Italy > San Francesco of Assisi

The B&B has five rooms. Breakfast is served in a small common area. Laura welcomes us in Italian and explains the breakfast in continuous Italian. She speaks calmly and points everything out. Although we don’t understand her, we get most of it. She, in turn, understands that we want coffee and tea with toasted bread. After breakfast, we leave the luggage in the small hall and walk back into the city of Siena. The streets are quiet. The first tourists are starting to appear again. We cross the Via dei Montanini and arrive at the Basilica of Saint Dominic. From the church square, we see the Duomo cathedral sitting on the adjacent rocky outcrop. The church has been damaged in the past by fire and earthquakes. It was restored in the early 20th century. The Chapel of Catherine of Siena, on the right side of the basilica, is a pilgrimage site.

Italy - The church with the chapel of Catherine of Siena

From the church, we walk around the football stadium. We follow the city walls and come out again at the Porta Camollia city gate. This is where we entered the historic city yesterday. We walk toward the station where the car is parked. For the last part, we take the escalator again. At the parking meter, we only have to pay two euros. This indeed turns out to be the maximum rate. We don’t even have to pay extra for the new calendar day. By car, we drive back to the Bed and Breakfast to pick up our luggage. There is no free parking space in front of the door. We park the car double and get our luggage one by one so that someone is always by the car. We have time today. That’s why we stop on the way to Assisi at Lake Trasimeno. It might be nice to take a walk along the lake. The huge lake has a circumference of 54 kilometers. When we park the car in the village of Castello del Lago, on the south side of the lake, it turns out not to be a great place for a walk. There are mostly grassy fields and small beaches along the shore. Little shade. We decide to first have a drink and then sit comfortably in our chairs under the trees. Just enjoying doing nothing. More people stay in the shade.

Italy - Taking a break along Lake Trasimeno

A few dare to go into the water. At half past one, we pack everything up again. We drive to Assisi in about an hour. We stay again in a bed and breakfast. We can park on the property here. Very convenient, because parking near the fortress of Assisi is expensive. Free parking spaces are outside the town. A shuttle bus can take you to the center. Our navigation leads us flawlessly to the accommodation. We park the car next to the house. The owner shows us the room and explains the easiest way to get to the city. Shortly after, we walk under the Porta Nuova, the southern gate of the walled historic city of Assisi. It was Francis of Assisi who founded the order of the Friars Minor in 1221. The followers, the Franciscans, gave their possessions to the poor and lived in austerity themselves. In 1226, Francesco died in Assisi. After his death, the Basilica di San Francesco was built. His body was buried in the basilica, which became a pilgrimage site. The Basilica di Santa Chiara, dedicated to Chiara of Assisi, one of Francesco’s first followers, is the first church we come across. In the crypt beneath the church lies the embalmed body of Chiara. Judging by the direction of the visitors and the barriers, this place is usually much busier. Now, the flow of visitors is manageable. The streets are not overly crowded either. Of course, there are tourists, but not in large numbers. Perhaps this is due to the high temperatures or the somewhat later time of day. We wander through the medieval streets. On the Piazza del Comune stands the city hall and a Roman temple to Minerva. Behind the temple’s façade, a church was later built. The temple dates from the first century BC. The church dates from the 16th century and was later renovated in Baroque style. The lavish interior with bronze statues of this rather small church is beautiful. At the end of the main street, we arrive at the imposing Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. The church stands out beautifully against the lower landscape behind it.

Italy - The basilica in honor of Francis of Assisi

Here, it is clear that Assisi was founded on a strategic rocky plateau. The basilica consists of a lower and upper church. We first visit the lower church. The ceiling and walls are beautifully decorated with frescoes and biblical images. The church is a pilgrimage site. Taking photos is not allowed. The setting is also not conducive to sneaking one in. Believers pray in the church while tourists admire it. Via stairs, we reach the crypt under the church. Here stands the tomb of Saint Francesco. Some people cry at the saint’s grave. This feels somewhat ironic, as those who have the money to travel to the basilica are often far removed from the austere ideals of the Franciscans. The upper church is larger and perhaps a bit cold because of it. In 1997, the upper church was severely damaged by an earthquake. Part of the roof and the tower collapsed. Sadly, some people died due to the falling debris. The cathedral has fortunately been restored to its original state. The frescoes on the ceiling have also been restored. Walking through the church, you have no idea there is another church directly beneath. From the cathedral, we walk back to the center of Assisi. We order a beer. At the start of the evening, we decide not to walk back to our accommodation first and then return to the center to eat. In a small alley, we find a cozy terrace. While waiting for our food, we start chatting with an American couple. They have come to Europe to attend two weddings. In the days between, they are traveling through Italy.