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
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 House Tre Esse or similar in Assisi
Day 2: Assisi to Spello | 12-16km
Today, you walk from Assisi to Spello on a beautiful uphill trail 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: 16km, 6h, ↑835m ↓1005m; alternative route (Via degli Ulivi): 12km, 4h, ↑215m ↓354m
- Accommodation: Albergo il Cacciatore or similar in Spello
Day 3: Spello to Foligno | 7-21km
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 vibrant town of Foligno, from where you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. If you feel like walking more, you can do a loop hike from Spello to the charming medieval village of Collepino before continuing to Foligno.
- Walking for the day: 7km, 2h, ↑70m ↓120m; with the extra loop via Collepino: 21km, 5h, ↑546m ↓546m
- Accommodation: Albergo Ristorante Le Mura or similar in Foligno
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 I Mandorli or similar in Bovara di Trevi
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 Borgo della Marmotta or similar in Poreta
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.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 4h ↑448m ↓454m
- Accommodation: Hotel Charleston or similar in Spoleto
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.
Click to view default hotels
- Country House Tre Esse (Assisi)
- Albergo il Cacciatore (Spello)
- Albergo Ristorante Le Mura (Foligno)
- Agriturismo I Mandorli (Bovara di Trevi)
- Agriturismo Borgo della Marmotta (Poreta)
- Hotel Charleston (Spoleto)
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. 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 9.5km 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. 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. For more information, see our blog on the Best time to go to Italy.
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 accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- 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 locally
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entry fees (payable locally)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘Included’ in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Printed documents at the first accommodation
- This tour is dog-friendly, however, an additional fee will be payable locally at each accommodation, which may vary depending on the accommodation and their rates
