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The Way of Saint Francis: From La Verna to Assisi

Walk one of the world's most inspiring pilgrimages as the Via di Francesco guides you through sacred landscapes and the spiritual heartland of Saint Francis of Assisi.

A Piedi Per Il Mondo

May 25, 20202 min416 wordsUpdated May 26, 2026

#cammino-di-francesco #europa #italia #toscana #umbria

The Way of Saint Francis: From La Verna to Assisi

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The Way of Saint Francis, also known as the Saint Francis Pilgrimage Route, is a pilgrimage that traverses three of Italy's most beautiful and verdant regions: Tuscany, Umbria and Latium.

Unlike more well-known pilgrimages such as the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena, this is not an ancient pilgrimage route consecrated by centuries of tradition and millions of pilgrims. Rather, it was established only recently with the intention of taking those who love to walk through the places dear to Saint Francis—the same places where he renounced all worldly possessions, where he preached, and where his memory remains deeply rooted in the daily lives of local communities.

Two routes lead to the city of Assisi, both passing through important Franciscan sites connected to the Saint's life:

Northern Route, starting from the La Verna Sanctuary and reaching Assisi after 189km;
Southern Route, departing from Rome and arriving in Assisi after approximately 300km.

General Information about the Way of Saint Francis

The Way of Saint Francis, particularly the Northern Route, is 189 km long and stretches from La Verna to Assisi, passing through some of Italy's most beautiful protected areas. La Verna is located in Tuscany at the edge of the Casentino Forests, and the first steps take you directly through the woodlands of this national park, rich in plant and animal biodiversity. These forests accompany the pilgrim and help create an immersive experience that defines this walk—harmony with nature and the creatures that inhabit it.

In the following days, you enter the Alpe della Luna nature reserve, a territory with minimal human impact that has largely retained its wild character: wild boar, roe deer, fallow deer, badgers, wolves and various bird species populate the beech forests of these mountains.

The route continues through the Upper Tiber Valley, a valley also known as the "valley museum" for its rich historical heritage and monuments connected to the ancient Via Romea. Before reaching Assisi, the final territory is the Eugubino region. Here too, mountains dominate the landscape: oak and hornbeam forests alternate with fields and pastures that slope down to the hill where the City of the Poor Man stands.