THE WAY OF FRANCESCO – NORTHERN WAY

The way of Francesco is a very suggestive, naturalistic and spiritual itinerary that crosses Umbria, touching the most beautiful cities of the region, but above all the most important and significant Franciscan places. To live the way of Francis we propose two holiday opportunities, always with a final destination Assisi: the Via del Nord and the Via del Sud. The Via del Nord starts from the sanctuary of La Verna, in Tuscany, then crosses Sansepolcro, enters Umbria and goes through Città di Castello, Pietralunga and Gubbio before reaching the Sacro Convento di Assisi. A wild and challenging itinerary, which will make you discover little known places and roads, but that requires a good level of training to overcome some difficult climbs.

The itinerary starts in Tuscany, from the Sanctuary of La Verna, and enters in Umbria after passing Sansepolcro. It traces the path of Francis on foot for many kilometers, touching villages and Franciscan places of great beauty, such as Citerna, Città di Castello, Pieve de’ Saddi, Pietralunga, Gubbio, before reaching Assisi. The route is mostly developed on secondary roads, with very little traffic, to which are added some sections of bike path and short stretches of well-kept dirt road, therefore ideal to be faced with hybrid bikes. If you want, with one more day of travel, you can also enter the variant with passage to Perugia. The route follows in the footsteps of Francesco and is rather challenging. The planned stages, in fact, are not long, but almost every day you will have to face at least one or two climbs, even demanding. The advice, therefore, is to be prepared and with a good level of fitness to avoid finding yourself in difficulty during the holiday. The suggestions, the charm and the beauty of the touched places will repay you for the effort done, we are sure of it.