Way of St Francis: La Verna to Assisi

Overview

The Camino crowds have never found the Via di Francesco, and that is precisely its gift. You walk out of the beech forest at La Verna — the cliff-hung sanctuary where Francis received the stigmata — and follow ten days of Apennine ridge and oak wood south through Tuscany into Umbria, sleeping in convents and family-run agriturismi. The moment that stays with you: rounding the shoulder of Monte Subasio and seeing Assisi's pink stone spilling down the hillside below, the Basilica glowing in late light. Stages run 15–24km with honest climbs; the variable that catches people out is the heat bouncing off the valleys in July and August — go in May–June or September–October instead. Sansepolcro (Piero della Francesca's Resurrection) and medieval Gubbio break the walking beautifully. Start from Arezzo by bus to La Verna; finish with a night in Assisi and a train out via Perugia. Self-guided with luggage transfer runs about £850–£1,000 for ten days; carry a pilgrim credential for the stamped Testimonium in Assisi.

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Prefilled for 1 October 2026 — the next best-season window. Search on partner sites — opens in a new tab.