Once the idea was planted in my head – it wouldn’t shift. I invested in a guidebook and amongst the varied routes I could choose Florence to Assisi via La Verna was the one I kept coming back to. It is at least 275km (170 miles) through the hills, and mountains of Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy.
You can check out my route using the following link:-
https://hiiker.app/hikes/users/via-di-francesco–1071824465
It is going to be a significant physical challenge with over 12,200 meters of ascent over the eighteen days of walking.
More importantly it is a religious pilgrimage. I see it as a journey in time and space.
Time in terms of the days of travel to get to the start and finish and then the eighteen days of walking. Also the echos of St Francis along the way especially at the Sanctuary of La Verna and at Assisi. I will start walking in the season of Easter climb to the mountain on the eve of Ascension and arrive at my destination on the Feast of Pentecost. I am not sure yet what that means.
In space I leave from the very busy city of Florence with its crowds and tourists through quieter towns and villages to the busy vity of Assisi with its crowds and tourists.