Tag: pilgrimage
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The Way of St. Francis: Spello Spelled Fun
The charming hilltop town of Spello stands guard over acres and acres of olive trees that the Angelini family (pictured above) is passionate about. We would also learn of their passion for wine. Yesterday our path took us through the olive groves on our way to what would be a delightful and educational dinner at…
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The Way of St. Francis: The Way to Assisi
The Way of St. Francis led us into Assisi yesterday, our ninth day of walking. We’ve covered 109 miles and endured 37,046 feet of elevation change. While the above photo appears to show a pleasant downhill stroll, in reality our day began and ended with steep climbs. All a distant memory today as we enjoy…
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The Way of St. Francis: What Keeps Us Going?
There’s no doubt this is a difficult Pilgrimage, filled with highs and lows of all kinds. Yesterday we arrived at our hotel so wiped out that we couldn’t help but question the wisdom of walking The Way of St. Francis. So, what keeps us going? Mornings like this one! When I asked at our hotel…
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The Way of St. Francis: Which Way Do We Go?
We’re always a little unsure of finding our way when we begin a distance trail. With so many trails converging from La Verna (where we began) and leading to Assisi, markers can be a little confusing… Armed with our guidebook, and for the first time, a satellite trail map to follow with Galileo Pro, we…
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The Way of St. Francis: Hanging Out In Gubbio
We were afraid we’d miss touring the Basilica of St. Ulbaldo, perched high above the city of Gubbio. On our rest day we had no intention of conquering another peak on foot. However, when an alternative presented itself, we were first in line to hop aboard! Seemingly hanging from a thread, the baskets of the…
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The Way of St. Francis: Snapshots of Our Day
Our journey today was a short on miles but the change of scenery could not have been greater. After a leisurely breakfast, we left the bustling city of Sansepolcro behind. With just eight miles ahead of us, we set our compass towards Citerna, a quaint village perched atop surrounding valleys. A quick stop for that…
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The Way of St. Francis: Ups and Downs on Day One
Pieve Santo Stefano was our destination today, an easy stage according to our guidebook. And I guess it wasn’t too bad, although we did climb 1,700 feet before arriving at this lush green meadow. The meadow was irresistible and knowing that our feet were not yet trail tough, we enjoyed a snack and the view,…
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The Way of St. Francis: Chiusi della Verna
The sleepy village of Chiusi Della Verna awoke to brilliant sunshine today, Friday. We started with pastry, strong coffee (yum!), tangerines and packaged toast and jam downstairs in the hotel Bellavista, in photos above. Our room’s small window shows a burst of early spring. We are pausing in this village, dating to the 13th century,…
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The Way of St. Francis: Packed and Ready to Go
Ready or not, we’re off to Italy where we’ll begin The Way of St. Francis, a pilgrimage that traces the pathway traveled by St. Francis of Assisi in the early 13th century. Our journey begins in the eastern portion of central Tuscany in Chiusi Della Verna, a small community located below Santaurio (Sanctuary) Della Verna.…
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