Distance: 13,5 kilometres.
Height difference: + 340 metres.
Departure point: Basilica of St. Francis.
Suitable for families: suitable for families and children over the age of 8 accustomed to walking.
Activities to do: trekking.
Accessibility: departure point with your own vehicle or public transport. The trail is unsuitable for wheelchairs.
The trail begins in the holy town that is worth more than just walking through it, but really “experiencing” it, and the same goes for the enchanting village of Spello.
As the walk takes half a day, you can programme a tour of the Assisi before starting out for Spello and once you have arrived at your destination, take a tour of the main points of interest of Roman Hispellum, known as the “Splendidissima Colonia Julia”.
The itinerary is very pleasant: the walk along the flank of Mount Subasio amidst the coppice and olive groves offers extremely beautiful views over the plain below and has many water sources. When you arrive at the top of Spello, you will have a beautiful view of the town.
All along the trail you can follow either the blue and yellow way-marks for the St. Francis Way or the red and white signposts for the Franciscan Way of the Marches.
From the Basilica of St. Francis walk up Via San Francesco and Via Portica as far as Piazza del Comune.
Cross over Corso Mazzini to Via Santa Chiara and continue along Via Borgo Aretino and Via Properzio until you walk through Porta Nuova to exit the ancient walls.
Continue slightly downhill along Via Madonna dell’Olivo, go over a roundabout and continue straight towards Viole.
After about 200 metres, you come to Via San Benedetto on your left that begins to rise sharply at an aedicule containing a tiny cave of Lourdes. Continue along Via San Benedetto for approximately two and a half kilometres. Leave it on your left and take Via Fosso delle Carceri and Via Borghettaccio across the slope.
Continue across the slope along Via Fonte L’Abate that turns into a stony track.
After about 2 kilometres you reach the crossroads for Capodacqua (Via Gabbiano: a hairpin bend descending to the right).
After about 150 metres, take another hairpin bend to the left and follow down a steep farm track. Continue along this track until you get to a group of houses and then turn left along a little track that descends to cross Fosso Renaro.
After about 500 metres, when the asphalted road clearly descends to the right, continue straight on down along a small track that after 200 metres leads to Via degli Ulivi, a narrow asphalted road to your left that after 4 kilometres leads to the outskirts of Spello.
At the end of Via degli Ulivi, turn left on to Via Poeta that takes you to the town gates.
Go through Porta Montanara into Spello.
