SloWays • Walking St.Francis Walk, from Città di Castello to Assisi

From Città di Castello, with its jewel-like buildings, to Assisi, the city from which Francesco's story began, the journey is one of beauty and spirituality.

You will discover traces of the passage of the Holy Jester in remote hermitages, chapels and crosses hidden in the middle of the greenery, immersed in the marvelous Umbrian landscape: you will walk along the ancient Franciscan path through shady woods, orchards, olive groves, and fields of barley and wheat, following in Francis' footsteps.

At the end of your journey, Assisi awaits you: a city of peace, rich in spirituality and culture. You can admire the frescoed basilicas, explore the city from an unusual perspective, and immerse yourself in ancient history with a visit to the ancient Assisi Forum.

Fans of gastronomy will also be able to enjoy the flavors of Umbrian cuisine: dishes based on simple ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil and cereals, fresh pasta topped with meat sauces, and typical desserts like torciglione.
Traditionally passed down recipes are infused with new flavors according to the traditions of those who cook them.

Route

Day 1: Città di Castello

Day 2: From Città di Castello to Pietralunga, 15 km

Day 3: From Pietralunga to Mocaiana, transfer to Gubbio, 18 km

Day 4: From Gubbio to Valfabbrica, 23 km

Day 5: From Valfabbrica to Assisi, 13 km

Day 6: Assisi

Day 1: Città di Castello

Your journey begins in Città di Castello, which will surprise you with its many artistic treasures: from the Palazzo del Podestà, overlooking other palaces on Piazza Matteotti, the Cathedral of San Florido, which gathers together a multitude of architectural styles. Do not miss the view of the Umbrian hills from the top of the Civic Tower, before celebrating the first day of your trip with a dish of white truffle, a prized local delicacy.

Day 2: From Città di Castello to Pietralunga, 15 km

The day begins with a transfer to the starting point of the stage: you can choose from two different locations, shortening or lengthening the path accordingly. The route winds through woods and wide gravel roads up to Pietralunga, a village perched on a hill high 566 meters. Here you can wander through the narrow streets of the medieval center, admire the frescoes in the church of Santa Maria and the remains of the ancient Lombard fortress, positioned right in the middle of the square. Finally, enjoy a good home-cooked meal in the farm that will host you for the night.

Distance: 15 km

Elevation gain: +614/-655 m

Day 3: From Pietralunga to Mocaiana, transfer to Gubbio, 18 km

From Pietralunga you will reach Mocaiana with a transfer: from there you will face a scenic route passing through ancient abbeys, once an important reference point for pilgrims: among them, St. Benedict: founded in the tenth century by an hermit monk. You continue on forest roads up to Ponte San Giorgio, where you will be picked up and transported to Gubbio. From Piazza Grande, dominated by the majestic Palazzo dei Consoli, you will enjoy a magnificent view over the old town. You can walk under the high arches of the Cathedral or browse through the pottery workshops throughout the city center but do not miss the well-preserved Roman theater: if you are lucky, you can even watch a show or a concert.

Distance: 18 km

Elevation gain: +547/-712 m

Day 4: From Gubbio to Valfabbrica, 23 km

After a short bus ride to the Castle of Petroia, you regain your way through the Umbrian countryside. The stretch towards Valfabbrica follows the original "Franciscan Path of Peace", a leg walked by Francis himself, and will test you with its many ups and downs. But the effort will be rewarded by the beautiful landscape: you will walk through the valley of the river Chiascio, surrounded by castles and old farms perched on the hills, and if the weather is good you might even see the outline of Mount Subasio.

Distance: 23 km

Elevation gain: +336/-336 m

Day 5: From Valfabbrica to Assisi, 13 km

Today you will continue down the Franciscan path, for the last stage of your journey to Assisi: the path winds through roads and pine forests to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, from where you will face a final climb up to cross Porta San Giacomo, finishing your path in front of the Basilica of San Francesco. Despite the many visitors, Assisi is always pervaded with great peace: experience this sensation with a walk in the forest of Saint Francis (belonging to FAI - Italian Environment Fund), let yourself be guided by a friar to discover the cathedrals, and if you're interested in ancient history go to discover the amazing roman Assisi. To celebrate the end of your trip, enjoy the sweet Rocciata, an Umbrian variant of strudel.

Distance: 13 km

Elevation gain: +578/-498 m

Day 6: Assisi

The services end after breakfast.

accommodation

Nights in a double room in hotels ***, B&B and agriturismi

Hotel Le Mura - Città di Castello

The Hotel Le Mura is near the Città di Castello's walls and rooms have a nice view on the city center. The accomodations are a little dated, but these are comfortable and spacious. These offer TV, air conditioning, free WiFi. The staff is friendly and kind. Breakfast is normal.

hotellemura.it

Hotel La Cerqua - Pietralunga

This Hotel is an agritourism surrounded by calmness, obtained by an ancient benedectine monastery and overlooking Carpina's Valley. The charm accomodations are confortable, quiet with rustic furniture. These have private bathroom, free WiFi, TV, heating. Breakfast is genuine and bio.

www.cerqua.it

Hotel Gattapone - Gubbio

Hotel Gattapone is located in the historic center of Gubbio into a medieval palace on a quiet road. Rooms are elegants, confortable and clean. These are equipped with TV, telephone with direct line, free WiFi. Breakfast is rich with salad and sweet dishes. Staff is friendly and helpful.

www.hotelgattapone.net

B&B Sui Passi di Francesco - Valfabbrica

B&B Sui Passi di Francesco is located right in the centre of Valfabbrica: it is a small and cozy B&B created with walkers of St Francis Way in mind. The atmosphere is welcoming and intimate. The B&B serves dinner, but breakfast is not included. However, being in the town of Valfabbrica there are several places nearby where you can find a good breakfast.

www.suipassidifrancesco.it

Country House Tre Esse - Assisi

Country House Tre Esse is located 400 m from the centre of Assisi with views of the Umbrian countryside. It's surrounded by the green and it offers an external swimming pool. Rooms are confortable and equipped in a simple way with air conditioning/heating, TV, free Wifi. Breakfast buffet is various and rich.

www.countryhousetreesse.com

practical info

You can find more information in the "accommodation" section: we always select your accommodation for their character and comfort. You will always be booked in a private, en-suite room, with breakfast included.

Luggage transfer (max. 20 kg) from one hotel to the hotel is included in the price.

From any airport, you first need to get to the railway station and then to Arezzo by train. From there, you can reach Città di Castello by bus.

For further information about trains, please visit the website www.trenitalia.it.

Thanks to our special APP, you will be able to follow the track of the whole trip on your mobile phone, with no need for internet. GPS tracks are available on request.

Included

What is included

5 Nights in double room in **/*** hotels , B&B and agriturismi with breakfast
luggage transportation from hotel to hotel
2 dinners (Pietralunga and Valfabbrica)
maps and detailed description of the itinerary
Pilgrim Passport
Medical and luggage travel insurance
24h phone assistance

What is not included

Transfers to the starting location and from the arriving location of the tour
lunches and dinners, if not otherwise stated
visits and entrance fees - tips
personal expense
possible sojourn taxes
everything that is not mentioned in the "What is included" section.

Optional Services

These services can be added to the ones included in the base price of the tour:

Single room supplement
cancellation insurance
Transfers to reach the starting location or to leave the arriving location of the tour, which will be quoted on request.

Is this trip for me?

This part of the Path of St. Francis is among the most significant, because it leads to Assisi. Just the arrival in the city through the Forest of St. Francis – arriving directly in front of the Basilica, emerging from an enchanted setting into the heart of the city – would make the entire journey worthwhile. But then there's the serene and wonderful landscape, the enchanting town of Città di Castello, the perched village of Pietralunga, and the beautiful Gubbio, with its marvelous views over the Umbrian valleys.

There are some elevation changes that could be quite challenging for those on their first walking journey or who are not particularly fit; we recommend checking them and evaluating your level of preparation.