St Francis - Section 3

22km, 6h15, +214 m / -221 m: Walk down the straight road leading to San’Eraclio (230m), then on a country road amid olive trees, a little above the valley, leading to the village of Matigge (280m). Continue on winding local streets past some little villages and churches, then take a short steep trail up to the convent of San Martino and the panoramic road leading to the beautiful medieval town of Trevi (410m). Downhill out of town, past the convent of Madonna delle Lacrime and the church of Croce di Bovara, then over the flanks of Mount Padrafitta to an isolated franciscan hermitage (520m) overlooking posh Borgo San Benedetto. Amid low olive trees get onto a solitary mountain road leading to Castello di Campello (480m).

19km, 5h30, +564 m / -416 m: After a short walk on the local road, join briefly the main road past a couple of small villages, then turn onto a dirt trail descending amid olive trees to the elegant village of Poreta (340m) and up to its castle (450m). Up and down over the countryside, between the valley and the mountains, past Bazzano Superiore (570m), Bazzano Inferiore (360m) and Eggi (350m), at the extreme corner of the Valle Spoletana. Continue on secondary streets amid trees and scattered houses down to Spoleto (390m) and its beautiful Cathedral.

16km, 4h30, +1141 m / -1221 m: Start by getting to the Rocca d’Albornoz, at the top of the town, and across the spectacular Ponte delle Torri. A steep trail leads up to the franciscan sanctuary of Monteluco (780m). Amid woods and meadows, get to the pass of Forca delle Porelle (911m), then across the forests to the other side of the mountain. Downhill into the province of Terni, past the ghost-village of Sensati and further down to the vicinities of Le Cese. Continue downhill past the rural village of Nevi and the renovated Pontuglia until you reach Ceselli (270m) and Valtiberina.

16km, 4h30, +471 m / -507 m: Cross the bridge over the River Nera and follow the country road unwinding itself between the river and the mountains. The first village on the way is Colleponte, with Macenano on the opposite side of the bridge. A dirt road leads to Precetto (250m), with Ferentillo just across the river; here the narrow valley opens up into a small plane. Another dirt road follows the river down to Arrone (230m).

13km, 3h45, +504 m / -345 m: A short walk to Castel di Lago and we continue to follow the river on a pleasant country road, down to the edge of Collestatte Piano (220m). We are now close to the bottom side of the Marmore Waterfalls. A steep trail amid the woods leads to the top side and the village of Marmore (380m). A short walk takes us to the banks of the River Velino, that feeds the falls; we walk in upstream direction on a smooth trail that leads to Lake Piediluco; we are now in sight of the village, on the opposite side of this small but very beautiful lake. We continue along the lake banks to the little town of Piediluco (380m).

21km, 6h, +1205 m / -893 m: We begin by crossing the regional border with Lazio, into the province of Rieti. The trail climbs up to Labro (630m), a medieval village, perfectly preserved, topped by a castle overlooking the lake: we have begun the crossing over the flanks of the Reatini mountain range: the next village is Morro Reatino (740m), then we start climbing a mountain road, with a breath-taking view on the “Valle Santa”, leading to the St Francis Beech-tree (1100m) and the little chapel of St Francis. From there we descend across meadows and woods to the shepherds hamlet of Cepparo (850m) and again amid the woods and along the flanks of Mount Rosato to the Sanctuary of Poggio Bustone (818m).

17km, 4h45, +87 m / -414 m: We can start by hiking an extra stretch of about 2 Km up to the rustic chapel of Sacro Speco (1000m) and back to the sanctuary. The path takes us first into the little town of Poggio Bustone, just below the sanctuary, and into the country and woods hanging on the mountainside. We pass the village of San Liberato and through the historic town of Cantalice, hanging on the rocks (700m). We now descend gradually, first to the sanctuary of San Felice all’acqua (580m), with its miraculous spring, and then amid the woods further down and up again to the sanctuary of La Foresta (510m). A downhill walk takes us, finally, to Rieti (405m).

Rieti was the last province to be annexed to Lazio in 1927 and boasts a record: according to tradition, given its geographical position, this city is considered the navel of Italy, and a monument in the centre of the town is a reminder of that. The centre is the most ancient part of the city and is spread around the central hub of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, with the Fontana dei Delfini (Fountain of the Dolphins). Just opposite there is the Palazzo Comunale, with its original structure of the 13th century partly occupied by the Museo Civico, where archaeological finds dating from the ninth century BC to the late Roman period are kept as well as paintings dating from the 14th century to those of contemporary times. Facing the nearby Piazza Battisti is the Palace of the Prefecture, of Renaissance architecture, from whose garden one can enjoy a beautiful view over the oldest part of town and the surrounding mountains. The Duomo (Cathedral) was built around 1100, but reconstructed in later times. Next to it stands a bell tower. Next to the Cathedral is located the Palazzo Vescovile (Bishop's Palace), built in the 13th century. Just just before it is a monumental loggia and a courtyard that lead to the spectacular Salone Papale. To the north of the building there is the Arco del Vescovo (Bishop’s Arch), a flyover dating back to the late thirteenth century, built by Boniface VIII. In Via Roma there is Palazzo Vecchiarelli, by Carlo Maderno, and beside it the Romanesque church of S. Pietro Apostolo (S. Peter the Apostle). Noteworthy is also Palazzo Vicentini, one of the most interesting buildings, attributed to Sangallo. Once crossed the Bridge Velino, under which runs the river of the same name, one encounters the Monumento alla Lira (Monument to the Lira), which was unveiled in 2003 and made by the fusion of more than 2.2 million old 200-lira coins, collected for the occasion. And finally there's underground Rieti where, under some mansion houses in the city centre, one can visit the remains of the ancient Roman viaduct built in the third century BC.