Walking from Assisi to Spello on the Via di Francesco

The route in numbers

• Distance: about 13.5 km, from the Basilica of St Francis to Porta Montanara, in Spello.
• Ascent: about 340 m of cumulative climb, in short rises.
• Time: 4 h 30 min at a relaxed pace.
• Surface: alternates tarmac on quiet minor roads with dirt tracks.
• Waymarking: it is part of the Via di Francesco, the pilgrim route between La Verna, Assisi and Rome, marked with arrows and yellow and blue signs.

It is the first section of the Assisi – Foligno stage, which in total is about 19 km. It ends in Spello, so you don't have to complete the stage.

The route, step by step

1. Lower Basilica of St Francis. You start at the basilica and cross the town lengthways, along the main street, to the Basilica of Santa Chiara.
2. Porta Nuova. You leave the walls by this gate and continue along the same street among the new houses of lower Assisi.
3. Belvedere del Buon Ladrone. A viewpoint over the valley. From here you have the woods of Monte Subasio on your left and a continuous landscape of olive trees on your right.
4. Via degli Olivi. At the junction you turn left and pass two small votive oratories.
5. Along the hillside. A path begins with views over the Assisi valley and Santa Maria degli Angeli on the plain, alternating paved and dirt sections among olive groves.
6. Maestà di Mascione. An oratory full of ex-votos, next to a fountain: the natural place to drink and rest.
7. Porta Montanara. Shortly afterwards you enter Spello by this gate, in the upper part of the village.

What to see in Spello

Spello is a village of pink stone on a hill, with Roman walls and gates. The stop that the official Via di Francesco guide says not to skip is the Cappella Baglioni, in the collegiate church of Santa Maria Maggiore, with frescoes by Pinturicchio. Wander down through the streets to Porta Consolare and the station.

Water, shade and season

There are fountains on the way, such as the one at the Maestà di Mascione, and another in Spello. The official guide recommends carrying at least a litre and a half of water in summer and some food: fruit, nuts or energy bars. There is little shade among the olive trees.

It can be done all year. Spring and autumn are the best times; in summer set off early so as not to walk in the middle of the day, and in winter bear in mind that it gets dark early. In the rain the dirt tracks get muddy but there are no dangerous sections.

How to get back

Spello has a station on the same railway line as Assisi, the one linking Foligno with Perugia. Assisi station is not in the upper town but in Santa Maria degli Angeli, on the plain, a few minutes' walk from the Basilica of the Porziuncola; from there, the town bus takes you up to the centre. Check the Trenitalia timetables before setting off: at some times of day there are few trains.

If you are going by car, leave it in Assisi and return by train: the route is linear.

With children or a dog

With children who walk well, the route is manageable: it has no exposed sections and the ascent is spread out. Four and a half hours is a lot for little ones; a good shortening is to walk only as far as the Belvedere del Buon Ladrone and back. With a dog, carry water for it and use a lead on the road sections and in the villages.