It’s not hard to tell when you’re approaching the popular Umbrian town of Assisi – its 13th-century basilica stretches along the top of the hill, dominating the skyline for miles around.
Although this area was known in the Middle Ages to people in the Middle Ages as ‘Hell’s Hill’, today thousands of people – art historians, tourists, and religious pilgrims alike – come to the city every year to visit. the basilica where Saint Francis of Assisi (or Saint Francis of Assisi, to give it its original Italian name) is buried.
In reality, the vast building is made up of two churches, one above the other, and they have a very different style. The upper church is Gothic and slender, while the lower one, accessed through a 13th-century arch, has a much more austere, almost squat appearance.
Here in the lower church, the magnificent frescoes, including works by Giotto, Lorenzetti and Martini, captivate visitors regardless of their religious beliefs.
The remains of Saint Francis were not really discovered until excavations under the altar were carried out in the early 1800s. In 1820, Pope Pius IX canonized Francis and ordered the construction of the neoclassical crypt, and it is here that countless people now come to pay their respects to Saint Francis.
Although the Basilica of San Francisco is the main attraction for visitors, there is still more to discover in this city where the Franciscan Order was born. By contrast, for example, the Lyrick Theater (Lyrick Theater) in Via G. D’Annunzio offers a varied program of dance, music, theater and comedy throughout the year.
Like anywhere in Italy, it goes without saying that you can also enjoy some of the best food and wine to be found. In Assisi, regional specialties include delicious mushrooms and that precious delicacy, the truffle. Extra virgin olive oil is particularly good here too, due to the thousands of olive trees in the landscape that give Umbria its silver-green glow.
Getting to Assisi is fairly easy, with a variety of options. The small international airport of Sant’Egidio is about 10 km away, although there is no bus connecting it to the city. Alternatively, the train is a good option. Traveling from Florence, for example, you can take one of the regular daily trains, simply changing at Terontola or Cortona. From Rome, take one of the ten daily trains again, this time changing at Foligno. Remember, though, that Umbrian train stations are at the foot of the hills, while the cities cling to the sides … and the Basilica of Saint Francis is at the top.
Maintaining the connection with San Francisco, you can also visit Isola Maggiore, the largest of the three islands in Lake Trasimeno, which can be easily reached in about 50 km. Saint Francis decided to spend Lent on the island in 1211, recognizing its closeness to nature and how perfect it was for quiet reflection. Today, Isola Maggiore is gently evolving into a simple cultural retreat, and creative writing workshops are held there every spring and fall, as well as the annual Isola del Libri book festival.