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A stage on the Sansepolcro branch.
Amid the beautiful mountain scenery and the fairytale forests that surround the small village of Montagna, the trail leads to another well-known place of Franciscan spirituality: the convent of Montecasale.
Encircled in an unspoilt setting, the convent stands on the ruins of an ancient military fortress. The Camaldolese order of friars then transformed it into a hospital that welcomed pilgrims. In 1213, it was donated to St Francis and his friars, who remained here until 1268. Permeated by a mystical aura, there are several places around the convent which are closely associated with St Francis. One of them is the spring that takes his name and is said to have been created by Francis himself, after a miraculous event. Another is the 'Sasso Spicco,' a large protruding boulder from which a waterfall has formed. Popular tradition has it that the future saint, in competition with a nightingale, would sing the praises of God at this spot.
Passing through the site of prehistoric finds known as Gorgo del Ciliegio, where the Afra river forms an idyllic bucolic scene, you reach Sansepolcro. Behind the walls of this ancient village are some historic buildings of particular interest, as well as several works by Piero della Francesca, who was born here, and sacred buildings such as the Church of St Francis, dedicated to Franciscan worship. Artisanal textile working and tailoring traditions have also been preserved, with the local lacemaking in particular being internationally renowned. Culinary traditions also abound, as the town is home to many delicious Tuscan flavours and also famous food manufacturers (Buitoni originated here in a small workshop in the early 1800s).
