Discover the heart of the Way of St. Francis on a two week pilgrimage with us next year. Designed as an introduction to this beautiful and spiritual pathway, we begin at La Verna, the dramatic sanctuary where St. Francis is said to have received the stigmata in 1224. We wind our way southwards through Tuscany to Umbria, in the upper Tiber River, staying in historic towns and monasteries.
Drink in the history of the Franciscan legends, such as the Wolf of Gubbio and the Brother Robbers at Montecasale. As we pass through olive groves and fields of wild poppies, we’ll visit ancient and beautiful churches with historic frescoes. We finish at Assisi, the birthplace and final resting place of the world’s most beloved saint.
Led along with my wife Jane, this pilgrimage on foot is fully supported with daily luggage transfer and an Italian hiking guide. Experienced pilgrims, we have walked jointly over 2,000 miles in the past seven years over multiple pilgrimage paths of Europe. Among them all, however, the Way of St. Francis has become our favorite, and we have walked all or parts of it six times. The tentative dates are May 10-23 though there is an outside possibility of or late October 2026. The tour is 13 nights, with dinners and breakfasts included, with stays in hotels, monasteries and guest houses. We pick up bag lunches as needed. Group transfers are provided from Florence.
Tentative Schedule:
Day 1: We meet in Florence for orientation and dinner the night before we begin. Arrive in Florence a few days early if you want to explore the city.
Day 2: Transport to La Verna. Walk the hills above La Verna and explore the mystical beechwood below. Stay and have dinner in the historic Foresta, the guest house of the monastery.
Day 3: La Verna to Caprese Michelangelo, the birthplace of the legendary artist, 15 km. This is a beautiful day of walking as we climb to high meadows and then descend into the upper Tiber Valley.
Day 4: La Verna to Sansepolcro 6 km. Transport to La Montagne, where we walk to Montecasale. We visit and then walk to two of the most dramatic and scenic Sanctuaries in the Upper Tiber Valley. Montecasale still is a Franciscan convent associated with two legends of St. Francis. Sansepolcro is a delightful town, the last in Tuscany before we head into Umbria.
Day 5: Sansepolcro to Citerna 12 km. This is an easy day along the valley floor of the Tiber River. Citerna has a church with an historic, early sculpture by the famous artist Donatelli. We will transport from Citerna to Città di Castello for the night.
Day 6: Citerna to Città di Castello 20km. Transport back to Citerna. An option for transport in Lerchi or at Eremo Buon Riposo can shorten the day. A delightful day of walking, ending in an historic, walled medieval city which is worth exploring. (Dinner on your own)
Day 7: Transport to Candeggio, then walk to Pietralunga 15 km. This is a walk through undulating hills, as we leave the Upper Tiber Valley. We stop for a picnic lunch at Pieve di Saddi, a restored 6th century church, now open as a simple pilgrim hostel. Originally founded by the Lombards, Pietralunga is famous for its truffles.
Day 8: Pietralunga to Gubbio, with a transfer option after Loretto 16 km or walk all the way to Gubbio, 26 km. Another day of spectacular vistas.
Day 9: Rest day in Gubbio (dinner on your own). Explore the dramatic and medieval town of Gubbio. Take the funicular to the top of the mountain and get a view of the valley, including Assisi and Mt. Subasio in the distance. Visit the church which housed the burial remains of the famous Wolf of Gubbio, tamed by St. Francis.
Day 10: Gubbio to San Pietro in Vigneto, then transfer to our overnight stay in the old castle in Giomici. 16km. Enjoy views back to Gubbio as we walk today, ending at an ancient monastery/hostel which was in existence in the time of St. Francis.
Day 11: Transfer back to Piscina, to walk to Valfabbrica 20 km. Assisi gets closer as we head up and down over hills and cross streams and make our way above the Chiascio river, to the Gnomic again.
Day 12: Valfabbrica to Assisi 13 km. After a short transfer to Valfabbrica, we climb out of the Chiascio valley and head uphill towards Assisi. Halfway we glimpse our first sight of the famous Basilica of St. Francis. We make our way into the city through a small forest conserve along a path that takes us directly to the Basilica.
Day 13: Tour the wonderful and historic medieval city of Assisi, where time seems to have stood still. Farewell dinner together.
Day 14: Depart Assisi or stay for your own exploration
Total distance walking: 133km.
The tour will include 13 nights at hotels, with breakfast included, 11 dinners and 8 box lunches, and luggage transport daily. Group transfer from Florence and other transfers as indicated in the itinerary, are included in the price, which is in this brochure.
If you are interested, please contact us through the form below:
Russ Eanes 
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