1st ROUTE: Assisi – Valfabbrica (13 km)

The St. Francis Trail begins at St. James Gate on the northeast side of Assisi, descending toward the Tescio stream. After a few minutes’ walk, at the bottom of the descent, the 13th-century Church of Santa Croce, nestled in the Bosco di San Francesco, and the Galli Bridge are on the left. The road proceeds on asphalt, arriving at the statue of Padre Pio, where it bends right up a road that quickly changes from paved to dirt. The first splendid views greet the walker on the false plane, from which the view can sweep over Assisi, as you continue to the right and then take the right again at an intersection.
We continue walking, crossing the stream at a grove full of rivulets and ponds where benches and tables are placed. Now the road climbs decisively up a barren, rocky-sided coast to the ridge of the hill, on a paved road connecting Assisi to Pieve San Nicolò and called the Franciscan road. At the Pieve cemetery the path takes a left, while the paved road proceeds straight after 500 m to the church of Pieve San Nicolò. Leaving the cemetery, we descend to the right on a saddle with a view of the town of Valfabbrica and Mount Catria and Mount Cucco in the background, while on the left we take a last look at Assisi.

The Trail of St. Francis continues to descend, entering a grove, and then reappears flanking a ditch, known as Fosso delle Lupe: here Francis suffered an attack by a group of thieves. The ditch then flows onto a cartroad that crosses it and intersects with the paved road from Pieve San Nicolò to Valfabbrica. You take it to the left and thus reach the stage’s end point: Piazza Mazzini, with a circular fountain in the center flanked by an ancient crenellated tower.

Length: 13 km
Height difference in ascent: 541 m
Height difference on descent: 656 m
Highest point: 563 m
Lowest point: 268 m

Municipality of departure: Assisi
Starting location: Assisi
Municipality of arrival: Valfabbrica
Place of arrival: Valfabbrica

Recommended period: April to October

Small villages, humble churches, medieval castles and wide landscapes: these are those places inUmbria that are part of a larger story and an itinerary that is a path for the body but also for the spirit.
It was the winter between 1206 and 1207 when Sam Francis decided to move away from Assisi, where he was accused by his father of dissipating his possessions in order to give them to the poor, while dressing in rags he ridiculed the family’s good name. The Franciscan Trail retraces for nearly 50 km the route taken by the saint to Gubbio, where he took refuge with a friendly family, and later repeated countless times when he and his friars from Assisi, passing through Gubbio, went to or returned from La Verna.

Credits: Cai Gubbio