From Assisi to Monte Subasio – ring tour – Regional Park of Monte Subasio

Hiking trails & Routes

From Assisi to Monte Subasio – ring tour – Regional Park of Monte Subasio

Hard

4.8

(45)

139

hikers

From Assisi to Monte Subasio – ring tour – Regional Park of Monte Subasio

05:25

14.8km

910m

Hiking

Embark on a challenging yet rewarding hike from Assisi to Monte Subasio, a difficult 9.2-mile (14.8 km) ring tour that takes approximately 5 hours and 24 minutes to complete. You will gain about 2971 feet (905 metres) in elevation, requiring a very good fitness level. The trail transitions from cultivated olive groves near Assisi to dense oak forests, eventually opening into expansive meadows and pastures with panoramic views of the Umbria, Chiascio, and Tiber valleys, often showcasing stunning vistas of Assisi from above. You might even spot wild horses near the summit.

This hard hike demands sure-footedness and sturdy shoes, as the varied terrain includes unpaved, gravel, natural, and sometimes paved sections. While the research does not specify trailhead access or parking details, it is generally wise to plan your visit to Monte Subasio Regional Park during favorable weather conditions, as the significant elevation gain and duration suggest a full day's commitment. Always check local conditions before you go.

The Monte Subasio area is deeply connected to Saint Francis of Assisi, who often sought solitude here for prayer. A notable feature is the Eremo delle Carceri, an ancient Franciscan sanctuary nestled in a centuries-old holm oak forest, which is a significant spiritual site. The trail also highlights unique geological features, such as large sinkholes known as "mortari," with some reaching impressive dimensions near the summit, adding to the natural wonders of this historic route.

Last updated: April 23, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parco Regionale del Monte Subasio

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

3.67 km

Colle San Rufino

Highlight • Viewpoint

Colle San Rufino, located in the northern area of the Monte Subasio Regional Park and a stone's throw from Assisi, offers breathtaking views of the city, Mount Subasio and the Umbrian Valley.

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Tip by

7.45 km

Monte Subasio Summit

Highlight • Summit

The mountain Monte Subasio, the local mountain of Assisi, is about 1,290 meters high and is an ancient and mystical mountain. Since early Christian times, its caves have been home to many ascetics and hermits, and its forests have been crossed by monks who settled there over time. Of course, among these monks was Saint Francis. The mountain has a “rounded top”, a huge summit plateau and this offers a breathtaking panoramic view that is second to none. During our hike in October 2023, we were even able to see wild horses in the wild up there.

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9.15 km

Croce di Sasso Piano (Sasso Piano Cross)

Highlight • Summit

The cross at the summit of the Sasso Piano (Croce di Sasso Piano) at 1124 m stands on a grassy saddle and offers the hiker a breathtaking panoramic view of the Umbrian landscape and the old town of Assisi at its feet. There are also beautiful views of Monte Tezio and Monte Acuto (N-W), Perugia and Lake Trasimeno (W-N-W), whose reflections are only visible in the afternoon, the saddle of Torgiano (W), the wooded hills of Bettona (W-S-W ), in the background the Martani Mountains (S-S-W), on the Bevagna (S) and Foligno (S-S-E) valley sections.
The large, massive limestone boulders on the plateau appear to have been shaped for the use of hikers, who find this an ideal place for rest and reflection.
"Cities, villages, castles, churches, farmhouses, rivers, streams, blue forests, lonely peaks, rich pastures, gentle olive groves, arduous plains appear from above as if in the magic of a vision" (Arnaldo Fortini).

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11.2 km

Statue of Friar Masseo and Chapel, Eremo delle Carceri

Highlight • Religious Site

Hermitage of the Prisons, Assisi
The Shrine of the Hermitage of the Prisons
An ancient Franciscan shrine on Monte Subasio, 4 km from Assisi and 800 meters above sea level, in the heart of a forest of centuries-old holm oaks, is one of the Franciscan shrines guarded by the Friars Minor of the Seraphic Province of Saint Francis of Assisi. The word "carcere" does not mean "prison": it comes from the Latin "carcer," meaning a remote, solitary place, therefore suitable for the life of prayer. Francis, his companions, and, after them, the friars, came here for some prayers.
Hermitage of the Prisons, Via Eremo delle Carceri, 38, 06081 Assisi PG, Italy
Text/Source: SERAPHIC PROVINCE OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI OF THE UMBRIAN FRIES MINOR
santuarioeremodellecarceri.org

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11.4 km

Hermitage of the Carceri

Highlight • Religious Site

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Tip by

12.8 km

View of the Umbrian Plain from Montarone

Highlight • Viewpoint

Anyone who undertakes the journey from Assisi passes through this point along the path to the Carceri hermitage. The route is quite steep and mainly made up of loose scree, crossing enchanted woods. However, with a little attention, the effort is amply rewarded by the fantastic view of the Umbrian plain.

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Tip by

14.8 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

4.91 km

3.08 km

2.63 km

2.51 km

1.65 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

5.72 km

5.09 km

1.58 km

1.11 km

562 m

491 m

260 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Friday 23 October

17°C

8°C

46 %

Additional weather tips

There’s a fairly high chance of rain. Consider packing a waterproof jacket.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

September 23, 2025,Rundwanderung von Assisi über Colle San Rufino und Monte Subasio nach Santuartio Eremo Delle Carcuri

The tour begins with a steep climb that ends at Colle delle Rufino. The subsequent crossing of Monte Subasio affords magnificent views of the surrounding landscape and the Apennine mountain ranges. The return route leads along narrow paths past the Croce di Sassopiano – with a magnificent view of Assisi – to the Sanctuary Eremo delle Carceri. From there, an …

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February 23, 2025,Da Assisi a Monte Subasio – giro ad anello – Parco Regionale del Monte Subasio

IMPORTANT!!! Along the path, halfway between point 2 and the top of Mount Subasio, you will encounter, once fenced with barbed wire, the access to a cave, which can be accessed from above by lowering yourself with a rope, through a structure still present. The fence has been knocked down, giving the possibility of accessing the entrance which is not …

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