Following Saint Francis: from Assisi to Portico di Romagna

A humble man who decided to leave is rich life and live following Christ example. This is in very short terms the story of this Italian protector saint who lived between Umbria, Tuscany and Tuscan Romagna, creating communities of poor people who had nothing more than the products of the forest.

Walking with Francesco

The so-called Francis Path or Assisi Path goes along these three regions, crossing medieval villages, ancient roads of roman origin and passing through some of the wildest parts of the forest. Every year, hundreds of people, for the most different and various reasons, walk along this path with nothing more than their backpack, stopping at Hostels or just sleeping under the stars, as the ancient pilgrims used to do.

Starting from Dovadola, which is in the near Montone river Valley, you walk to Monte San Paolo hermitage and then up to the Monte Trebbo, 565 mt on the sea level to reach the Rabbi River valley and the borough of Premilcuore.

Its’s a very hard climbing, you must really have a basic professional preparation, or just a lot of patience and quite a dose of mental resistance to follow this path.

The yellow arrows of the Cai ( Club Alpino Italiano, Italian Mountain Club) will show you which way to go along the path.

Walking and striving to reach every single target, you have the time to enjoy every detail of the landscape you are crossing: colors, animals, trees. Feeling the spiritual and emotional energy that rises up from these places, which are very similar to the ones that Saint Francis lived in, at his time.

The Canticle of the Creatures: natural suggestions of Portico di Romagna

From Premilcuore, you must face the crossing of another Apennine pass (Valbura) to finally arrive in Portico di Romagna, one of most famous stop among pilgrims: here Vecchio Convento and the Cameli Family always prepare a nice welcome with local products and good wine.

Something that heals the body, other that the soul, before facing the last part of the Assisi Path, arriving at La Verna, through the hermitage of Camaldoli and the National Park of Foreste Casentinesi. Here, into the wild, you really understand why nature and animals were so important for Saint Francis: the pure expression of God’s creation.

It’s time to leave Romagna and enter Tuscany, following Saint Francis!