St. Francis Way Assisi to Rome

[slowtraveler]

Warm greetings,

Best wishes to all in this coming new year! I am hoping to walk the St. Francis Way from Assisi to Rome this year. My Camino de Santiago journey in 2022 was an incredible blessing to me and I hope for grace in this pilgrimage, as well.

Can anyone advise me about their experience on the St. Francis way? I’d appreciate learning from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey about anything that you might feel to share. I am 70 years old and am a slow
but steady (relatively) walker. I am probably needing to schedule this in August, although I’d have preferred later in the fall.
I wonder if the path is well marked and easy to follow and about accommodations and if the path is on trails or on streets. Whether you can tell me will be very appreciated!

Thanks much and buen Camino,
Daniel

 

[jungleboy]

The Via di Francesco is a wonderful camino, I hope you love it as much as I did.

For context, I walked in October 2022, starting in La Verna and walking to Assisi and then to Rome, and I speak reasonable Italian.

The path is mostly on trails although after Rieti there is more street-walking. In general, it's quite rural. As I recall the trail is pretty easy to follow, although I also had tracks on my phone so now I can't really remember how often I had to resort to tracks -- the two just blur together for me now. Accommodation can be a little tricky and might require some advance planning. If @Elle Bieling would be so kind to share, she has a list of all basically all the accommodation on or near the trail.

Including the northern route from La Verna, my favourite stretch of the whole thing was from Assisi to Rieti. This was really wonderful walking in mountains and through olive groves and past pines and hermitages and lovely villages and towns.

Here is the thread where I wrote some daily info about the pilgrimage that may be useful for you.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola, I was in Assisi back in 2016 and saw this and other pilgrimage routes across central Italy. About the only issue I had in planning was accommodation. But I guess this too can be overcome with a bit of preparation. Cheers

 

[Samos]

HI,

Just walked it in October 2023, but from Rome to Assisi as we had walked to Rome from Milan so going the opposite way of you to Assisi. There are some beautiful sections on this trail and we didn't have any problems with accommodations - we used a mixture of monasteries/AirB-n-B rooms and guesthouses.

I must say arriving in Assisi was amazing and the Pilgrim office there is very welcoming and helpful...definitely stop there when you start your journey You are in for a very beautiful walk!

 

[slowtraveler]

The Via di Francesco is a wonderful camino, I hope you love it as much as I did.

For context, I walked in October 2022, starting in La Verna and walking to Assisi and then to Rome, and I speak reasonable Italian.

The path is mostly on trails although after Rieti there is more street-walking. In general, it's quite rural. As I recall the trail is pretty easy to follow, although I also had tracks on my phone so now I can't really remember how often I had to resort to tracks -- the two just blur together for me now. Accommodation can be a little tricky and might require some advance planning. If @Elle Bieling would be so kind to share, she has a list of all basically all the accommodation on or near the trail.

Including the northern route from La Verna, my favourite stretch of the whole thing was from Assisi to Rieti. This was really wonderful walking in mountains and through olive groves and past pines and hermitages and lovely villages and towns.

Here is the thread where I wrote some daily info about the pilgrimage that may be useful for you.

Thank you for this encouraging and informative post!

 

[Elle Bieling]

For all of you who want my "list" of this Way of St. Francis, I do not have one, per se. What I do have is a Google Map with all the accommodations on it, posted on my website at Way of St. Francis Maps and Stats. The map is fully interactive, just click on the red buttons for all the info you should need for the accommodations. Good luck and happy planning!

 

[Janade]

I walked the Way of St Frances in May. As mentioned earlier, after Rieti there is quite a bit of pavement walking. Together with the heat in August, that could make for a miserable walking experience. We had difficulty finding accommodations after Rieti - some villages only have one pilgrim house and some only accommodate a small number of pilgrims. Trying to reach someone to arrange for accommodations (and getting no response) was disheartening.

We started in Florence and our favorite part of the Camino was from there to Assisi. Lots of mountain walking - difficult, but beautiful! However that stretch has few pilgrims. You start to see more after La Verna.

I imagine, as this Camino is becoming more well known, that more pilgrim accommodations will follow.

Editing as I realized I didn’t answer all of your questions. The way is relatively well marked. You can also download GPS trax which are very helpful. It is nothing like the Camino Frances in Spain - but if you are open to a different experience, go for it!

 

[KWay]

Warm greetings,

Best wishes to all in this coming new year! I am hoping to walk the St. Francis Way from Assisi to Rome this year. My Camino de Santiago journey in 2022 was an incredible blessing to me and I hope for grace in this pilgrimage, as well.

Can anyone advise me about their experience on the St. Francis way? I’d appreciate learning from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey about anything that you might feel to share. I am 70 years old and am a slow
but steady (relatively) walker. I am probably needing to schedule this in August, although I’d have preferred later in the fall.
I wonder if the path is well marked and easy to follow and about accommodations and if the path is on trails or on streets. Whether you can tell me will be very appreciated!

Thanks much and buen Camino,
Daniel

Hi Daniel!
My husband and I just walked the Via de Francesco at the end of October! It took us two weeks from Assisi to Rome (with a rest day in Rieti). There were definitely stretches that were very challenging compared to the Camino Portuguese, but the views and sights along the path are amazing. The path is very well marked, so there are no issues. Make sure you order your credential ahead of time so it can be mailed to you at your home. You can get the credential at the Pilgrims office in Assisi (next to the Cathedral) but they were out when we arrived. Luckily, we met an Australian who had extras. We found accommodations without issue and didn’t notice a price difference compared to the Camino Portuguese. Once you arrive at the Vatican you can go to the front of the visitor line with your credential and they will direct you to the office where you receive your testimonium (like a Compostela). If I were to do the path again I would walk from Rome to Assisi instead. Rome is so touristy and not necessarily geared to Pilgrims. Assisi felt much smaller and much more personal. If you have any specific questions please reach out!

 

[GailGwyn]

I walked the Way of St Frances in May. As mentioned earlier, after Rieti there is quite a bit of pavement walking. Together with the heat in August, that could make for a miserable walking experience. We had difficulty finding accommodations after Rieti - some villages only have one pilgrim house and some only accommodate a small number of pilgrims. Trying to reach someone to arrange for accommodations (and getting no response) was disheartening.

We started in Florence and our favorite part of the Camino was from there to Assisi. Lots of mountain walking - difficult, but beautiful! However that stretch has few pilgrims. You start to see more after La Verna.

I imagine, as this Camino is becoming more well known, that more pilgrim accommodations will follow.

Editing as I realized I didn’t answer all of your questions. The way is relatively well marked. You can also download GPS trax which are very helpful. It is nothing like the Camino Frances in Spain - but if you are open to a different experience, go for it!

I'm planning on walking from Florence to Assisi in the autumn. Did you use a guide book? I've walked different Caminos in Spain, including the Invierno, which was quite mountainous and tough going at times, so hopefully the Via de Francesco won't be more difficult?

 

[Elle Bieling]

I'm planning on walking from Florence to Assisi in the autumn. Did you use a guide book? I've walked different Caminos in Spain, including the Invierno, which was quite mountainous and tough going at times, so hopefully the Via de Francesco won't be more difficult?

@GailGwyn I have walked the Primitivo, the Sanabrés and the San Salvador. They are all mountainous. I have not walked the Invierno, so I can't compare with that. But, for me, the Via di Francesco, from La Verna to Assisi was the hardest of the ones I have done. It is sustained mountain walking, day after day. Lots of elevation gain and loss almost every day. But you can do it, if you have trained and do the length of the stage that is suitable for you.

I have lots and lots of information that I hope you will find useful on my website, that shows each days elevation profile and maps. Plus anything else you want to know! See the Way of St. Francis link in blue.

Happy planning and I hope you have a marvelous pilgrimage!

 

[High Endeavours]

I'm planning on walking from Florence to Assisi in the autumn. Did you use a guide book? I've walked different Caminos in Spain, including the Invierno, which was quite mountainous and tough going at times, so hopefully the Via de Francesco won't be more difficult?

I walked from Florence to Rome last May/June. It is definitely much more challenging than the Invierno, particularly until Assisi. There are still some challenging sections after that. However, if you are fit you should be ok. There are lots of different variants, some of which will allow you to walk a gentler way if you wish to. I found Sandy Brown’s guide was out of date, though he says that it is being updated. I used Matthew Harms new guide from Village To Village that came out this past April. It was well done with good maps and shows all the variants. A very well thought out guide. Of course you can also download the GPX tracks which I think are best to have because in places the signage was either not great or missing. Most of the route is well marked. I didn’t see or meet very many other walkers until after Assisi, and most of them were heading from Rome to Assisi. When I walked the Invierno in 2016 I didn’t meet a single walker until almost Santiago, so I assume you’ve had a quieter pilgrimage and are comfortable with this. In honesty, it wasn’t my favourite Camino, but each route is different for everyone. Have fun!

 

[GailGwyn]

@GailGwyn I have walked the Primitivo, the Sanabrés and the San Salvador. They are all mountainous. I have not walked the Invierno, so I can't compare with that. But, for me, the Via di Francesco, from La Verna to Assisi was the hardest of the ones I have done. It is sustained mountain walking, day after day. Lots of elevation gain and loss almost every day. But you can do it, if you have trained and do the length of the stage that is suitable for you.

I have lots and lots of information that I hope you will find useful on my website, that shows each days elevation profile and maps. Plus anything else you want to know! See the Way of St. Francis link in blue.

Happy planning and I hope you have a marvelous pilgrimage!

Thank you Elle. I'm definitely going to have to make sure that I improve my fitness levels in preparation then!

I will take a look at your website. Thanks for making it available.

 

[GailGwyn]

I walked from Florence to Rome last May/June. It is definitely much more challenging than the Invierno, particularly until Assisi. There are still some challenging sections after that. However, if you are fit you should be ok. There are lots of different variants, some of which will allow you to walk a gentler way if you wish to. I found Sandy Brown’s guide was out of date, though he says that it is being updated. I used Matthew Harms new guide from Village To Village that came out this past April. It was well done with good maps and shows all the variants. A very well thought out guide. Of course you can also download the GPX tracks which I think are best to have because in places the signage was either not great or missing. Most of the route is well marked. I didn’t see or meet very many other walkers until after Assisi, and most of them were heading from Rome to Assisi. When I walked the Invierno in 2016 I didn’t meet a single walker until almost Santiago, so I assume you’ve had a quieter pilgrimage and are comfortable with this. In honesty, it wasn’t my favourite Camino, but each route is different for everyone. Have fun!

Thank you High Endeavours. I'll have a look at the Village to Village guide. I'm not very tech savvy, but I see many people recommending GPS tracks, so will need to investigate this possibility too!

 

[Mycroft]

Hi Daniel!
My husband and I just walked the Via de Francesco at the end of October! It took us two weeks from Assisi to Rome (with a rest day in Rieti). There were definitely stretches that were very challenging compared to the Camino Portuguese, but the views and sights along the path are amazing. The path is very well marked, so there are no issues. Make sure you order your credential ahead of time so it can be mailed to you at your home. You can get the credential at the Pilgrims office in Assisi (next to the Cathedral) but they were out when we arrived. Luckily, we met an Australian who had extras. We found accommodations without issue and didn’t notice a price difference compared to the Camino Portuguese. Once you arrive at the Vatican you can go to the front of the visitor line with your credential and they will direct you to the office where you receive your testimonium (like a Compostela). If I were to do the path again I would walk from Rome to Assisi instead. Rome is so touristy and not necessarily geared to Pilgrims. Assisi felt much smaller and much more personal. If you have any specific questions please reach out!

Do you mean you are allowed to cut to the head of the line, showing your credential? Or is there a special line for pilgrims at the Vatican? What is the address you mean for ordering a credential?
Thanks.

 

[Elle Bieling]

@Mycroft, yes, you can skip to the end of the line by showing your credential. To get the credential, write to the official Italian website, https://www.viadifrancesco.it/credenziale-del-pellegrino-e-testimonium-viae-francisci. They say to allow 2 months to receive it if you are outside Italy. Mine came to Colorado after about three weeks if I recall. You can also get one in La Verna at the gift shop there.