Itinerary for 8 day programme: Assisi - Spello - Vescia - Nocera Umbra - Costa di Trex - Valfabbrica - Biscina - Gubbio
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Assisi
Arrival at your hotel in Assisi. The hotel is situated 900 meters from the historical centre of Assisi.
Day 2: Assisi - Spello - Vescia
Today’s walk will take you first to Spello and then to Vescia. The route follows the slopes of Mount Subasio. This beautiful walk passes along olive fields with astonishing views.
Spello is built on the slopes of Mount Subasio. This little town has Roman origins, as we are reminded by several features including the Porta Venere and Porta Consolare town gates and the remains of a Roman theatre outside the town walls. Don’t forget to admire the colourful fresco’s by Pinturicchio in the church S.Maria Maggiore. After your visit of Spello you still have a 2 h 15 walk to your hotel in Vescia. Walking time: 5 ½ hours (about 18 km).
Day 3: Vescia - Nocera Umbra
This walk through the valley of the river Topino will take you among villages like Capodacqua and past the ruins of castles and towers to Nocera Umbra. In the summer of 1226 St. Francis became very ill on one of his travels and had to be brought back to Assisi urgently. On his way back he and his fellow travellers stayed for the night in the Franciscan monastery of Nocera. This monastery was just outside the town gate, where the ‘Giardino delle Acque’ is now to be found. The second Franciscan monastery has been preserved and is now a small museum. Your overnight stay will be in a hotel in the town centre. Walking time: 6 hours (18 km).
Day 4: Nocera Umbra - Costa di Trex
Today’s route follows the Franciscan walking path ‘Sentiero Francescano’, which reminds us of the last journey of St. Francis (September 1226). During this journey Francis became very ill and had to be brought back to Assisi, accompanied by a group of horsemen. Nowadays this last journey is still remembered with the ‘Cavalcata di Satriano’, when horsemen from all over Umbria, dressed in medieval clothes, ride the same trail as the horsemen of 1226. This route crosses the National Park of Monte Subasio and passes the remains of the castle Rocca di Postignano, the little chapel of Satriano, where St. Francis had an overnight stay on his last journey, and the restored medieval bridge Ponte Marchetto, which crosses a mini-canyon. Your overnight stay will be on a holiday farm near Assisi(5 km). Walking time: 5h 35 ( 17 km).
Day 5: Costa di Trex - Valfabbrica
The Franciscan walking trail, route 51, continues to Assisi. You enter the town through the Porta Cappuccini town gates and you will leave it through the Porta S.Francesco gates. You will walk then along the Franciscan route ‘Sentiero della Pace’, which connects Assisi with Gubbio and reminds us of the journeys of St. Francis between these two towns. This beautiful route, with splendid views of Assisi and marvellous panoramas of the surrounding valleys and mountains, takes you past the village of Pieve S.Niccolo' and ends in the town of Valfabbrica. Walking time: 5h 20 (18 km).
Day 6: Valfabbrica - Biscina
Today’s walk will bring you to the remains of the castle of Biscina. This section passes through the hills along the valley of the river Chiascio. It will take you past the Benedictine church of Barcaccia, the ruins of the castle and the monastery of Coccorano. You will spend the night at an holiday farm at 100 m. from the castle. Walking time: 4h 30 (17 km).
Day 7: Biscina - Gubbio
The last stage of the ‘Sentiero della Pace’ and of this walking tour takes you to Gubbio, a town built on the slopes of Monte Ingino. You will pass the church of Caprignone and the hermitage of S.Pietro in Vigneto. You descend in the valley of Gubbio. This town is closely linked with the life of St. Francis, who came here as a beggar. In this town he found shelter thanks to his friend the textile merchant Spadalunga, who not only gave him a place to sleep but clothes to dress himself. This simple straight dress became the prototype of the Franciscan tunic. The church and monastery of St. Francis is built on the site of Spadalunga’s house. You will stay in a hotel near the church of St. Francis.
Walking time: 6h 10 (22 km).
Day 8: departure
Gubbio has a bus link with Perugia: a journey of a little more than an hour. From Perugia you can take the train to Assisi or one tothe airports for your flight home.
For who will return to Assisi, there is the possibility to book a transfer.
The 10 days tour:
The 8 days tour can be extended with two extra nights in:
Assisi: A circular walk through Assisi and in its surroundings
This walk will take you among the best-known Franciscan monuments in and around Assisi. It starts at the Porta Cappuccini town gate. From here you walk up through the woods of Mount Subasio to the hermitage ‘Eremo delle Carceri’ (830m a.s.l.), where St. Francis and his companions retreated to meditate and pray in the silence of the woods. A steep descent brings you back toAssisiwhere the town walk will take you round the Basilica of St. Francis, where he is buried, the Basilica of St.Clare, housing the cross which spoke to St. Francis, his birthplace and the monastery of San Damiano After your visit of this monastery you can choose to go back to your hotel or to continue your walk downhill to the village of S.Maria degli Angel (210m a.s.l.) to visit the impressive basilica. From here the local bus will take you back to Assisi. Walking time: 5 hours (15 km).
Vescia:
This walk will lead you to highlights such as the waterfalls of the Altolina river and the Benedictine abbey of Sassovivo (11th cent.). After the village of Belfiore the trail leads you into the mountains. Passing the waterfalls of the Altolina you will reach the hamlet of Pale. Another climb will bring you to the abbey of Sassovivo, situated in an old home oak woodland. The finest architectural feature of the entire abbey is certainly the cloister with the double order columns, surmounted by lily-shaped capitols From here you turn back to your B&B in Vescia. Walking time: 4 hours (14 km).
Level of difficulty 3/ 4: for walkers with experience and good physical condition. Routes through middle/high level hilly landscapes with some steep climbs. Daily distances between 15 and 25 km. An average of 3 km – 4 km an hour. You will walk on footpaths, mountain tracks, forest trails and occasionally on roads.
Departures: from 1st April till the beginning of November on every day of the week (In winter on request)
Number of People: This self-guided walking holiday can be operated for 1 or more people
HOTELS:
Assisi: 2 star Hotel da Angelo is situated in the new part ofAssisi about 900 meters from the historical centre. The hotel has 32 rooms, all with bathroom, television and telephone.The hotel has a car park, swimming pool, restaurant and bar. On request it is possible to have a overnight stay in an alternative 3 stars hotel, Hotel la Terrazza, in Assisi, 900 meters from the historical centre: restaurant, bar, swimming pool, air-conditioning and wellness centre (Turkish baths, mud treatment etc.)
Vescia: Il Borgo del Fattore is a B&B in a restored ‘frantoio’ (olive oil mill) from the 17th century. There are 5 rooms, each with a bathroom. The dinner is served in the restaurant ‘Il Fichetto’ close by (50 m.)
Nocera: Hotel Europa 3 stars (Nocera Umbra). This family-run hotel is situated in the centre of Nocera Umbra. It has a bar and restaurant. All rooms have a TV, phone and private bathroom. The town’s public swimming pool is 500 meters from the hotel.
Costa di Trex: Il Castello is a comfortable family-run farmhouse B&B, situated in the hamlet of Costa di Trex in the hills just outside Assisi (6 km). Excellent typical traditional cuisine. All rooms with shower and WC.
Valfabbrica: farmhouse B&B with restaurant Il Pioppo is situated along the sentiero della Pace surrounded by farmland at 2 kms from Valfabbrica. There are apartments and rooms. Il Pioppo has a swimming pool and an excellent restaurant.
Biscina: The farmhouse B&B with restaurant Tenuta di Biscina is located close to the Castle of Biscina (100m) along the sentiero della Pace (Peace trail). There are 10 apartments spread throughout the two restored farmhouses. The holiday farm has a swimming pool and dinner is served in the farmhouse B&B itself.
Gubbio: 3 star Hotel San Marco is situated close to the old medieval centre. The hotel has a restaurant and private internal garden. All rooms have a private bathroom, air-conditioning, TV and telephone.
