Overview

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! THE DATES ARE SET, AND THIS IS A PRELIMINARY POSTING WHILE WE CALCULATE TRIP PRICING.

We’ve designed four connected pilgrimage tours on the Via di Francesco, allowing you to walk a single section or link them together for a continuous journey from Florence through Assisi to Rome, following Francis’s footsteps. This is the third of those four itineraries.

Begin your Franciscan journey in Assisi, the saint’s birthplace, and walk south through Umbria’s gentle hills, serene valleys, and timeless villages until you reach the sacred landscape of the Rieti Valley. This eight-day pilgrimage (plus arrival day) offers an immersive encounter with nature, history, and spiritual reflection, in landscapes that shaped Francis’s life and mission.

From Assisi you pass through Spello, Trevi, Spoleto, and the upper Nera valley, gradually entering the Valle Santa around Piediluco and Poggio Bustone, before arriving in Rieti. Along the way you will walk paths lined with olive groves and oak forests, encounter medieval hilltowns and quiet sanctuaries, and experience the presence of history — Francis’s hermitages, monasteries, and the sacred shrines of his life. By combining the Macenano → Piediluco section into a single stage for 2026, we preserve flow and continuity while maintaining manageable distances and meaningful stops.

Daily support includes luggage transfers, guide accompaniment, local meals, and evening reflections. Each day will bring new vistas and renewed connection to the spirit of pilgrimage. Travelers come not only for the walk, but for the pause between footsteps — the silence, companionship, and deepening awareness of place. Whether you wish to begin in Assisi and end in Rieti, or continue toward Rome, this journey offers both a pilgrimage and a living meditation in the lands that inspired one of Christianity’s most beloved saints.

Map of the route

Daily Itinerary

Friday, May 29, 2026 - Gather in Assisi
Friday, May 29, 2026 - Gather in Assisi

Description

Arrive in magical Assisi. Settle into your hotel, meet your guide and fellow pilgrims, and enjoy orientation and a group dinner. Tonight you’ll rest in the city of St. Francis before beginning our journey.

distance: 0 km

ascent: 0 m

descent: 0 m

% hard surfaces: 0

difficulty rating: 0


Saturday, May 30, 2026 - Assisi to Spello
Saturday, May 30, 2026 - Assisi to Spello

Description

We ascend toward Monte Subasio, savouring sweeping views over the Spoleto valley, before descending toward Spello, a town of medieval walls, floral balconies, and 37 ancient churches—its charm offering rich reward after the climb.

distance: 14.6 km

ascent: 716 m

descent: 867 m

% hard surfaces: 24

difficulty rating: 8


Sunday, May 31, 2026 - Spello to Trevi
Sunday, May 31, 2026 - Spello to Trevi

Description

From Spello we pass through Foligno, where Francis once sold his father’s cloth, then onward via quiet country lanes to Trevi. This hilltown’s ancient streets and panoramic views welcome us in contemplative solitude.

distance: 19.1 km

ascent: 329 m

descent: 190 m

% hard surfaces: 82

difficulty rating: 7


Monday, June 1, 2026 - Trevi to Spoleto (Poreta)
Monday, June 1, 2026 - Trevi to Spoleto (Poreta)

Description

Leaving Trevi behind, we walk along wooded slopes dotted with convents and old castles, crossing ridgelines and descending toward Spoleto. In Spoleto we’ll explore the Duomo, including Francis’s handwritten letter kept there.

distance: 11.7 km

ascent: 382 m

descent: 446 m

% hard surfaces: 42

difficulty rating: 8


Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Spoleto to Macenano
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Spoleto to Macenano

Description

We depart Spoleto for Monteluco, pausing at its Franciscan convent, then descend into the gorge that leads into the Nera Valley. We overnight at a restored 10th-century monastery overlooking the Valnerina.

distance: 19.5 km

ascent: 656 m

descent: 799 m

% hard surfaces: 29

difficulty rating: 9


Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Macenano to Piediluco
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Macenano to Piediluco

Description

From Macenano we follow the Nera Valley past stone villages and shaded riverside paths. The day’s highlight is the Marmore Falls, the world’s tallest man-made waterfall, created by the Romans. We end at the lakeside town of Piediluco, where Francis once preached.

distance: 24 km

ascent: 338 m

descent: 218 m

% hard surfaces: 36

difficulty rating: 7


Thursday, June 5, 2026 - Piediluco to Poggio Bustone
Thursday, June 5, 2026 - Piediluco to Poggio Bustone

Description

Leaving the shores of Lake Piediluco, the trail climbs past the site of the ancient beech tree said to have sheltered Francis, then descends toward Poggio Bustone. We visit the cave of his visions and the Sanctuary of San Giacomo.

distance: 20.9 km

ascent: 879 m

descent: 517 m

% hard surfaces: 63

difficulty rating: 9


Friday, June 6, 2026 - Poggio Bustone to Rieti
Friday, June 6, 2026 - Poggio Bustone to Rieti

Description

Today’s walk takes us through forested paths to Cantalice and the Sanctuary of La Foresta, before arriving in Rieti, the heart of the “Holy Valley,” where the pilgrimage culminates in a place of deep spiritual resonance.

distance: 16.9 km

ascent: 285 m

descent: 626 m

% hard surfaces: 70

difficulty rating: 7


Saturday, June 6, 2026 - Depart Rieti, Remain to tour, or have a rest day before heading to Rome
Saturday, June 6, 2026 - Depart Rieti, Remain to tour, or have a rest day before heading to Rome

Description

After breakfast in Rieti, your pilgrimage may conclude here, or you may choose to continue onward toward Rome along Francis’s path. If staying, enjoy the underground Salt Road tour or local sanctuaries with an optional extension.

distance: 0 km

ascent: 0 m

descent: 0 m

% hard surfaces: 0

difficulty rating: 0

What we provide

  • Expert European hiking guide
  • All (8) overnight accommodations
  • All breakfasts and dinners
  • Complete van and driver service
  • Baggage transfer each day
  • E-guidebook by Pilgrim Path's own Sandy Brown
  • Official Via di Francesco credential
  • Private rooms with private baths

What you provide

  • Transportation to and from the journey
  • Lunches and snacks each day
  • Gratuity for your guide and driver (€5-10 per day for each)
  • Adequate gear and fitness for walking 12-25km/day

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