--- title: "In the News: A New Milestone on the Way of St. Francis" description: "The 2026 Games — split across the fashion capital of Milan and the jewel of the Dolomites, Cortina d'Ampezzo — gave the world not just great sport, but a masterclass in Italian beauty. And for Team USA, it delivered something even sweeter: a record-breaking performance that will be talked about for years." image: https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/shutterstock_2713140235-1.jpg --- [![Avanti Destinations Logo](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png?width=100&height=63&name=Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png "Avanti Destinations Logo")](http://www.avantidestinations.com) [![Avanti Destinations Logo](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png?width=100&height=63&name=Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png "Avanti Destinations Logo")](http://www.avantidestinations.com) - [The Avanti Traveler](https://info.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler) - [Blog Homepage](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler) - [Avanti Podcast](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/avanti-podcast/the-avanti-podcast) - [Avanti Destinations](https://www.avantidestinations.com/home) - [Subscribe Now](https://share.hsforms.com/1FoJwsgeZQ366rRMQXb1RJQ158jk) search - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 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On April 26, 2026, a 35-kilometer section connecting Assisi to Bagnara di Nocera Umbra, passing the Grotta dell'Angelo, was formally inaugurated as the route's 15th stage. The new stretch traces the final journey St Francis made in his own lifetime, carrying walkers across nearly 2,000 meters of cumulative elevation gain through Monte Subasio Park and into the heart of [Umbria](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=46). > > It's the latest sign of momentum for a pilgrimage route that has spent the last decade growing from a scattered network of local paths into one of Europe's most compelling long-distance walks, connecting [Tuscany](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=46), Umbria, and Lazio through the towns and landscapes that shaped the life of Italy's patron saint. > > > > # **What Makes It Different ![shutterstock\_1710140188](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_1710140188.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=shutterstock_1710140188.jpg)** > > Unlike the crowds now common on the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St Francis remains wonderfully uncrowded. The full route runs roughly 500 kilometers from La Verna, in the Tuscan Apennines, through [Assisi](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=54) and on to [Rome](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=26), but it is entirely modular. Clients can walk the northern stretch from La Verna to Assisi, the southern leg from Rome to Assisi, or any combination of stages in between, each one waymarked and supported by an official pilgrim credential that can be stamped along the way. > > What travelers find along the route is less about ticking off sights and more about the rhythm of the landscape itself: cypress-lined ridgelines, stone hermitages tucked into forest, and hill towns that have changed remarkably little since Francis himself passed through them eight centuries ago. > > **Not Just for Devoted Pilgrims > ![shutterstock\_2680190833](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2680190833.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=shutterstock_2680190833.jpg)** > > > Advisors shouldn't assume this is a niche sell reserved for religious travelers. The Way of St Francis works just as well as a scenic, story-rich walking add-on for clients already touring Tuscany and Umbria. A single day's stage into Assisi, paired with a night in a countryside hotel and a proper Umbrian dinner, delivers all the atmosphere of the pilgrimage without requiring weeks on the trail. > > For clients who do want a deeper immersion, multi-day guided treks are increasingly available, complete with luggage transfers, curated lodging, and local guides who bring the region's history and cuisine into the walk itself. > > > > # **Pairing the Way with Avanti's Italy Portfolio** > > The route's real strength for advisors is how naturally it threads through destinations Avanti already sells. > > > **FLORENCE & LA VERNA > ![shutterstock\_2149100771](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2149100771.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=shutterstock_2149100771.jpg)** > > > The northern gateway to the route begins near [Florence](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=46), where clients can spend a few nights soaking up the Renaissance city before heading into the Casentino forest toward the Sanctuary of La Verna, the remote mountaintop monastery where Francis is said to have received the stigmata. It's an easy pairing for any Tuscany-based itinerary, offering a quiet, contemplative counterpoint to Florence's museums and piazzas. > > > **ASSISI > ![shutterstock\_2117678930](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2117678930.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=shutterstock_2117678930.jpg)** > > The heart of the pilgrimage and one of Umbria's most rewarding stops, Assisi rewards clients with a walk through its medieval old town, a visit to the [Basilica of St Francis](https://book.avantidestinations.com/product_description?sourceid=st&utype=tc&stype=DTR&supid=ROMSIR-XPVTW&servid=ROMSIR-XPVTW&tgsupid=ROMSIR-XPVTW&tgservid=ROMSIR-XPVTW&title=Private%20Assisi%20Walking%20Tour%20-%202%20Hours&extrainfo=N&internalinfo=N), and now, thanks to the new 15th stage, an extended trail experience heading toward Nocera Umbra and the Grotta dell'Angelo for those looking to go further. > > > > **PERUGIA, SPOLETO & MONTEFALCO > ![shutterstock\_2144496593](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2144496593.jpg?width=500&height=333&name=shutterstock_2144496593.jpg)** > > > Umbria's regional capital, [Perugia](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/italy-advisorreferenceguide?p=54), and its neighboring hill towns make excellent bases for clients combining trail time with Avanti's existing Umbrian Excellence-style itineraries: think gastronomic walking tours, wine and olive oil tastings, and countryside stays that let travelers rest their legs between stages. > > > > **ROME > ![shutterstock\_377901673](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_377901673.jpg?width=500&height=340&name=shutterstock_377901673.jpg)** > > > For clients tackling the full southern route, or simply capping off their Italian journey, the Way of St Francis eventually leads all the way to Rome, giving advisors a natural through-line from quiet Umbrian hill towns to the grandeur of the Eternal City. > > > > # **The Bottom Line** > > The new Assisi-to-Bagnara stage may represent just a small stretch of the trail, but it's a meaningful signal: the Way of St Francis is still growing, still gaining polish, and still largely undiscovered by most American travelers. For advisors already selling Avanti's Tuscany and Umbria product, it offers a fresh, story-driven reason to extend a client's stay, whether that means one memorable afternoon walking into Assisi or a full pilgrimage from La Verna to Rome. Either way, it's a trail worth putting in front of your clients. > >   > > Reach us at (800) 422-5053 or (503) 295-1100, > email FIT requests to [requests@avantidestinations.com](mailto:requests@avantidestinations.com), > group requests to [groups@avantidestinations.com](mailto:groups@avantidestinations.com), > or visit us at [www.avantidestinations.com](http://www.avantidestinations.com). - [Florence](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/florence) - [Rome](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/rome) - [Way of St. Francis](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/way-of-st-francis) - [Assisi](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/assisi) - [Perugia](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/perugia) 0 [Avanti Destinations](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/author/avanti-destinations) [![image](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/shutterstock_1394140064.jpg)](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/the-chocolate-hills-bohols-ancient-unanswered-question) [next](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/the-chocolate-hills-bohols-ancient-unanswered-question) ### [The Chocolate Hills: Bohol's Ancient, Unanswered Question](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/the-chocolate-hills-bohols-ancient-unanswered-question) [![2025-2026 Go365 e-Brochure](https://content.avantidestinations.com/marketing/blog_banner_ads/2024/08212024-01-Go365-Campaign-eBrochureLink-TopAd-BlogBanner.png)](https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/go365-travelyearround/full-view.html) [![Repeat Travel Benefit](https://content.avantidestinations.com/marketing/blog_banner_ads/2024/08212024-02-RepeatTraveler-Campaign-IncentivePDF-MiddleAd-BlogBanner.png)](https://book.avantidestinations.com/includes/downloads_flyers/Avanti_Promotion_Repeat_Traveler_Benefit.pdf) [![Last-Minute Europe Travel](https://content.avantidestinations.com/marketing/blog_banner_ads/2024/08212024-03-LastMinuteEuropeTravel-Campaign-WebEmailLink-BottomAd-BlogBanner.png)](https://news.avantidestinations.com/extend-summertime-bliss-with-avantis-last-minute-booking-line) #### You may also like [![image](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/shutterstock_2297802031.jpg)](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/nates-week-in-germany-gluhwein-gothic-spires-and-a-dachshund-museum) [Germany](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/germany) ### [Nate's Week in Germany: Gluhwein, Gothic Spires, and a Dachshund Museum](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/nates-week-in-germany-gluhwein-gothic-spires-and-a-dachshund-museum) by [Avanti Destinations](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/author/avanti-destinations) August 28 2026 [![image](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/shutterstock_2525374151.jpg)](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/your-2026-upgrade-is-here-avanti-advantage) [Avanti InstaQuote](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/avanti-instaquote) ### [Your 2026 Upgrade Is Here: Avanti Advantage](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/your-2026-upgrade-is-here-avanti-advantage) by [Avanti Destinations](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/author/avanti-destinations) July 16 2026 [![image](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/Shutterstock_2642328935.jpg)](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/in-the-news-king-charles-iii-england-coast-path-is-now-open) [UK](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/uk) ### [In the News: King Charles III England Coast Path is Now Open!](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/in-the-news-king-charles-iii-england-coast-path-is-now-open) by [Avanti Destinations](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/author/avanti-destinations) July 24 2026 [![image](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hubfs/Shutterstock_2358697073.jpg)](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/in-the-news-olympics-in-milan-cortina) [Italy](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/tag/italy) ### [In the News: Olympics in Milan & Cortina](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/in-the-news-olympics-in-milan-cortina) by [Avanti Destinations](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/the-avanti-traveler/author/avanti-destinations) February 27 2026 [![Avanti Destinations Logo](https://blog.avantidestinations.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png?width=100&height=63&name=Avanti-Logo-Color-4.png "Avanti Destinations Logo")](http://www.avantidestinations.com) - 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