Introduction: The first part of the route follows the way that, according to tradition, St Francis walked when he returned to Assisi from La Verna in September 1224. A short variant, just after the start, lets you visit a few places of historical and environmental interest, but the most interesting part is the passage by the Eremo della Casella. Here the Saint bade his last farewell to the Sacro Monte della Verna. The hike comes to a fitting end at the Santuario della Verna, which you reach from Casina dell'Alpe with an easy traverse of just over half a day. With a few hours to spare, you can visit the sanctuary and do a short loop on Monte Penna before returning to Chiusi della Verna.
Route characteristics: a fairly long hike but of moderate physical effort, with no technical difficulty at all. Water available at several points along the route. Normal equipment for hikes of medium difficulty is required.
Route description
Day 1:
Chiusi della Verna (970 m) – La Rocca (930 m) – La Pietra (885 m) – SP 54 (870 m) – GEA junction (875 m) - Croce al Varco (1090 m) – Eremo della Casella (1260 m) – Sgolo dei Rogai (1155 m) – Rif. Casina dell'Alpe (970 m)
From the centre of Chiusi della Verna you go down to Fonte Campari on path 50–GEA, and leave it straight away for path 044; you reach the hamlets of La Rocca and La Pietra, which have some very well restored houses. After crossing the SP 54, you follow path 036 for just 600 metres, until you rejoin path 50-GEA; turn left and start the climb (5 km) to the Eremo della Casella. The route, more and more open and panoramic, passes Poggio dell'Assunzione (1037 m), the important crossroads of Croce al Varco and Monte Foresto (1224 m). You always follow the main route along the ridge, ignoring the various junctions, until you reach the superb clearing where the Eremo della Casella stands; after a well-earned rest, you start the descent, following path 50-GEA as far as an important junction at 1150 m; carry straight on, leaving on your left the GEA, which goes down to Caprese Michelangelo. At the important junction of Sgolo dei Rogai, you leave path 50 for good and take path 028; after 1 km of descent, watch out for another junction (1075 m) where you turn right, after a metal barrier, onto path 029. The last 2 km of descent bring you to Casina dell'Alpe.
Day 2:
Rif. Casina dell'Alpe (970 m) – Pian d'Acero (930 m) – SP 60 (710 m) – Molino di Fognano (635 m) - Junction of paths 033/034 (850 m) – Poggio Casale (1015 m) – La Beccia (975 m) - Santuario de La Verna (1130 m) – Monte Penna (1280 m) - Chiusi della Verna (960 m)
You pick up the forest road again (path 029) to Casa Montefresco (925 m); carry straight on (path 025) as far as the important junction just above Pian d'Acero, where you continue left downhill until you cross the SP60. Take path 034, which goes down to the floor of the Rassina valley and the Molino di Fognano. Just above the mill, an ugly logging track has partly wiped out the old path: take it to the left, crossing an area scarred by heavy felling work (keep an eye out for the surviving waymarks); keep following the track (path 034) until you meet path 033. Turn right onto the wide unsurfaced road, with a fine view on the left. Following the waymarks of path 033, you leave the road to pick up the path that climbs to Poggio Casale and then drops steeply to the locality of La Beccia. Here you find signs for the old pedestrian access road to La Verna: one last, very steep climb finally brings you to the Sanctuary.
Up to here you have covered about 12.000 km: to complete the hike, allow about another 4 km and a couple of hours more for the Monte Penna loop and the return to Chiusi della Verna.
Variants and alternatives
Many alternatives are possible; see the hiking map “Fra Arno e Tevere” - Scale 1:25,000 - pub. Selca – Florence 1998, with accompanying path guide.
Notes on effort and difficulty
Visitor centres and accommodation
Rifugio Casina dell'Alpe, hotels and hostels in Chiusi della Verna; visitor centre and tourist information point “La Podesteria” in Chiusi della Verna.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you sleep between the first and the second day?
The first stage ends at Rifugio Casina dell'Alpe (970 m), after about 6 and a half hours' walking via the Eremo della Casella. On the second day, of about 6 hours, you climb to the Santuario della Verna and return to Chiusi della Verna.
Are the Franciscan paths from Chiusi della Verna difficult?
No: the route is long but of moderate physical effort, with no technical difficulties, on forest roads and wide ridge paths with CAI waymarks. It is suitable for a regular hiker; the fact sheet marks it as not suitable for children.