Via di Francesco - Santuario della Verna to Assisi

This section of the Via di Francesco carries pilgrims from the forested sanctuary of La Verna, where St. Francis received the stigmata, to the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, where his earthly journey came to rest. It is a route of prayerful walking, medieval towns, mountain ridges, and fertile valleys — a deep encounter with Franciscan landscapes and living traditions.

Leaving La Verna, the path descends into the Tiber valley, passing through quiet woods, family farms, and the ancient towns of Pieve Santo Stefano, La Montagna, and Sansepolcro, birthplace of Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca. From there, the hills roll gently into Umbria, the “green heart of Italy,” where stone villages, narrow streets, and friendly piazzas welcome pilgrims each afternoon.

The walk continues to Citerna and Città di Castello, with shorter days early on and longer challenges later, such as the mountain crossing to Pietralunga and the broad valley walk to Gubbio. Here Francis famously tamed the wolf, a story honored by statues and churches throughout the medieval town. After a rest day in Gubbio, pilgrims climb toward the hill ridges of Valdichiascio and Valfabbrica, the final steps before Assisi.

The approach to Assisi is one of the most moving moments on the route: the Basilica appearing above olive groves and stone houses, bells echoing from the hillside. Pilgrims enter the town’s medieval gate, walk its steep cobbles, and visit the tomb of St. Francis in the Lower Basilica — a powerful end to a sacred road.

Pilgrim Paths arranges overnight stays from La Verna to Assisi and supplies Sandy Brown’s e-guidebook plus access to the Pilgrim Paths Navigo app with curated GPS tracks. Walk at your own rhythm, collect stamps, and experience the heart of Franciscan Italy, step by step.