Overview
Walk through Umbria, Italy’s green heart, from the birthplace of St Francis, Assisi, perched on Mount Subasio, to the beautiful hilltop town of Spoleto. The historical path from Assisi to Spoleto takes you in the footsteps of St. Francis, through magnificent countryside, forests, fields, vineyards and olive groves, with always a medieval town on a hill in sight: the villages you visit on the way have preserved their own identity, and you will feel like the time has stood still for centuries. Last but not least, this part of Italy is world-known for its exquisite cuisine and fine wines.
- The ancient towns of Umbria: Assisi, Spello and Spoleto
- Picturesque, quiet and authentic medieval villages
- Spectacular landscapes and countryside
- Delicious cheeses, salami and wines served by the friendly locals all along the way
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Assisi
Depending on the time of your arrival, you have the opportunity to stroll the streets of Assisi with its many outstanding churches, palaces and ancient buildings: the Basilica of St. Francis with the crypt, the Church of Santa Chiara, the Cathedral of San Rufino and the Minerva Temple dated to the Roman period.
- Accommodation: country inn in Assisi (Country House Tre Esse or similar)
Day 2: Assisi to Spello | 14.5km
Today you walk from Assisi to Spello: a beautiful uphill trail leads through the slopes of Monte Subasio to the astonishing hermitage called Eremo delle Carceri. You can optionally take a taxi to avoid part of the climb to the Eremo delle Carceri. This magnificent monastery was one of the places where Francis regularly retreated for prayer. The trail continues through an oak forest to the 9th-century abbey of San Benedetto. A long descent takes you down to the medieval fortified town of Spello.
- Walking for the day: 14.5km, 5h, ↑808m ↓980m
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Spello (Albergo il Cacciatore or similar)
Day 3: Spello to Vegnole | 10km
Before starting today’s hike, you have time to walk around the beautiful, pink-stoned medieval town of Spello. Then a leisurely walk through olive groves and vineyards takes you to the small village of Scanzano, where you can stop for a drink before you continue to the hilltop agriturismo where you stay for the night and from where you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding Apennines and their valleys.
- Accommodation: Agriturismo in Colle San Lorenzo (Le Vigne Agriturismo or similar)
- Walking for the day: 10km, 4h, ↑371m ↓233m
Day 4: Uppello to Bovara di Trevi | 14km
A short car transfer takes you to Uppello, where your walk begins. After a steep climb, you pass the 11th-century Rocca di Scandolaro castle continuing along oak forests and olive groves to Trevi, another remarkable town well worth visiting. Walking along a medieval aqueduct, you finally reach Bovara di Trevi, where you spend the night in an agriturismo with a swimming pool.
- Walking for the day: 14km, 5h, ↑593m ↓580m
- Accommodation: Agriturismo in Bovara di Trevi (Agriturismo I Mandorli or similar)
Day 5: Bovara di Trevi to Poreta | 12km
From Bovara di Trevi to Campello Alto, you get on the official Via Francescana, the original path walked by St. Francis, with beautiful views of the valley of Spoleto. On your way, you can see the majestic high walls of the convent of Pissignano and the convent Padri Barnabiti in Campello. After passing Lenano, you will reach the tiny, medieval village of Poreta, overarched by its castle, reachable on a short walk from the village.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 4h, ↑460m ↓540m
- Accommodation: Agriturismo in Poreta (Agriturismo Borgo della Marmotta or similar)
Day 6: Poreta to Spoleto | 13km
Today’s walk starts on a narrow trail leading to the hamlet of Santa Maria di Reggiano, an old monastery containing beautiful 12th- and 14th-century frescos. Passing by the hamlet of Eggi and following the old dismantled railway line, you reach Spoleto, or you can make a detour for a longer but spectacular entry into the city, passing high above the Tessino stream on the medieval aqueduct that bridges the valley from where enjoy superb views of the city and its surroundings.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Spoleto (Hotel Charleston or similar)
- Walking for the day: 13km, 4h ↑448m ↓454m
Day 7: Departure
Departure on your own or extension upon request.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation during the trip is in comfortable hotels and agriturismi* (farmhouses). All places have been carefully hand-picked by us, and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour. Some accommodations have a swimming pool. Note that Agriturismo Le Vigne is closed on Sundays and is difficult to confirm from mid-July until the end of August. In such cases, and if you can’t change your dates, we will arrange 2 overnights in Bovara di Trevi with additional transfers with a supplement. You will also lose the dinner in Le Vigne.
Click to view default hotels
- Country House Tre Esse (Assisi)
- Albergo il Cacciatore (Spello)
- Le Vigne Agriturismo (Colle San Lorenzo)
- Agriturismo I Mandorli (Bovara di Trevi)
- Agriturismo Borgo della Marmotta (Poreta)
- Hotel Charleston (Spoleto)
*What is an agriturismo? A combination of the words for “agriculture” and “tourism” in Italian — It is a farm-stay, but it’s also much, much more. Typically, an agriturismo is an independently-owned farm that the owners have decided to use partially for accommodation purposes, in a way similar to English or American bed and breakfasts. One of the best parts of staying in a traditional agriturismo? The food. An Italian agriturismo will usually serve guests food that was prepared from raw materials – vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, and often wine and olive oil – produced on the farm or from other local merchants.
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
A good continental breakfast is served each morning, and dinner is included on day 3. For the rest of the tour, there are plenty of opportunities for you to taste both the outstanding local cuisine and a wide range of prestigious regional wines.
Difficulty and terrain
The length of the walks varies from 9,5 to 18km. The biggest ascent is 910m on the first walk, but you can avoid it with a taxi transfer. You will cross several hamlets and some larger villages where access roads have been asphalted. We have tried to avoid as much asphalt as possible. Some walks are on white roads (Strada Bianca). For the greater part, the walks are on well-marked trails, old donkey paths and dirt roads; no technical skills are required. A basic fitness level is required for enjoying the walks to the maximum (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
You can start your holiday every day between the beginning of April and the end of October; blackout dates are 3 – 24 August. We advise that if you choose to walk in July, you begin the walks very early in the morning to avoid the midday heat. Availability in Spoleto can be challenging around the Festival of Spoleto, which is held each year around the first 2 weeks of July. There may also be a supplement to pay if you wish to go during this time
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airports for this holiday are Rome Fiumicino, Perugia, Florence and Pisa. Other Italian airports are also well-connected to the area.
By train or bus
All the recommended airports have regular train connections to Assisi and back from Spoleto. Since Assisi Train Station is located about 3km from central Assisi, you will need to take either a bus or taxi to get to town. Please check the Trenitalia website for up-to-date train schedules or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights in 3-star hotels and agriturismi
- 6 breakfasts
- 1 dinner on Day 3
- Luggage transfer on all walking days (only 1 piece per person up to 15kg; there is a supplement for each additional bag)
- Transfer on Day 4 to Upello
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site (from 2024)
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and 5 dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘Included’ in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- Supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room / single use of a double room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
- Supplement when 2 nights in Bovara di Trevi with additionals transfers need to be arranged due to lack of availability in Le Vigne
- Printed documents at the first accommodation
Gallery
