The Way of St. Francis to Assisi is one of Italy’s most moving walking journeys, a pilgrimage through the green heart of Umbria toward one of the most beloved spiritual towns in Europe.
This is a walk of quiet beauty. The trail leads through river valleys, olive groves, medieval hill towns, stone villages and mountain paths, with each day revealing another layer of Umbria’s landscape and history. We begin near Terni and gradually make our way north, passing places shaped by Roman engineering, monastic life, rural traditions, local food and the enduring presence of Saint Francis.
Along the way, the journey is as much cultural as it is spiritual. We walk beside waterfalls and ancient canals, cross the wooded hills around Spoleto, visit olive oil farms, enter towns such as Trevi and Spello, and follow paths that lead us closer each day to Assisi. These are places where art, architecture, agriculture and faith have grown together for centuries.
Saint Francis remains at the heart of this route, not only as a religious figure, but as a man of simplicity, poetry, courage and deep love for creation. Walking toward Assisi gives time to understand his world slowly, through the landscapes that shaped him and the traditions that still carry his memory.
Our final arrival in Assisi is unforgettable. After days on foot, the Basilica of Saint Francis appears not as a monument on a checklist, but as the natural and emotional conclusion of the journey. With our guides and a local historian, we take time to understand this extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage site and the town that continues to welcome pilgrims from all over the world.
In 2026, this journey carries a special resonance: the Church has proclaimed a Franciscan Jubilee Year, marking the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Walking to Assisi in this year becomes more than a beautiful pilgrimage through Umbria; it is a timely way to enter the living memory of Francis, his message of peace, simplicity and care for creation.
This Spanish Steps journey is designed with our usual care: beautiful walks, thoughtful pacing, local guides, comfortable hotels, luggage support and time to enjoy the culture, food and hospitality of Umbria. It is not a race. It is a graceful, deeply Italian pilgrimage, made to be walked, tasted, listened to and remembered.
