Cammino di Francesco

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Florence (Santa Croce) → Rome (St. Peter's Square) — with Assisi as the connecting point at kilometer 289
• Length: 535.8 km (northeast from Florence → Assisi: approx. 289 km; southeast from Assisi → Rome: approx. 246 km)
• Elevation gain: ↗ 13,323 m / ↘ 13,354 m — 24.9 meters of elevation gain per kilometer, 1.7 times that of the Camino Francés: the most mountainous route in our portfolio
• Duration: Approx. 25–30 days (27 stages); northern leg ~15, southern leg ~12 days
• Direction: Officially passable and marked in both directions—many people walk only one leg of the route, with Assisi as their destination: either from Florence or from Rome
• Waymarking: the yellow Tau; in Umbria and Lazio, additionally yellow-and-blue stripes (arranged in both directions); in Tuscany, white-and-red CAI markers
• Pilgrimage Documents: The Credenziale must be obtained in advance from the Diocese of Gubbio; Testimonium is issued after walking 100 km—in Assisi or Rome, not in Santiago
• Connection: No Camino de Santiago, no Compostela—in Rome, the Via Francigena and the Seven Churches Pilgrimage await
• Character: A mountain trail with two graves: monasteries, hermitages, and sanctuaries instead of a chain of hostels; 4,483 pilgrims on foot throughout the year 2024 — Advance booking is the norm, not the exception

Overview

The Cammino di Francesco— usually on the market Via di Francesco — begins at the world's largest Franciscan church and ends at the tomb of St. Peter: 535.8 kilometers from Florence about the Consuma Pass, the Casentino Forests of Camaldoli, and the Rock of La Verna according to Assisi, then through the Rieti Valley and the Sabine Hills to Room. In between are 13,323 meters of elevation gain Uphill — 24.9 per kilometer, 1.7 times that of the Camino Francés. This isn’t a warning, but an explanation: The sites associated with St. Francis are located at higher elevations because hermits tend to go uphill—Camaldoli at about 1,100 meters, La Verna at 1,128, and the Eremo delle Carceri at 791. This route is not an Italian extension of the Spanish system. It is a mountain trail with two graves.

Its hinge is Assisi at kilometer 289 — and because the route is officially in both directions Although it is marked as such (“percorribile in entrambi i sensi di marcia” says the operator), many do not even view it as a line but rather as a destination: the northeastern route from Florence toward the tomb, or the southeastern route from Rome through the Rieti Valley—in both cases with Assisi as the destination. In 2024, there 4.483 Pilgrims arrive on foot or by bike; Santiago sees so many of them on a fine July day. The largest foreign group was the Germans, accounting for 11.95 percent. And in 2026, this route will have a selling point that isn’t marketing, but a decree: the Pope Lion XIV. has proclaimed the Franciscan Jubilee Year—from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027—with a plenary indulgence for visiting any church dedicated to St. Francis. This pilgrimage route consists of such churches. Anyone who walks the route in 2026 fulfills the requirement.

Other Names

In the market, this method is usually called something different than what we call it: Via di Francesco, English Way of St Francis — that is the name given to it by the official project of the regions of Umbria and Lazio, which built the route as a continuous trail. Also Cammino di San FrancescoYou often see this; Italian trail websites use both names for the same route. Our page title, “Cammino di Francesco” follows the route database and refers to the entire Florence–Assisi–Rome route. And now it gets tricky, because three other routes have nearly the same name—if you confuse them, you’ll book the wrong one:

• Cammino di Francesco (Rieti):Same name, different route. About 80 km in eight stages, inaugurated in 2003 by the Province of Rieti, a loop through the Valle Santa to the four Franciscan shrines of Greccio, La Foresta, Poggio Bustone, and Fonte Colombo. Two of these lie along our route; two are detours. It has its own pilgrim’s passport and its own website.
• Cammino di Assisi:Over 300 km in 13 stages, from Dovadola near Forlì through Camaldoli, La Verna, Sansepolcro, Città di Castello, and Gubbio to Assisi—it runs through large parts of our northeastern region, but originates in Romagna rather than Tuscany.
• “Di qui passò Francesco”: The suggested route from Assisi to Poggio Bustone, proposed by Angela Serracchioli, who has been in the book trade since 2004. In 2024, 2.33 percent of all pilgrims walking to Assisi took this route.

If you're looking for maps, guidebooks, or accommodations: “Via di Francesco” plus stopover location is the search query that leads you to our path.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This trail is for you if you like mountains and can handle churches. It's the most mountainous trail in our entire selection: 24.9 meters of elevation gain per kilometer — On the Camino Francés, there are about 15. You’ll cross the Consuma Pass, pass through the Casentino forests to Camaldoli, and climb to 1,128 meters to La Verna in the first week; days with over 1,100 meters of elevation gain are the norm here, not the exception. It’s also ideal if you’re looking for history in its original setting — Giotto in Assisi, Piero della Francesca in Sansepolcro, a Roman inscription from the 3rd century B.C. near Spoleto, a waterfall commissioned by a consul in 271 B.C. — and if you like to walk alone: In 2024, 4,483 people arrived in Assisi on foot or by bike. On many stretches, you’ll have the trail all to yourself.

To be honest, though, it's not for you if you're looking for the Way of St. James—because that's not what it is. Here, there is No scallop shell, no albergue chain, and no Compostela: The trail marker is the yellow Tau; the destination is two graves in Italy; and the certificate you receive at the end is called a “Testimonium”—issued after walking at least 100 kilometers, in Assisi or Rome. It’s not for you either if you need steady, flat stages: There are days with 31 and 35 kilometers, there’s a nine-kilometer stage with 515 meters of elevation gain, and there are sections with no bars and no reliable water source halfway through the stage. You’ll sleep in monasteries, B&Bs, and agriturismos, usually by reservation and for 65 to 100 euros per day. And if churches and monasteries generally bore you, you’ll miss out on just about everything on this route.

Route & Landscape

The trail has three distinct sections. The first is Tuscan and steep: From Florence You walk up the Arno Valley, through vineyards into the Vallombrosa Forest and across the Consuma-Pass to the Casentino. Here are the two towns that say it all about this route — Camaldoli at an elevation of about 1,100 meters, where Romuald had twenty hermit cells built in five rows around 1012, and La Verna at 1,128 meters, the mountain that Count Orlando gave away in 1213. In between lies the national park Foreste Casentinesi: Beech groves, fir trees, fern forests, hardly any houses. The second view is of the upper Tiber Valley and the Umbrian Apennines—Sansepolcro, Citerna, Città di Castello, Pietralunga, Gubbio, the City of the Wolf: grain fields, sunflowers, oak forests, and long, lonely days on gravel roads. The path never levels off; it merely changes the elevation at which it winds.

"The Third Face" begins in Assisi. From here, the trail runs south along the edge of the Umbrian Plain—passing Spello with its Roman gates, Foligno, and Trevi amid the olive groves—then climbs behind Spoleto to the Monteluco, a sacred grove whose protection was already regulated by the Lex Spoletina from the 3rd century B.C.: “Questo bosco sacro nessuno profani.” After that, it slopes into the Valnerina: Ferentillo, with its crypt of mummies, the Marmore waterfall — 165 meters, three steps, man-made since 271 B.C. —, Lake Piediluco, and then the Valle Santa near Rieti, the most Franciscan valley in Italy. The last two days are the price you pay for Rome: more asphalt, more traffic, suburbs instead of Umbria. You enter from the northeast via the Ponte Nomentano—the Via Francigena comes from the other side. Two paths, two cardinal directions, one grave.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

27 stages are the natural rhythm, passing through the towns in our route database—but almost no one walks the entire distance in one go. The trail’s turning point is in Assisi, and there it splits into two halves, each of which is a journey in its own right: Stages 1–15 from Florence to Assisi (approx. 289 km, the mountainous half), Stages 16–27 from Assisi to Rome (approx. 246 km, the more pleasant half). And because the route is officially is marked in both directions, a good number of pilgrims take the southern branch in reverse—heading north from Rome, with Assisi as their destination rather than their final stop. The elevation gain is unevenly distributed: there is a nine-kilometer stage with a 515-meter climb, and three long days should be factored into any itinerary—about 31 km to Pietralunga, about 35 km to Sansepolcro, and about 29 km to Monterotondo. Two breaks are firmly factored into the itinerary; they are listed in the paragraph following the list.

1. Florence → Pontassieve — approx. 19 km — Start an Holy Cross, the largest Franciscan church in the world, then up the Arno Valley. Lots of asphalt—the easiest day of the trip.
2. Pontassieve → Consuma — approx. 18 km — ↗ approx. 1,100 m: through vineyards into the Vallombrosa Forest. According to the operator, the trailhead is easy to miss; from here, the yellow Tau.
3. Consuma → Stia— approx. 18 km — down into the Casentino; loose boulders on the descent.
4. Stia → Camaldoli — approx. 17 km — ↗ approx. 910 m through the Foreste Casentinesi National Park to the Sacro Eremo: twenty hermit's cells at an elevation of about 1,100 meters, founded around 1012.
5. Camaldoli → Badia Prataglia — about 9 km — the shortest leg of the trail, but still ↗ about 515 m. That's the trail in a nutshell.
6. Badia Prataglia → La Verna — approx. 18 km — ↗ approx. 1,180 m on a rocky mountain trail, arriving at 1,128 meters: the toughest day of climbing on the entire route, and its holiest rock—Cappella delle Stimmate, Sasso Spicco.
7. La Verna → Pieve Santo Stefano — approx. 15 km — ↘ approx. 930 m, down past the Eremo di Cerbaiolo into the upper Tiber Valley.
8. Pieve Santo Stefano → Sansepolcro — approx. 35 km — Queen Stage North, officially a stage; can be split at Montagna (not listed in the phone book—if you’re splitting the ride, call ahead). Arrival in the town named after the Holy Sepulcher.
9. Sansepolcro → Citerna — approx. 12 km — short and scenic, on the border between Tuscany and Umbria.
10. Citerna → Città di Castello — about 20 km — if you take the route via Monterchi Take (Piero della Francesca's "Madonna del Parto"), add about 8 km and half a day at the museum. It's worth it.
11. Città di Castello → Pietralunga — approx. 31 km — ↗ approx. 1,120 m: the longest stage of the northern branch, officially described as “lungo e impegnativo” Don’t attempt it on a whim.
12. Pietralunga → Gubbio — approx. 26 km — ↗ approx. 704 m, arrival in Wolfsstadt.
13. Gubbio → Eremo di San Pietro in Vigneto— approx. 16 km — the official split point for the 38-kilometer route to Valfabbrica: a mandatory stop; otherwise, the 38-kilometer route is on the schedule.
14. Eremo di San Pietro in Vigneto → Valfabbrica— approx. 22 km — ↗ approx. 760 m, a solitary day.
15. Valfabbrica → Assisi — about 13 km — ↗ about 490 m, final climb, then the basilica lies below you. End of the northeast section and junction of the trail: The tomb of St. Francis, the Testimonium at the Statio Peregrinorum; a detour to San Damiano, the Porziuncola, and the Eremo delle Carceri. For many, this is where the journey ends. For many, this is where it all begins.
16. Assisi → Foligno — approx. 19 km — Start of the southern branch (Many walk it in the opposite direction, from Rome toward Assisi): via Spello with its Roman gates leading into the Foligno plain.
17. Foligno → Trevi — approx. 12 km — the shortest southern leg, olive groves.
18. Trevi → Spoleto — approx. 27 km — officially divided at Poreta (12 + 15 km); the destination is the town where Francis turned back in 1204/05 — near San Sabino stands the monument commemorating the dream.
19. Spoleto → Ceselli — about 16 km — via the Monteluco, the sacred grove of the Lex Spoletina, then down into the Valnerina.
20. Ceselli → Arrone — about 15 km — via Ferentillo: The Crypt of Santo Stefano and the Lombard Abbey of San Pietro in Valle.
21. Arrone → Piediluco — approx. 13 km — via Marmore. Check the waterfall schedule (usually 12–1 p.m. and 4–5 p.m.); otherwise, it’s just a roaring void. Then there’s Lake Piediluco.
22. Piediluco → Poggio Bustone — approx. 22 km — ↗ approx. 970 m via Labro to the Valle Santa; Arrival in the village of “Buongiorno, buona gente!”.
23. Poggio Bustone → Rieti — approx. 17 km — via Cantalice and the Santuario della Foresta(Wine Miracle 1225): the most eventful St. Francis Day in the South. A detour from Rieti: Fonte Colombo, the “Sinai francescano”; official version according to Greccio.
24. Rieti → Poggio San Lorenzo — approx. 22 km — Sabine Hills, limited infrastructure: book in advance.
25. Poggio San Lorenzo → Ponticelli Sabino — about 20 km — peaceful rolling countryside, olive groves, hardly any towns along the way.
26. Ponticelli Sabino → Monterotondo — approx. 29 km — Queen Stage South, passing through Montelibretti. Rome is audibly getting closer: more traffic, more asphalt.
27. Monterotondo → Rome (St. Peter's Square) — approx. 34 km — typically covered in two days, split into Monte Sacro (19 + 15 km): across the Ponte Nomentano from the northeast into the city. Honestly: The last few kilometers are in the suburbs, not in Umbria.

Two stops are a must on the itinerary: The 38-kilometer stretch from Gubbio to Valfabbrica is already split at the Eremo di San Pietro in Vigneto—not a DB-listed location, but the only place to stay overnight along the way, so be sure to call ahead—and realistically, you’ll cover the final leg to Rome in two days, staying overnight at Monte Sacro. If you also want to break up the 35-kilometer stretch to Sansepolcro, split it at Montagna—again, only after calling ahead. And be realistic: if you include detours and side trips—Monterchi, Greccio, the Carceri—experience shows you’ll end up covering over 600 kilometers.

Given away in 1213, drawn in 1224, in the Jubilee Year of 2026

This trail features a mountain that was a gift. Count Orlando Catani In 1213, Francis heard Chiusi of Casentino preach at a knights' festival and gave him Monte della Verna—the literature on Verna refers to the May 8, 1213, and Francis agreed, but “con riserva”: he wanted to see the mountain first. (A Casentino source even warns that at La Verna, “prevale la leggenda sulla storia”—legend triumphs over history. That is precisely why we recount it with dates and indicate where the documentary evidence ends.) Mid-September 1224 According to tradition, Francis received the stigmata up there, at an altitude of 1,128 meters. That is faith—except for one sheet of paper: During those same weeks, he wrote a hymn of praise and a blessing for Brother Leo in his own hand on a single piece of parchment, the Chartula. At La Verna, everything is faith; the sheet of paper that came from his hand now lies 190 kilometers away in a display case—in the chapel of relics in the lower church of Assisi, “in ottimo stato di conservazione” This is no legend; this is ink. You walk this path from the place of the manuscript to the manuscript itself.

And the path leads through the place where he turned back. In 1204–05, a young mercenary from Assisi set out for Apulia, but was Spoleto He was sick and heard a question in a dream: Who is more useful—the master or the servant? His answer: “Signore, che vuoi ch'io faccia?” — Lord, what do you want me to do? He turned around; your Stage 18 ends right there. A year later, the crucifix at San Damiano spoke: “Francesco, va' e ripara la mia casa che, come vedi, è tutta in rovina.” Twenty years later, in 1225, Francis—who had nearly lost his sight—dictated the *Canticle of the Sun*: “Altissimu, onnipotente, bon Signore…” — the oldest poem in Italian literature whose author is known. On the October 3, 1226 He died at the Porziuncola on July 16, 1228 Gregory IX canonized him—according to 1 year, 9 months, and 7 days, and on that very same day, the cornerstone was laid for the basilica where he now rests. Rarely in the history of the Church has a dead person become a saint—and a saint become a construction site—so quickly.

The fact that you can see this basilica today is the final highlight of the journey: At the September 26, 1997 At 11:42 a.m., parts of the vaults of the Upper Church collapsed during the earthquake; four people died, and more than 300,000 Fragments were collected — Reopening on November 28, 1999, after two years and two months, since 2000 UNESCO World Heritage Site. And now for the present: Since 2023, the Franciscans have been celebrating a series of 800th-anniversary events—the first Nativity scene at Greccio in 2023, the stigmata at La Verna in 2024, the Canticle of the Sun in 2025, 2026 the Transitus, the death of the saint. For this, the Pope Lion XIV. The Franciscan Jubilee Year was proclaimed: January 10, 2026, through January 10, 2027, and the decree on indulgences dated January 16, 2026 links the plenary indulgence to a visit to any Franciscan church worldwide. This pilgrimage route connects such churches in a chain, just as other routes connect inns. There are years when one can undertake this pilgrimage—and there is that one year for which it seems tailor-made.

Highlights Along the Way

• Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence — the largest Franciscan church in the world, first mentioned in 1228, the year of the canonization; the cornerstone was laid on May 3, 1294. This is where your journey begins.
• Sacro Eremo di Camaldoli— twenty hermit cells arranged in five rows at an elevation of about 1,100 meters, founded by Romuald around 1012 and named after Maldolus, who donated the land.
• Sanctuary of La Verna (1,128 m) — the Cappella delle Stimmate, built in 1263 above the site of the event; terracotta sculptures by Andrea della Robbia (1475–1493); and the Sasso Spicco, beneath which St. Francis’s first hut “di legno e terra” stood.
• Sansepolcro — Piero della Francesca’s “Resurrezione” which Aldous Huxley called “the best painting in the world” in 1925. The city’s name comes from relics that two pilgrims brought back from the Holy Land around 1012—along with a hospice for people like you.
• Monterchi (Side trip/alternative route, approx. +8 km) — the “Madonna del Parto” depicting the pregnant Mary, painted around 1455–1465; Piero’s mother was from here.
• Gubbio, St. Francis of Peace — the City of the Wolf from the Fioretti (Chapter XXI: The wolf places its paw in Francis’s hand and lives tamed in the village for two years). The legend is 700 years old—the wolf skeleton found under a stone slab during roadwork in 1872–73 is 150 years old. It proves nothing, and that is precisely why Gubbio loves to tell this story; the tombstone lies in the crypt.
• Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi — Tomb of the Saint, Giotto Cycle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000; cornerstone laid on the day of his canonization, July 16, 1228. In the reliquary chapel of the lower church: the Chartula, written in Francis's own hand at La Verna in 1224.
• Eremo delle Carceri (Side trip, approx. 4 km, 791 m) — Caves on Monte Subasio in the holm oak forest, expanded in 1426 by Bernardine of Siena.
• The Porziuncola in Santa Maria degli Angeli (Side trip) — the small 7 × 4-meter chapel in the middle of a Renaissance basilica; next to it is the Cappella del Transito, where Francis died on October 3, 1226.
• Monteluco above Spoleto — the sacred grove, already protected by the Lex Spoletina From the 3rd century B.C.: “Questo bosco sacro nessuno profani.” The forest where Francis prayed was already a protected area when Rome was still a republic. Down below, near San Sabino, a mercenary turned back in 1204–05.
• Ferentillo — 24 naturally mummified bodies and over 270 skulls in the crypt of Santo Stefano; the last burial took place on May 18, 1871. No miracle, no legend—it’s soil chemistry. Next to it stands the Lombard abbey of San Pietro in Valle.
• Cascata delle Marmore — 165 meters in three stages, the tallest man-made waterfall: The aqueduct was built by Consul Curius Dentatus in 271 B.C. — and it’s turned on. Usually from 12–1 p.m. and 4–5 p.m.; otherwise, the water flows into the power plant; anyone unfamiliar with the schedule will find themselves facing a dry wall.
• Poggio Bustone — Here, in the summer of 1208, Francis greeted the people with “Buongiorno, buona gente!”—a greeting still used today; above is the Speco, where, according to tradition, he was promised forgiveness of his sins.
• Fonte Colombo(A detour from Rieti, 549 m) — the “Sinai francescano”: This is where the Rule of the Order was drawn up, which Honorius III confirmed on November 29, 1223. Greccio (official version) is located across the valley—at Christmas 1223, the first nativity scene was set up there: “Greccio è diventata come una nuova Betlemme.”
• Rome, St. Peter's Square — the second tomb and the destination. And the starting point of the Seven Churches Pilgrimage, which Philip Neri formalized on February 25, 1552.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

There is no traditional commuter route—this journey begins in one metropolis and ends in another, and most people take the train. The real question, therefore, is not, such as where you're from, but I don't know To start with: The Cammino di Francesco is officially walkable in both directions—“percorribile in entrambi i sensi di marcia” as the operator puts it—and the yellow-and-blue signs in Umbria and Lazio are explicitly placed to indicate both directions. Three routes are common. First, the entire route from the north: Florence → Assisi → Rome, 535.8 km, 27 stages, with Assisi at kilometer 289 serving as the spiritual center. Second, only the northern section: from Florence (approx. 289 km) or from La Verna (approx. 190 km) to Assisi—here, the tomb is the destination, and for this reason, at the Statio Peregrinorumthe Testimonium is issued. Third, the southern branch in the opposite direction: From Rome to Assisi, about 246 km through the Rieti Valley. This isn’t a stopgap measure, but a journey in its own right—you won’t be walking away from Francis, but toward him. There’s just one thing that doesn’t change: the northern part remains the hardest, no matter where you start from.

If you're starting in Rome, you should be familiar with the neighborhood: that's also where the Via Francigena from Canterbury—though from the other side, via La Storta and Monte Mario from the northwest, while our route comes in from the northeast via Monterotondo and Monte Sacro, along the old route of the Via Salaria. The only thing both routes have in common is their destination: St. Peter’s Tomb. And no matter which route you choose—the CredenzialeYou must place your order in advance with the Credential Office of the Diocese of Gubbio, at least three weeks before the start date; if shipping abroad, it’s best to order two months in advance. The yellow Tau You can find backpacks in Florence at the stores around Santa Croce.

Continue the pilgrimage?

Rome is the end of the line—and yet you still have three connections. The first one is right in front of you: the Seven Churches Pilgrimage, which Philip Neri established on February 25, 1552, as an organized pilgrimage on foot—St. Peter’s, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Sebastian, St. John Lateran, Holy Cross in Jerusalem, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major. One to two days—and the best way to ensure your arrival doesn’t end at the train station. The second is the Via Francigena: It also ends in Rome, but from the opposite direction—those traveling north on it pass through Viterbo, Siena, and Lucca on their way to the Alps and, eventually, Canterbury.

The third connection is the most elegant because it follows the same path: the opposite direction. Anyone who has walked from Florence to Rome has passed through Assisi at kilometer 289—as a stop along the way, not as a destination. The southern branch in the opposite direction—from Rome through the Rieti Valley to Assisi—is officially marked and turns the same route into a different journey: about 246 km, twelve stages, and at the end, you don’t find yourself on a train station plaza, but at the tomb. Many pilgrims do exactly that over two vacations—once the northern route, once the southern route, with Assisi as the destination both times. And in 2026, there’s a special date to mark the occasion: the Franciscan Jubilee Year, 800 years after the death of St. Francis, running from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027.

Preparation & Practical Information

Fitness comes first; everything else comes after. 13,323 meters of elevation gain over 535.8 kilometers That means: daily climbs of 500 to 1,500 meters, slopes with a gradient of 25 percent or more—the Tuscany operator himself writes that the trail is more demanding than large sections of the Spanish Camino. Walking sticks here aren’t just for show; they’re essential gear. The trail markings change with the region: In Tuscany, white-and-red CAI signs and the yellow Tau, in Umbria and Lazio, yellow-and-blue stripes are added—they’re marked in both directions, so you can follow them either way. Still, according to the operator, the trailhead above Pontassieve is easy to miss. Download the Camino Ninja app to your phone and pack a power bank.

The best time is April through October, ideally in May and September/October — many accommodations are closed in March and November, Italy is in vacation mode in August, and there may be snow on the Apennine passes in the spring. Water is available in the towns, but it’s definitely not a given in the middle of the stages: bring 1.5 to 2 liters in the fall, and more in the summer. Bars open early and close in the afternoon; restaurants serve starting at 7:30 p.m.—plan your meals for the day in advance, don’t leave it to chance. And the most important preparation concerns where you’ll sleep: There are no comprehensive network of shelters, but also monastery estates and convents (Camaldoli, La Verna, Poggio Bustone, La Foresta), hostels, family-run B&Bs, and agritourism farms; the few “donativo” accommodations close in mid-October. The thinnest sections are Pieve Santo Stefano–Sansepolcro, Città di Castello–Pietralunga, Gubbio–Valfabbrica, and Ponticelli Sabino–Monterotondo—you should plan around such gaps in advance, not while on the road.

You'll need two pieces of paper. The CredenzialeOrder in advance from the Credential Office of the Diocese of Gubbio—free delivery, donations appreciated; at least three weeks in advance, or two months for international orders. The Testimonium Viae Francisci is available only in person: in Assisi at the Statio Peregrinorumat the Sacro Convento (10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 3–5:30 p.m.), in Rome at St. Peter's Basilica — the requirement is at least 100 kilometers on foot or the last 200 by bike, as verified by a stamp. Those who walk less receive the Chartula Peregrini in Assisi—and those who come with a dog, no joke, get a certificate for the dog. Plan your daily stages in advance, because the accommodations are small, unevenly distributed, and often only open by appointment—the easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 65 to 100 € per person per day for lodging and meals if you’re traveling alone—that’s how the Tuscan section of the trail estimates it, and a German pilgrim who walked the entire route spent 2,646 € over 34 days, or about 78 € per day. For the 27 stages, that works out to roughly 1,800 to 2,600 € excluding travel to and from the destination; the northern leg alone costs about 1,000 to 1,500 €, and the southern leg 800 to 1,200 €. That’s more expensive than Spain, for one simple reason: there are no 10-euro albergues—you’ll be staying in B&Bs, agriturismos, or monastery guesthouses. You can save money in three ways: First, the monasteries and sanctuaries—foresterie are significantly cheaper than hotels, often include dinner and breakfast, and in Camaldoli, La Verna, or Poggio Bustone, you literally sleep right where the action is. Second, lunch: a cappuccino and cornetto at the bar, bread, pecorino, and tomatoes from the alimentari—the evening meal costs 20 to 30 €, and pizza 7 to 10. Third, the time of year: May and October are cheaper than August. The Credenziale and Testimonium themselves are free; a donation covers shipping (all prices are based on estimates from organizers and pilgrims, as of August 2026).

Getting Here

All three key points along this route are located near the railroad tracks—which makes planning pleasantly simple. Florence You can get there by Frecciarossa or Italo from Rome in about an hour and a half, from Milan in just under two hours, or from Germany via Bologna or by night train. From the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station, it’s a twenty-minute walk to Santa Croce, where the trail begins. Room can be reached from anywhere via Termini and the Fiumicino and Ciampino airports — which is convenient if you're traveling in the opposite direction on the southern branch. And Assisi has its own train station in the Santa Maria degli Angeli district, about five kilometers below the old town, on the Foligno–Terontola line, with about 54 trains daily; a city bus runs up to the basilica. This makes it easy to split the trip into two separate vacations: arriving in Florence and departing from Assisi—or arriving in Rome and departing from Assisi.

The same applies in the opposite direction for the return trip. If you’re only walking part of the route, you can also reach Sansepolcro, Città di Castello, Gubbio, Foligno, Spoleto, Terni, and Rieti by train or regional bus—Umbrian public transportation is better than its reputation, though service is sparse on weekends. Plan your connections in advance—don’t wait until Sunday in the village square.

• Getting to the starting point: Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella; Peretola Airport via Tram T2 to the main train station) — or Rome (Termini, Fiumicino/Ciampino) for the southern branch in the opposite direction.
• Return trip: From Rome, from anywhere; from Assisi via the Santa Maria degli Angeli train station (regional trains to Rome, Florence, Perugia, and Terni; Intercity trains to Milan).
• Intermediate stop / Section of the route: Sansepolcro, Città di Castello, Gubbio, Foligno, Spoleto, Terni, and Rieti are accessible by train or regional bus and mark out the route clearly—from La Verna, it’s about 190 km to Assisi, and from Assisi, about 246 km to Rome.