“Relax and enjoy — you are in for an unforgettable experience.”
sandy brown, author who hiked the entire via di francesco hiking path
This Via di Francesco hiking tour is more than a walk through Italy—it’s a journey that’s hard to define but impossible to forget. It’s not a religious pilgrimage, yet the spiritual pull of walking in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi is undeniable. It’s not a history lesson, but the stories woven through medieval villages, Roman roads, and ancient forests offer rich insights into Italy’s past. As you hike through the serene landscapes of Tuscany – past olive groves, rolling hills, oak-filled forests, and hilltop monasteries – you’ll find that the beauty of the region is as nourishing as the journey itself. And of course, no Italian adventure would be complete without the pleasures of the table: think handmade pastas, local wines, wood-fired pizzas, and creamy gelato savored in sun-drenched piazzas.
We don’t aim to walk every mile of the original route—we’ve handpicked the most scenic and meaningful sections to bring you the very best of the Via di Francesco. Call it magical, call it transformative—just don’t call it ordinary.
What Is a Via di Francesco Hiking Tour?
Walking through Italy is an incredible way to see the country. We are not in a hurry, which allows us to stop whenever we see something interesting: a country farm selling fresh produce, a field of wildflowers, even a small rural brewery on our route. We learn from our friend and local guide Giovanni about everything Italian – wine and cuisine, history and culture, and so much more. We enjoy being disconnected from the world on the one hand and yet intimately connected to it on the other.
We hike 7.5 to 10.5 miles each day in the Apennines mountains in Tuscany for six days in a row. We use transfers to avoid most of the larger uphills in the region, keeping elevation gain modest at under 1,000 feet per day – except for one day with a trying set of uphills. Our gear is shuttled to our next hotel so we only carry what we need for the day. While the hiking is moderate, you should be in good enough shape to walk the distances each day.
The Significance of the Via di Francesco
became known as Francis of Assisi. Born around 1181, he is known for his attempt to broker peace during the Fifth Crusade and his support of the poor, the environment, and animals. The recently-passed Pope Francis purposefully chose Francis as his papal name, given the similarities of their work.
However, people were walking on the same trails in the region long before Francis. The Apennine people herded cattle on area hills. Romans created great roads leading through cities such as Sansepolcro on our route. Travelers came through the area from the north to the great city of Rome and then to Jerusalem. Ours is not a religious tour. We will learn about the man and the historical period. We will visit the famous La Verna Sanctuary, built to honor St. Francis’ visit to the area, and several other monasteries. We will mix this with learning about modern and historical Italy, ranging from how to make limoncello to the importance of the Roman roads in the region.
The Pleasures of Italy
Part of the joy of any vacation in Italy is, of course, all those joys of Italy. The wine is delicious – in this case often the delectable Sangiovese wines of Tuscany. The cuisine is superb and local to the Apennines mountains: pecorino and fossa cheeses; cappalletti and passatelli pastas; truffles, mushrooms, and chestnuts from the forest. The locals are friendly and always up for a conversation, sometimes only possible by hand gesture. While we are not in big cities or staying in fancy hotels, our accommodations are perfect for resting after a day of walking. We eat typically generous Italian breakfasts, packed lunches on the trail, and delicious Italian dinners at local ristorantes, trattorias, and osterias. We’ll end in the small city of Sansepolcro, our local guide Giovanni’s home, and a wonderful place to celebrate the success of our week.
What is an Exploratory Adventure?
Our Exploratory Adventures are unique opportunities to travel with Zephyr’s founder Allan Wright as he scouts out a new location in what is usually an exotic destination. Learn more about the Exploratory Adventures >
In this case, we have been running tours in Italy for 20 years, all with the same local partner. And our local guide Giovanni has walked the Via di Francesco multiple times. Nevertheless, this qualifies because this will be the first time we are running this tour and the first time Allan will be hiking the trail. You can expect all the great aspects of Zephyr’s tours with a little more spontaneity and adventure.
Get the scoop on all the recently added Exploratory Adventures! >
Join Us On Our Via di Francesco Hiking Tour
We are adding this August 14 – 20 Via di Francesco Hiking Adventure with little advance notice. This will be a small group of only four to ten travelers. This route is new to us at Zephyr Adventures (although not new to Giovanni) and so will be as much exploration as guided tour. Please note we do not yet have this set up for Private Tours or as a Self-Guided Tour.
Details
- Dates: August 14 - 20, 2025
- Cost Per Person: $3,900
- Single Supplement: $800
- Activities: Hiking
- Guide(s): Giovanni Ramaccioni, Allan Wright
Difficulty
Moderate. You should be in good enough shape to hike the distances each day.
Talk to Our Team: 888-758-8687
I Have QuestionsTrip Highlights
- Walk with our local guide Giovanni, learning all about wonderful Tuscany and Italy as we go
- Explore charming villages filled with centuries-old architecture and stories from Italy’s past
- Indulge in local specialties like handmade pasta, truffle dishes, fresh cheeses, and rich wines
- Visit the Camaldoli Monastery and the famous La Verna Sanctuary, sites tied to Francis of Assisi
- Taste beers at a very local small brewery, purchase lunch items at a country butcher, and participate in a cheese making workshop
- Stay in locally owned inns and guesthouses that offer comfort, character, and genuine hospitality
Day 1: CONSUMA PASS TO STIA
Meet in Florence at 9:00 AM and transfer one hour to the Passo della Consuma, a "peaceful place in the middle of nowhere" as one reviewer described it. But for us, the perfect place to begin our hiking along the Via di Francesco. Our route twists and turns through forests on the slopes of the Apennines but is primarily a long gradual downhill as we make our way to the town of Stia. Stia is a small town at the confluence of the Arno and Staggia rivers and the town also has its own spring, which is funneled out to create twelve drinking spouts. The town is traditionally known for its iron works and wool industry. Our hotel is a short stroll from Piazza Tanucci, the main square, where you might decide to try a snack of "tortello", the local potato dish, before dinner tonight.
Total Distance: 10.5 Miles
Day 2: LA CALLA PASS TO CAMALDOLI MONASTERY
This morning after breakfast we shuttle a short 15 minutes to the top of Passo la Calla, which is the border between the provinces of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany and, for us, cuts off a big uphill climb. We start our hike from the pass, with the first half staying up high with only small ups and downs. We are in the UNESCO heritage site called the Foreste Casentinesi, Mt Falterona and Campigna National Park, one of the most extendive forests of Europe and dotted with medieval castles, hermitages, and monasteries. During the second half of our hike we descend to the Hermitage and Monastery of Camaldoli. Founded in the 11th century, the hermitage is still operational today. We are able to wander some of the grounds and visit some of the buildings. At the end of our hike, we will shuttle back to Stia to spend the night there, allowing us not to pack up and check out. We'll again enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. Today is a public holiday on our 2025 tour, Ferragosto, which is the ancient Roman holiday of Emperor Augustus.
Total Distance: 7.4 miles
Day 3: MADRIOLI PASS TO LA VERNA SANCTUARY
Today we do check out after breakfast and then again shuttle to the start of our hike, the Passo dei Mandrioli, a 45-minute drive that again removes a big uphill from our day. Our walk stretches along the ridge line offering wonderful views of the valleys of Romagna and Tuscany. We soon cross paths with another ancient travelers' way, the “Via Romea Germanica” the pilgrimage route of the medieval German Knights and Princes going to visit the Pope. We will stop in to a very small farm "birrificio" or brewery located along the route. After crossing the beautiful "forest of the fairies" (its almost like the fabled Elves realm in The Lord of the Rings) we will get to the La Verna Sanctuary, one of the most important sites of the St Francis way and of Francis of Assisi. We continue on to our albergo in the village of Chiusi della Verna. This is the only day of our trip with significant uphill, as we have 2,303 feet of gain today.
Total Distance: 10.7 miles
Day 4: LA VERNA TO PIEVE SANTO STEFANO
Today we have another wonderful walk, with views of the Upper Tiber Valley. We again are relatively level to start, skirting the beech tree forest that surrounds La Verna, and then have a long gradual descent to the village of Pieve Santo Stefano. Pieve Santo Stefano is unfortunately famous in Italy as it was destroyed in 1944 by German troops retreating north. Although the town "lost its past" in some ways, an indirect result is that local citizens created the Piccolo Museo del Diario, the "small museum of diaries", that houses a collection of diaries from everyday people. sent each year to a committee that gives out an annual award. Our overnight is in the center of town, with dinner in the hotel's Il Portico restaurant.
Distance: 9.0 miles
Day 5: VIAMAGGIO PASS TO MONTAGNA
We again enjoy a plentiful Italian breakfast and check out before shuttling 20 minutes to the Passo di Viamaggio, once again avoiding a sharp uphill climb. Our route today takes us straight through the Alpe della Luna Nature Reserve, a preserve focused on the Alpe della Luna mountains, part of the Apennines. We'll wander through woods and cross meadows, with occasional views of the sweeping Tiber Valley below us. Our destination tonight is La Montagna, a very small village that was relatively unknown until the growing popularity of the Via di Francesco walking trail. Accommodations are small and we might have to split up between several local B&Bs. If we are lucky, we'll also be able to take part in a cheese making workshop.
Total Distance: 8.0 miles
Day 6: MONTAGNA TO SANSEPOLCRO
Today is our final walk, as we finish our Via di Francesco hiking tour en route to our destination of Sansepolcro. Along the way we pass the Convent of Montecasale, an ancient settlement from the 11th century known for being a major Franciscan site. There are both legends and historical facts that tie Francis to this site. We then descend to the town of Sansepolcro. Sansepolcro is a small city but distinctly the largest community along our route. It has an amazing Medieval and Renaissance historic center and a fantastic north-to-south "corso", or main street, that draws locals out for a stroll in the evenings. We love Sansepolcro not only because it is such a great city but because it is also away from the typical tourist track. It is also home to Giovanni. We'll overnight in the center of town, probably stop in for a glass of wine at a enoteca, and definitely try the local gelato as we celebrate the last six days.
Total Distance: 8.0 miles
Day 7: DEPARTURE
We have breakfast in our hotel and then transfer to the Arezzo train station, from which you can catch a train to Florence or Rome or perhaps rent a car for your continued travels.
Trip Accommodations
Our accommodations on this tour are relatively simple, given the rural area the hike takes place.
Nights 1 & 2 - Albergo Falterona, Stia: This three-star hotel in the heart of the small town of Stia gets good reviews of 4.3 on Google and 4.5 on Trip Advisor. It has a well-liked breakfast, a “fireplace room” that will be great for hanging out after our hike, and a small spa.
Night 3 - Albergo Bellavista, Chiusi della Verna: This village is so small we actually use two properties, the Bellavista and the Hotel da Giovanna. The Bellavista, as an Albergo, is known for its restaurant serving dishes traditional to the area.
Night 4 - Hotel Santo Stefano, Pieve Santo Stefano: This three-star hotel is situated right in the center of the small town of Pieve Santo Stefano. We'll dine in the hotel's Restaurante il Portico, which is known in the area for its gastronomic fare.
Night 5 - il Palazzo, La Montagna: This small B&B is located in the middle of nowhere along the Via di Francesco walking route. Hosts Giovanna and Paolo offer clean rooms and a delicious breakfast with homemade pastries. There is not even a website. We might also use a second B&B in the area depending on availability.
Night 6 - Hotel Palazzo Magi, Sansepolcro: This is an historical hotel situated in a building from the 1400s. The hotel has closed for renovations under new ownership and is not even open at the time of this writing but will be open for our visit to Sansepolcro. The four-star property is the perfect place to end our walking tour.
Book this TourArrival & Departure
We will meet at 9:00 AM in a designated hotel in the city of Florence. Given the early start time, you will very likely arrive the day before and can spend the night at our hotel meeting point or elsewhere in the city. Florence has a major airport but there are no direct flights from the US, so you will likely connect in Rome or elsewhere.
We spend our final night in the town of Sansepolcro and will provide a 40-minute shuttle to the town of Arezzo. Arezzo is on the main train line and you can travel to Florence (1.5 hours or less) or Rome (around three hours). Keep in mind you will need to get to the airport from either city center and some flights leave in the morning, so you might end up spending a final night in Italy. One good option is to fly into Florence and out of Rome.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Two Zephyr guides (one local) accompany each trip, with a third added as necessary.
- Double occupancy lodging is included. If you are traveling solo, you may ask us to find a traveler to share a room with you but will need to pay a single supplement to have your own room if we cannot match you.
- Six dinners, all breakfasts, and most lunches (packed trail lunches) are included. Gratuity for these meals is also included.
- All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day.
- All group activities are included.
- NOT INCLUDED Beverages, desserts, gratuities to your guides, personal expenses, and travel to and from the destination.
Best time to visit
Italy can be hot in the summer. We recognize that and have purposefully chosen this itinerary so it takes place at higher elevation than lower in the Tuscan plains. Nevertheless, we need to be prepared for hot weather. In general, it is possible to hike the Via di Francesco any time between March and October, or even earlier and later in the year.
Extending your vacation
We definitely recommend arriving to Florence a night early. It is an amazing city. We also recommend staying a night in Italy after the tour, potentially in Rome. If you wish to extend your visit outside these cities, a major decision is whether to travel in Italy by train (best for the larger cities) or car (better for rural areas). If you have never visited Tuscany and Umbria, both are amazing regions well worth your time.
Ability Level
This Adventure is rated Moderate. We have utilized shuttles to exclude some of the biggest uphills, making the elevation change quite manageable if you are used to hiking. But hiking 7 - 10 miles per day for six days in a row is challenging.
Type of people who will enjoy this tour
This adventure is ideal for those who have been to Italy before but are looking for a down-to-earth, out-of-the-way region where most people will never visit. It is suited for those who are adventurous in spirit, as we will be adjusting our schedule on the fly as we indulge our whims, meet locals, or find new experiences. The hotels are clean and comfortable but simple, so this is not the location for those looking for five-star experiences.
Changes to Your Itinerary
While everything under “What is Included” will remain the same, the actual restaurants, hotels, and activities listed in our itineraries are subject to modifications. Changes that are out of our control are common – a restaurant closes or loses its awesome chef, a winery changes its visiting hours, a hotel gets remodeled, a road or trail undergoes construction. You are entrusting us to create an outstanding vacation for you and so it is possible we may take the liberty of making necessary changes (even at the last minute, during the guides’ scout trip) to the itinerary that will improve your overall trip experience.
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