# Walking from Assisi to Spello on the Via di Francesco

What to do en Assisi · Assisi

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/things-to-do/assisi-to-spello-walk · Revisado: 2026-11-12

- Duración: 4 h 30
- Temporada: All year; best in spring and autumn
- Para quién: Used to walking

13.5 km route along the Via di Francesco among the olive trees of Subasio, from the Basilica in Assisi to Porta Montanara in Spello; return by train.

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

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.
Porta Nuova. You leave the walls by this gate and continue along the same street among the new houses of lower Assisi.
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.
Via degli Olivi. At the junction you turn left and pass two small votive oratories.
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.
Maestà di Mascione. An oratory full of ex-votos, next to a fountain: the natural place to drink and rest.
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.

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 43.03, 12.65

## Cerca de aquí

- [Agriturismo Malvarina](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/where-to-stay/agriturismo-malvarina), a 260 m
- [Hike from Assisi to the Eremo delle Carceri and the Croce di Sassopiano](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/things-to-do/eremo-delle-carceri-hike), a 3.9 km
- [Calendimaggio, the medieval May festival](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/things-to-do/calendimaggio), a 5.2 km
- [Pasticceria Sensi](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/where-to-eat/pasticceria-sensi), a 5.3 km
- [La Locanda del Cardinale](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/where-to-eat/la-locanda-del-cardinale), a 5.3 km
- [Hotel Pallotta](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/where-to-stay/hotel-pallotta), a 5.3 km
- [Trattoria Pallotta](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/where-to-eat/trattoria-pallotta), a 5.4 km
- [Rocca Maggiore, the fortress above Assisi](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi/things-to-do/rocca-maggiore), a 5.5 km

## Consejos

### Set off in the morning
That way you reach Spello at lunchtime and have the afternoon for the village and the train back.

### Drink at the Maestà di Mascione
It is the fountain on the path before Spello; fill your bottle there.

### Check the trains beforehand
Check the return timetable from Spello to Assisi so you don't wait at the station.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take to walk from Assisi to Spello?
About 4 h 30 min for 13.5 km, with about 340 m of cumulative climb in short sections.

### Is it waymarked?
Yes. It is the Via di Francesco, with yellow and blue signs. Carry the map from the route's official website anyway.

### How do I get back to Assisi?
By train from Spello station to Assisi station, in Santa Maria degli Angeli, and by bus up to the upper town.

Destino: [Assisi](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/umbria/assisi.md)