Stage 7: Pietralunga - Gubbio

A stage of about 26 km on minor roads and mule tracks. These climbs and descents can be tackled with ease. The first section is in the silence of the mountain valleys, while the second part is all on the flat, as far as Gubbio. The route is dotted with hermitages, abbeys and small villages. Along the Way of St Francis, there are several opportunities to shorten the stage, while the churches and abbeys (even if closed) offer the opportunity to rest in the shade of the trees.

You walk without difficulty through woods and open meadows, which offer wide views of the surrounding hills, until you pass through a coniferous forest.

On the asphalted road, ahead of you the beautiful plain around Gubbio will suddenly open up, at the point where the horizontal field lines cross the vertical rows of poplars along the irrigation canals.

Once you reach Loreto, the landscape changes: the silent forests give way to cultivated fields and villages. You reach a tree-lined viewpoint next to the Church of St John the Baptist (usually closed, but the friendly caretaker lives right opposite). Continue downhill to the hamlet of Abbadia di Piazza, where you proceed along a minor road lined with imposing oak trees. From here begins a long stretch in full sun, on surfaced roads. You will then come to the new water fountain, the "Fonte del Pellegrino", a gift to pilgrims from the Parish of St Venantius in Semonte - Rione del Piano and the Diocese of Gubbio.

Arriving in Gubbio is a reward for your efforts - not only for the beauty of the place, but because of the very strong bond that unites St Francis to the city.

The endpoint of this stage is in front of the Church of St Francis, where you will notice the tender statue of St Francis and the Wolf, in memory of the miracle of the fierce beast tamed by the saint.