This Bucket List Thru-Hike Is Italy’s Hidden Gem: Guide to the Cammino di San Francesco

There are many ways for visitors to see and experience Italy: via train, car, or cruise ship. The best way, however, is by foot, and fortunately, there is an established trail that allows you to do just that.

The Cammino di San Francesco (CDF), or Way of St. Francis, takes hikers from Florence to Rome on a culturally rich and naturally beautiful route that will help them see Italy in a whole new light.

I did the Cammino di San Francesco in 2018, and made mistakes and got blisters, so you don’t have to. Learn all about this unique hike, with tips and tricks, below.

History of The Way

The trail’s namesake, St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), was a pivotal figure in both religious and Italian history. Francis was born to a wealthy family in Assisi, a small town in Umbria.

He renounced material possessions and pursued a life of poverty and simplicity, eventually founding a religious order, the Franciscans.

He became a saint in the Catholic Church in 1228 and is one of the church’s and the country’s most important figures. Francis had a special penchant for animals and the environment. People still associate him with these things today.

While the history of Francis is centuries old, the trail is a more modern invention. It came about in the late 1990s and early 2000s as the Italian equivalent to Spain’s popular Camino de Santiago.

The Way of St. Francis stretches 328 miles from Florence to Rome. It passes through three major regions of Italy (Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio). The trail stops in many towns and areas that were sites of significant events in St. Francis’s life.

Some people complete the trail out of religious devotion, while others hike for adventure. Every person has their own reason for embarking on the cammino.

It’s worth noting that the Way of St. Francis is different from the Via Francigena, a 1,300-mile route from Canterbury, England, to Rome. Although the Francigena does obviously pass through Italy, it’s a separate route entirely.

How It Works

Like any thru-hike, this Cammino is a DIY adventure. There are towns every few miles, so you can split up your mileage as you please. Most towns will have pilgrim accommodations that are cheaper than a typical hotel. These simple hostels or rooms provide basic necessities (bed and shower) for anywhere from 5 to 30 e uros.

On my hike, I stayed in church basements, big rooms with bunk beds, monasteries, converted hotels, and more.

Hikers carry along a credential, or pilgrim’s passport, to show their progress. They’ll get it stamped once a day from bars or hostels to prove they’ve walked the distance. When they arrive in both Assisi and Rome, the passport will be the proof required to receive a testimonium, an official certificate.

To request your credential, visit this site. (Note that people living outside of Italy should allow at least 2 months for it to arrive via mail.)

My friend and I completed the 328-mile hike in 33 days, including rest days in Gubbio and Rieti. If you don’t have time to complete the entire hike, the 113-mile portion from Santuario della Verna to Assisi is particularly scenic and historic.

Difficulty

As with any thru-hike, it’s worth training beforehand and making sure your physical fitness is where it needs to be to ensure an enjoyable experience. I have also completed the northern way of the Camino de Santiago, and I found the CDF far more challenging.

There are several days on the trail that punished my hiking partner and me with brutal elevation changes. In the 11 miles from Badia Prataglia to Santuario della Verna, you endure a cycle of hills and valleys for a gain of 3,900 feet and a loss of 3,150. The 11-mile hike from Pontassieve to Consuma will sap your energy in a continuous uphill for an elevation gain of 3,350 feet. Trekking poles are an absolute must on this hike.

When to Go

Due to scheduling concerns, my friend and I could only go in June and July, which was the absolute worst time of year to go. Blazing sun and baking heat made the miles in Lazio nearly unbearable. Numerous blisters, unsurprisingly, resulted from sweaty, chafed feet, and I’m pretty sure no amount of water could’ve made up for the amount we were losing from sweat.

The spring and fall are far more enjoyable times to go. April, May, and mid-September to October offer more temperate weather. It’s worth noting that many Italians go on vacation in August, and services may be unavailable during this time.

With terminuses in two major cities with large airports, it’s easy to shop around for flights and find good airfare deals, which is undoubtedly the most expensive part of this adventure.

Who Should Go

As much as I enjoyed the CDF — and I certainly did — I would not advise a first-time thru-hiker to take on this challenge. It is more physically challenging, more difficult to navigate, and more expensive than the Camino de Santiago. Currently, the CDF lacks the extensive infrastructure (such as affordable pilgrim hostels and abundant signage) that has developed around the Spanish trail.

The waymarking of this route is, at times, confusing, to put it mildly. My partner and I got lost several times, and trail markers are in short supply. Be sure to carry a map and a GPS device.

If you’ve done a month-plus-long thru-hike before in any country, you’re capable of taking on the CDF. While English use is widespread among Italians, you’ll be hiking through many small towns and villages where some residents only speak Italian. It’s worth busting out Duolingo and brushing up on some essential phrases before embarking on the trail.

Essential Gear List

Since you pass through so many towns, and pilgrim rates apply to lodging, there’s really no need to carry all of your typical backpacking gear (tent, stove, sleeping pad, etc.). In fact, there’s a very short list of important things to bring.

Here were the pieces of gear I couldn’t have gone without:

Resources

There are two guidebooks to the CDF, each detailing directions, accommodations, and other helpful information. I used this 2016 guide from Cicerone Press. While its waymarking and navigation leave a lot to be desired, it got the job done. There’s also a newer release, out in 2023, from Village to Village Guides.

Highlights

Italy is a profoundly regional country. By crossing through three distinct regions, you’ll get to appreciate the culture and cuisine of each. By starting in Florence in Tuscany, you’ll get your fill of Renaissance history and scenic vineyard vistas. In Umbria, you’ll travel through quaint hillside towns and feast on the region’s most famous agricultural product: black truffles.

Finally, in Lazio, you’ll be treated to richer, heartier pastas like carbonara and amatriciana. Ending in Rome means ending with a bang; be sure to allow yourself a few days after you finish your hike to explore the eternal city.

Santuario della Verna

One of the hike’s true gems is Santuario della Verna. At this mountain retreat in Tuscany, St. Francis of Assisi is said to have received the stigmata (the wounds inflicted on Jesus during the crucifixion) in 1224. Regardless of whether you’re a religious person, this is a special place.

Hikers walk through a large, green forest that looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings to get there. The simple, nature-filled refugio is a great opportunity to meet and gather with other hikers in the large dormitory and share experiences of the trip so far.

Gubbio

Gubbio is another excellent stop along the way. There’s a standing chair lift that, for a small fee, will take you to the top of a nearby mountain that overlooks the town. Those hoping to get their fix of historical medieval towns will find it here.

Basilica of Assisi

Of course, the main basilica in Francis’s hometown, Assisi, is also a can’t-miss site. The church contains frescoes depicting St. Francis’s life, painted by one of Italy’s most famous pre-Renaissance artists, Giotto.

The itinerary takes hikers through many towns that, while beautiful, aren’t famous or well-known. I appreciated feeling like I was seeing a side of Italy that wasn’t polished just for tourists, and finding the joy in the everyday and ordinary. If you want to move beyond the caricature of Italy in pop culture and see what the landscape and people there are really like, embarking on the Cammino di San Francesco is a worthwhile endeavor.