This part of the Way of St Francis extends across the woods between Assisi and Gubbio, enchanted places only lightly caressed by the passing of time. In these places everything is suffused with a sense of the ancient and every nook and cranny hides something exceptional. From Gubbio we will follow a path that retraces one of the most important pilgrimages of St Francis, reputedly full of interesting incidents and events. We will take in the castles, churches and hermitages that are dotted along the route, sometimes walking in woods with open stretches or with panoramic views across the Apennines. After passing the mountains of Valfabbrica and sites crossed by the Chiascio river, we will reach the splendid city of Assisi, the enormous bulk of Mount Subasio guiding us on this extraordinary journey.

The route in general is suitable for anyone with an aptitude for hiking:

FIRST STAGE

The departure point will be the splendid town of Gubbio. After a brief tour of the most emblematic monuments, we will set off on our adventure. The first stage is about 13 km long with and a change in altitude of +320/-230 metres. We will start on a flat dirt road, just outside Gubbio, and then begin to climb through the woods and immerse ourselves immediately in the main path. Lunch will be a packed lunch along the way. This first stage, constantly surrounded by lush nature, will end at a splendid farm stay, equipped with all necessary mod cons, where we can have dinner and spend the night.

SECOND STAGE

We’ll be getting up early on this day! This stage is about 25 km in length, with a change in altitude of +720/-1030 metres. After a nice hearty breakfast to recharge our batteries, we will set off to tackle this quite demanding second stage. The vegetation will be dense but at times it will open up to reveal beautiful views of the valleys. At about 12.30 pm we will stop at a farmhouse along the way for lunch, tasting the typical dishes of these hillside communities. We will then set off again in the direction of Valfabbrica, where our farm stay will await us with its comfortable rooms. We will be accompanied to a restaurant for dinner in a small, characteristic village not far away, and then return to the farm.

THIRD STAGE

First breakfast, then off we go. This stage is about 14 km long, with a change in altitude of +620/-550 metres. At this point Mount Subasio will be right in front of us. All we have to do is reach it, via a series of paths that will lead us up to the last hill to climb. After a first break with a packed lunch, we will resume the hike by walking right up behind Assisi, the city of St Francis. We will walk through it until we reach the historic centre where we will enjoy a short tour and end our excursion.