Stage 9.C: Perugia - Assisi

You are now on the last 25 km that leads first to St Mary of the Angels, the site of the first Franciscan community, and then the ascent to Assisi, where your pilgrimage ends at the Tomb of St Francis inside the Basilica of St Francis. The Way takes you through densely populated areas, although the charm of evocation remains.

On the way from Perugia to St Mary of the Angels, St Francis explained to Brother Leo what "Perfect Joy" was and how to achieve it.

The "Marcia della Pace" ("March for Peace"), conceived by Aldo Capitini in 1961, also takes place on this stretch.

The route starts from the historic centre of Perugia and descends towards the valley.

Once you reach Ponte San Giovanni, after a stretch along the River Tiber, you continue partly on asphalt and partly on unsurfaced roads to St Mary of the Angels.

This is absolutely a place to stop, in order to visit the places where the spirit of the Poor Man of Assisi and the Order of Friars Minor lives on today.

From the Basilica, take the pilgrimage path known as the Strada Mattonata. From here, you can see your destination: the Basilica of St Francis. Continue along the Strada Mattonata and, after a flight of steps, turn left to reach Porta San Pietro and Assisi.

After crossing the square, you reach the Basilica of St Francis, where your pilgrimage ends in front of the Tomb of St Francis.