Stage 9: Arrone - Ceselli

A relaxing 15-km stage, useful for relaxing the muscles and preparing for the climb towards Spoleto.

You walk on the flat along the Nera River Valley, whose bends have been likened, in local legends, to the coils of a dragon.

Along the ancient communication routes, guarded by the hillside castles, you walk immersed in green countryside. The Way of St. Francis starts at the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Arrone and climbs pleasantly along the narrow valley of the River Nera.

The trail is flat, with the rocky outcrops of the mountains sloping down into the valley on the right, with the clear waters of the river on the left. In the distance, Ferentillo appears, with its twin castles - Precetto and Matterella - which face each other from the Sant'Angelo and Gabbio mountains. The small town is worth a stop to discover the unusual "Museum of the Mummies," housed in the crypt of the Church of St Stephen. It is said that among the mummies are the bodies of two Eastern pilgrims who passed through Umbria.

Leaving the village, we walk through the valley until, on the mountainside on the other side of the river, we see the Abbey of St Peter in the Valley, with its imposing bell tower. For those who have time, the abbey is definitely worth a detour, as it is home to works of art of exceptional beauty.

Before long, you reach Ceselli, nestled beyond the river on a gentle hill.