, the walk up to the Albornoz Castle and the towers’ bridge.
Walk Details: Moderate walk – hilly terrain, 3 hills to cross including the last one to Spoleto, today we will start walking up the hill surrounded by olive groves then descending a Maroggia tributary valley close to Terzo la Pieve Basso (4km) then climbing the second hill following its ridge to then descend on the other side and get to San Venanzo (14 km) where we will meet the bicycle path along the valley that will take us to the historic center of Spoleto. The town boasts wonderful Churches and squares and it is really worthwhile to dedicate some time to explore it on foot.
Day 8: Spoleto. Ciao Ciao!
End of tour after breakfast. From the railway station there are trains available to reach Rome or Firenze.
Package Includes
7 Nights in Excellent Two and Three-Star Hotels/B&Bs (Double Room with Private Bath)
7 Breakfasts
Route Notes and Itineraries, Sightseeing Opportunities, Restaurant and Shopping Suggestions
Luggage transfer
Notes
This is a self-guided tour that offers total freedom of dates – you can choose whatever dates you wish. Small parties of two persons up to large groups can be accommodated.
This tour is not necessarily corresponding 100% with the Franciscan pilgrimage route, it is revised and we think we made it better way for walkers, the reality is that Francis has followed various routes in his journeys.
