The Saint Francis' Walk 

“And the tall, black, mysterious Verna enters history from this aerial eagle's nest carved out of the rock”

This quote by Monsignor Antonio Tani (from “San Francesco nel Montefeltro”, 1926), recalls the event that is at the origin of the Way. In the town of San Leo (ancient Mons Feretri), St Francis was gifted Mount La Verna by Count Orlando Catani of Chiusi in Casentino on 8 May 1213. It is also where he received his stigmata in 1224 and where the sanctuary, one of the main sites in Franciscan history, now stands.

 

 

Third leg: from San Leo to Sant'Agata Feltria

-> next leg: from Sant'Agata Feltria to Balze

<- previous leg: from Villa Verucchio to San Leo

  

 

WARNING: during periods of heavy rainfall, the stretch after San Leo from Località Poggio, can be difficult due to the mud and, above all, for overcoming a ford on the little road that from the base of the Maioletto cliff descends to the provincial road that connects Maiolo to Novafeltria. It is advisable in these cases to take information on site and possibly from Poggio resume the paved road that leads to the village of Maiolo. From behind the Town Hall, take Via Case Gasperoni and follow it up to the provincial road, rejoining the path of the path just above Cà Migliore.

 

You go down again to the valley and then up on the opposite ridge that borders the left hydrographic bank, beyond which, in the Valle del Savio, there is Sant'Agata Feltria. The stage twists and turns most entirely though dirt tracks, with some stretch of asphalt.

It starts in the direction of the rocky cliff of Maioletto, visible from the center of San Leo, while you are walking you can admire the wonderful landscape from San Leo to Il Poggio, a small town lined up on a crest. You can cross it though a beautiful scenic route, with suggestive passages of deep ravines, passing through a clayish area, which may be arduous in the rainy periods. After arriving at Maioletto cliff, turn on the left inside the wood, descending until you reach a bridge over Marecchia river. If you cross it crossed you can visit Novafeltria.

Turn left on the bike path that goes up the Marecchia and follow it to the height of Torricella, birthplace of the Servant of God "Blessed" Father Francesco from Torricella which is reached through the SP. Marecchiese.

The paths goes forward to narrow roads and cattle tracks to the ridge road, at the height of Botticella fraction. Turn left in the direction of Sant'Agata Feltria and follow it to the chapel of the Madonna del Soccorso, from where left a wide path, with even the white and red signs of the San Vicinio Way leading up to Sant'Agata feltria at whose doors we find the Convent of the Capuchin Friars (quarters) and the Convent of the Poor Clares (quarters).

The village is one of the main "Franciscan places" of Montefeltro. An ancient tradition reports that St. Francis discovered this territory, most likely in May 1213. The presence of the Poor Clares area is contemporary  San Francis, as the Monastery of Saint Antimo, whose foundation is traced to Agnes, Saint Clare’s sister, in 1218, six years after the foundation of the Convent of St. Clare at San Damiano in Assisi. It is considered the second oldest monastery of the Poor Clares order. The Capuchin monastery was built in 1575-77. For a long time it was also present the Friars Minor who moved in Rocca Fregoso 1781 to 1820, abandoned the old convent of the Plans, dating back to the sixteenth century.

The Committee of Sant'Agata Cultural Heritage has developed a religious path: "Friar Francis in Sant'Agata Feltria" that touches on all the places that mark the presence of the Franciscans in the territory.

 

Download track 3rd leg GPX format

Distance: 20.5 km

Height difference: +840 m, -828 m

Times: from San Leo to Sant'Agata 6 h 30 '; from Sant'Agata to San Leo 6 h

 

HOSPITALITY

 

in Maiolo:

  • loc. il Poggio, B&B Le due Rocche, +039 0541 22994 - +039 339 5054215, www.leduerocche.it
  • Agriturismo La Boscara,  0541 916109 - 339 7496066, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

in Novafeltria:

in Sant'Agata Feltria: 

 

TOUR OPERATORS

APPENNINO SLOW, 379 1528959 - 339 8283383, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

FRANCESCO'S WAYS, 370 1106929, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

RESTAURANT POINTS ALONG THE WAY

in Torricella: Circolo ARCI, +039 339 4779531

in Sant'Agata:

- Bar Luna 69, 371 3197279

- Trattoria Bossari, +039 0541 929697