MANY PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH the Camino de Santiago, the historic pilgrimage in Spain. Fewer have heard of the Way of St. Francis. At around 300 miles (500 kilometers) this pilgrimage route connects legendary places in the life of history's best loved saint, Francis of Assisi.

Starting in Florence and ending in Rome, this route winds through the Apennine Mountains as it traces thousands of years of history in a magical and beautiful land. At its center point is the jewel of the entire pathway-Assisi. Author and pilgrim Russ Eanes, along with his wife Jane, tackled this challenging and deeply meaningful trail after walking 500 miles to Santiago, a pilgrimage that he had waited decades to make. A lifelong admirer and student of Saint Francis, Eanes was drawn to learn what he could by walking through the hills, valleys and towns of Tuscany and Umbria, Francis' enchanting homeland.

Always walking with Assisi as their goal, they discovered lonely mountain passes, cliff-top hermitages, remote villages and monasteries, ancient forests, charming locals, delicious food, and some of the world's most spectacular scenery. They come away with a deeper appreciation for the rugged and mystical landscape that shaped the world's most admired saint.