Two wonderful Umbrian towns: Assisi & Spoleto

Individual arrival at your charming *** or **** hotel in Assisi, the spiritual heart of Umbria. This beautiful hilltop town, surrounded by olive groves and overlooking the Umbrian Valley, is the perfect place to begin your walking holiday.
In the evening, you’ll receive a welcome briefing where you can discuss your itinerary, walking routes, and local highlights. Afterwards, you can enjoy a relaxing dinner in one of Assisi’s excellent restaurants.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi.

Today’s walk invites you to explore Assisi, one of Italy’s most atmospheric medieval towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The route leads past the most important monuments linked to Saint Francis and Saint Clare, who both lived and died here.

From your hotel, you ascend to the Porta Cappuccini gate (470 m a.s.l.), then continue through a maze of narrow alleys and quiet medieval squares. Along the way, you’ll pass the Rocca Maggiore fortress (506 m a.s.l.), offering panoramic views of the Umbrian countryside.

Descending again, you’ll visit the Basilica of Saint Francis, famous for its magnificent frescoes by Giotto, and continue to the Temple of Minerva, Chiesa Nuova, and the Basilica of Saint Clare. Your walk concludes at the peaceful Monastery of San Damiano (310 m a.s.l.), where Saint Francis is said to have received his divine calling.

Walking time:  3 – 4 ½  hours
Distance: 7 km / 4,3 mi
Paved 100%
Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi

Today’s walk takes you into the heart of Mount Subasio Natural Park, a peaceful area of oak forests, mountain pastures, and panoramic viewpoints above Assisi. From the Porta Cappuccini town gate, you follow a scenic path through the woods. You can choose to continue upwards to the open meadows near the mountain ridge or walk to the Eremo delle Carceri (830 m a.s.l.), one of the most spiritual places in Umbria.

At the hermitage, Saint Francis and his companions once withdrew for prayer and contemplation. The stone monastery, built after his death, still preserves the simple cave where he meditated. After visiting this serene site, you descend along quiet trails and country roads through forests and olive groves back to Assisi.

The longer route includes an extra loop across the slopes of Monte Subasio, rewarding you with wide-open views over the Umbrian Valley and the surrounding hills.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi.

Distance short walk: 12 or 16 km from Porta Capuccini
Walking time: 4 hrs or 5hrs
Ascent/descent: + 544m – 544m or +731 m -744 m
Paved 27%

Today the choice of three options:
There are two routes to go to Spello: a longer one going uphill to the hermitage Eremo delle Carceri, or a shorter one through olive groves along the slopes of Monte Subasio.

Today you leave Assisi and walk towards the beautiful medieval town of Spello, famous for its flower-filled alleys and golden stone houses. You can choose between two routes:

• A longer and more demanding trail, climbing again to the Eremo delle Carceri and across the forests of Mount Subasio;
• Or a shorter and easier route, following peaceful paths through olive groves along the southern slopes of the mountain.

The long route includes more ascent and descent. From the Porta Cappuccini, a footpath leads once more to the hermitage (830 m a.s.l.), passing the spring Tre Fontane and the Abbey of San Benedetto. You then descend towards Spello through woods and olive groves, enjoying splendid views over the Umbrian countryside.

Upon arrival in Spello, take time to stroll through its charming old centre before continuing by train or car transfer to Spoleto.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Spoleto.

Walking time: 6 hours
Distance: 17, 4 km / 10,8 miles
Ascent / Descent: + 788m -870m
Paved 28 %

The Lower Route: Olive Groves and Roman Heritage
The lower route from Assisi to Spello follows the gentle southern slopes of Mount Subasio, with far-reaching views across the Umbrian Valley. This trail involves less climbing than the higher route but is equally rewarding — a peaceful walk through silvery olive groves, dotted with cypresses and wildflowers.

As you approach Spello, the medieval town appears nestled against the hillside, its golden stone glowing in the sunlight. Founded in Roman times, Spello still preserves many ancient remains, such as the Porta Venere and Porta Consolare city gates and the ruins of a Roman theatre just outside the walls. Don’t miss the splendid frescoes by Pinturicchio in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, masterpieces of the Umbrian Renaissance.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Spoleto

Total ascent-descent: + 270m – 359m
Walking time: 3 hours
Distance: 10,8 km / 6,7 miles
Paved 49 %

Loop Walk from Spello – Along the Roman Aqueduct to Collepino
Today you enjoy a delightful circular walk from Spello through olive groves and Mediterranean woodland. The route follows the line of an ancient Roman aqueduct, gently winding through terraced hillsides and open fields with stunning views of Spello and the valley below.

You’ll reach Collepino, a tiny fortified mountain hamlet that seems untouched by time. After exploring its narrow alleys, you climb a little higher before descending along quiet trails and country roads through the varied vegetation of Mount Subasio — olive trees, holm oak, hornbeam, ash, and broom in spring bloom.

This is a wonderfully scenic and peaceful stage, revealing the rural beauty and rich history that make Spello one of the most enchanting villages in Umbria.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Spoleto
Walking time: 4 hours
Distance: about 12 km / 7,5 miles
Ascent – Descent: + 521m  – 521m.
Paved 12 %

At the end of the day, you take the train, go in your own car, or those who booked a transfer will be brought to Spoleto by car. You stay in a *** or **** hotel.

Today’s walk takes you to the holy mountain of Monteluco, a place of peace and spirituality just above Spoleto. The name Lucu (from Latin lucus, meaning “sacred wood”) already hints at its ancient role as a sacred forest, venerated since pre-Christian times.

From the 5th century onward, hermits lived here under Benedictine rule, seeking solitude among evergreen oak trees and wild nature. Later, the Franciscans also established a monastery, creating a tradition of contemplation and prayer that continues to this day.

The trail to Monteluco winds through dense oak forest alive with wildlife — porcupines, foxes, badgers, wild cats, and squirrels — before reaching viewpoints offering sweeping panoramas over the Spoleto Valley. The Monteluco area has been protected since the Middle Ages, preserving its serene atmosphere and ancient woodland character.

This is a walk that invites reflection — a perfect blend of nature, history, and silence.

Overnight stay with breakfast in Spoleto.
Walking time: 4 hrs
Distance: 10,7 km / 6,6 miles
Ascent & Descent: + 510m -483m
Paved 29 %

After breakfast, a short transfer to Poreta marks the start of your final walk — a section of the Way of Saint Francis (Via di Francesco) following the scenic Olive Trail (Sentiero degli Olivi).

This route winds through a landscape shaped by centuries of olive cultivation, connecting small hilltop villages such as Eggi and Bazzano, each with stone houses, narrow alleys, and ancient churches. The silvery olive groves, framed by cypress trees and distant mountains, embody the timeless beauty of Umbria.

For those who prefer a shorter day, it’s possible to begin in Bazzano Superiore, reducing the walk by about 3 km.

Walking the Olive Trail offers a gentle, contemplative conclusion to your Umbrian adventure — an ideal ending that combines nature, spirituality, and tradition on one of Italy’s most evocative pilgrimage routes.

Overnight stay with breakfast
Total ascent-descent: + 475m -436m
Walking Time: 4 hours 20 min
Distance: 15 km / 9,3 miles  (Poreta village)
Paved 64 %

Today after breakfast end this tour through a typical Umbrian nature and past medieval villages