Overview
Roma Salaria is the southern trunk of the Via di Francesco, a roughly 246 km walking route that links Rome to Assisi across fourteen stages. The path opens at Saint Peter's Basilica, threads outward through the northern Roman quarters and the Marcigliana reserve, then climbs into the Sabina hills around Monterotondo, Ponticelli, and Poggio San Lorenzo before dropping into the Rieti plain. From Rieti the route turns through the sanctuaries that anchor Franciscan tradition in this part of central Italy — Poggio Bustone, La Foresta, Greccio, and Fonte Colombo — collectively known as the Holy Valley. North of the valley the trail crosses toward Umbria by way of Piediluco and the Nera river corridor through Arrone and Ceselli, then climbs to Spoleto and continues over Poreta, Trevi, and Foligno into Assisi. Surfaces alternate between asphalt lanes, gravel farm tracks, and waymarked footpaths; stage lengths range from about twelve to nearly thirty kilometres, and elevation gain is significant on several days. Segment-level planning is worthwhile because services and terrain change quickly between sections. Official GPX is available for both forward (Rome to Assisi) and reverse directions.