St Francis' Way

Through the green heart of Italy, the Way of St Francis traces the steps of the Poverello - the "Little Poor One" - from his conversion in Umbria to the eternal city of Rome. This 550-kilometer path winds through the medieval hill towns and sacred sites where Francis lived, prayed, and transformed the Church.

📜 History & Significance

St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) revolutionized Christian spirituality with his radical embrace of poverty, nature, and joy. The places along this route witnessed his life's great moments - La Verna, where he received the stigmata; the Porziuncola chapel, birthplace of the Franciscan order; and countless hermitages where he sought solitude with God.

The Way of St Francis connects these sacred sites, offering pilgrims an immersion in Franciscan spirituality through landscapes little changed since the 13th century. The route has gained recognition as one of Italy's premier pilgrimage paths, attracting those seeking Francis's particular vision of faith.

🥾 Route Overview

The Via di Francesco runs approximately 550 km from Florence (or alternatively from La Verna) to Rome, typically completed in 25-28 days of walking. The route passes through Umbria, the green heart of Italy, with its characteristic hill towns, olive groves, and oak forests.

From Florence, the path climbs to the sanctuary of La Verna in the Apennines, then descends through Città di Castello and Gubbio to Assisi. The southern section continues through Spoleto, over the Apennines again, past Rieti and the Franciscan sanctuaries of the Rieti Valley, to reach St Peter's Basilica in Rome.

☩ Key Pilgrimage Sites

The Basilica of St Francis in Assisi, with its magnificent Giotto frescoes, stands at the spiritual center of the route. La Verna sanctuary marks the mountain where Francis received the stigmata in 1224. The tiny Porziuncola chapel, now enclosed within the vast Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, remains the heart of Franciscan devotion.

The four sanctuaries of the Rieti Valley - Greccio, Fonte Colombo, La Foresta, and Poggio Bustone - preserve the places where Francis prayed and wrote the Rule of his Order. Each offers a glimpse into the saint's intimate spiritual life.