Italy Day Fifteen - May Day in Assisi

  (A multi-part recap of my mid-April to early May Italy trip.)

It was up and at 'em once again!  I arose that morning in the town of Siena and prepared to leave for our tour's next destination.  After thirteen days on the road my buddy Kim and I were getting used to the pattern - arrive in a new town, have two days and nights to explore, and then pack up and do it all over again (lather, rinse, repeat.)

Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli

Today's destination was the town of Assisi, home of Italy's most revered patron saint, Francis of Assisi.  It also happened to be May 1st, which was Labor Day, a national holiday celebrated by Italians.  Our tour's main guide (MG) warned us all to expect huge crowds everywhere, since many locals had the day off.

Golden statue of Mary on top of the basilica

After loading up our bus once again, driver Pino headed straight out of Siena for the approximately two hour drive to Assisi.  Approaching the famous village, we noticed this walled city was perched atop a large hill, its buildings spreading out along the crest.  Before heading into Assisi, our tour first stopped at an important historical basilica located at the foot of this hill, the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

Stately columns at the basilica's entrance

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels) was the place where St. Francis of Assisi accepted his vocation, renounced the world in order to live in poverty, and began the Franciscan movement.  Fittingly, this was also the place where he died.

Basilica wooden doors

Born in 1202 into a rich family, young Francesco Bernardone was sent into battle against a neighboring region.  Captured by his enemies and imprisoned for a year, Francis returned to his homeland changed by the experience.  He spent more time in prayer and fasting.  Then after a vision, Francis renounced his family and all his possessions, and dedicated his life to God.  Many other young men, touched by Francis' simple life, joined him and they began traveling around Italy, spreading the word of the Gospel.  Preaching outdoors, and using the local language instead of Latin, his message of simplicity and embracing poverty gathered many followers, until Francis was recognized by the Pope.  He established the Franciscan Order of the Catholic church, which today has many friars worldwide helping the poor and preaching for peace.

One of the statues on the outside

Having seen so many opulent Italian churches by now, this basilica's exterior was a bit ho-hum.  There were still tall white marble columns, and a few sculptures adorning its facade, but that was about it.  The basilica did have a beautiful golden statue of the Virgin Mary adorning the highest point of the structure, which was quite stunning.

Assisi from the lower town

Sadly, photography was not allowed inside of the basilica, so I have no interior pictures to show you.  But I can describe a bit of what I saw.  The most important item inside the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli was a tiny chapel located directly underneath the basilica's dome.  This was the historic Porziuncola Chapel, where St. Francis first preached after founding the Franciscan Order.  Dating back to the 9th century, this little church was given to St. Francis by the local Benedictine monks.  It was kind of strange to see a small building inside a much larger church.  However, in the 16th century, this tiny chapel became much too small to accommodate the many pilgrims journeying here to pay homage to St. Francis, necessitating this grand basilica to be built over top over of it.

Assisi taking up the entire hillside

The other item of interest inside the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli was the Cappella del Transito, which marked the spot of St. Francis' death on October 3, 1226.  It was a small chapel behind an ornate wrought iron fence with a simple altar and some frescoes on the walls.  Besides these two chapels this basilica was much like the many churches I'd seen in Italy so far, with an austere main aisle and several much more decorative side chapels.  There was a mass being said while we were inside, so my friends and I didn't feel we should linger long.

Assisi was super crowded because of the May Day holiday 

Later while researching for this blog post, I read that this basilica had a famous rose garden and chapel just outside of the main church (which my friends and I obviously missed.)  The Rose Chapel was built over the place where St. Francis lived and prayed.  According to the story, one night St. Francis was feeling temptation to abandon his way of life.  In attempt to overcome his doubts, he rolled naked in a patch of bramble thorns.  After contact with his body, the brambles turned into thornless dog roses.  Ever since then, dog roses have been grown here in this garden.

Scout group taking a tour

After being given only a fast and furious 45 minutes to tour this basilica and its grounds (with ten of those minutes being spent in the restroom line), my friends and I raced back to our waiting bus.  While boarding, our MG pulled Kim aside.  Debbie and I watched from the bus window as the two conversed.  After yesterday's contentious exchange about the MG's lack of oversight regarding her dietary restrictions, we were both hoping our MG was apologizing to Kim. 

 

Views between the buildings

But no - this was not the case at all!  Kim entered the bus looking visibly upset.  She said that the MG told her she'd looked up Kim's traveler profile on the tour company's website last night, and claimed none of her dietary restrictions were listed.  Kim said that the MG's tone was quite accusatory, implying that all the meal troubles experienced this far were Kim's fault, not hers.

As you can imagine, this put Kim (and us) in a terrible mood.  She was quite sure her food restrictions had been listed, and tried to access the tour company's website to check her profile, but with no success.

Bell tower of the Temple of Minerva

While my friends and I were stewing about MG's latest outburst towards Kim, the bus was busy traveling through the low plains, heading for the hilltop village of Assisi.  Following a winding road uphill, we slowly made our way towards this most famous town.  The midday traffic was quite heavy, and when our bus approached the parking areas, one of the attendants directed us to a parking area far from the main town square.  But MG and our bus driver fibbed and told the attendant she had a disability, so we were allowed to park super close.  Over the bus intercom, our MG gloated about getting away with this lie.  She bragged about how this would save us from walking so far - and joked about having to fake a limp when she got off the bus.  This didn't set well with me or my friends.  We didn't mind a bit of walking.  The handicap spots should've gone to those who really needed them.  Yet another example of the unprofessionalism displayed by our MG.

Temple of Minerva

After unloading, our tour group joined the throngs of people all headed towards Assisi's town center.  I couldn't believe how many visitors there were!  It so reminded me of our first day in Florence, which also happened to coincide with another national holiday.  There were groups of people of all ages and walks of life - senior citizens, to church groups, to schoolchildren.  I even spotted a bunch of kids that were dressed in what looked like scouting uniforms.

Chiesa Nuova

After leading us to the main town square, marked by a lovely fountain and an ancient Roman temple, MG told us we had about an hour to get lunch and look around.  Then we'd gather back at the temple for an afternoon tour with a local guide.

Pictures of Mary were everywhere

After our latest tussle with MG, neither Kim, Debbie nor I were very hungry.  But when on tour, you eat when you have the opportunity, so my friends and I had some unremarkable paninis at one of the local cafes.  I went to use the cafe's restroom, and found it to be the absolute worst WC I visited in Italy.  Hearing this, my friends decided to use the nearby public WC's instead.  So we walked a few blocks and found the restrooms next to a cute little stone church (which I later discovered was called the "Chiesa Nuova" and had been built atop the presumed birthplace of St. Francis.)

Lovely flag-lined alleys

The streets of Assisi seemed to wander haphazardly, with the buildings stair-stepping in an aimless jumble around them.  My friends and I didn't have a map of the town, and not wanting to get lost and miss our tour, we didn't wander far.  We followed one cobblestoned lane a few blocks and found a nice viewpoint of the surrounding countryside.

One of Assisi's main streets

However despite the disorganized vibe, I found Assisi to be quite scenic.  The brown stone buildings were lovely, and many of them had colorful flags hanging from their upper levels.  Vibrant flowers bloomed in window boxes and pots adjacent to doorways.  There were religious icons everywhere, from mosaics of Mary with child on a nearby wall, to a full size statue of St. Francis of Assisi with some of his animal friends.

A lovely fountain near the town square

If only we hadn't visited on a national holiday!  Ugh, the crowds were so heavy, it was hard to get anywhere.  It kind of ruined the fun of visiting Assisi.  And the town allowed autos on the same narrow streets as pedestrians, creating some issues when vehicles tried to squeeze through the throngs of people.

Doorway to a nearby church

Colorful flags lined the streets

The Basilica of St. Clare

The narrow street framed this tower

Because Assisi attracted a large number of religious people on pilgrimages, there was one particular street that I noticed was lined with shops catering to Catholic clergy.  Since my son is a priest, I just had to enter one of them and have a look around.  I told the lady at the register about my son, and asked if I could take a few photos of the beautiful vestments they had for sale.  Happily, the shop lady had no problem with that.

A explored a shop selling priestly vestments

I'd never seen so much Catholic stuff in one place!  There were all sorts of priest robes, chalices, and other things necessary for a Catholic mass.  I noticed one shelf full of colorful rosaries, and decided to pick one out for my son.  The one I chose had the rounded cross of St. Francis and was made of wood.  Since the shop lady had been so nice, I wanted to purchase something.

Lots of rosaries for sale too

By then it was nearing our designated meet up time, so my friends and I hurried back to the Temple of Minerva, where our group was supposed to gather.  This impressive building was a first-century BC Roman temple.  It had tall columns rising high above the street level and an equally lofty bell tower.  In a town of brown brick buildings, the temple's gray stone facade looked out of place.  Although Assisi was originally founded by the Umbrian people, it was conquered by the Romans in 295 BC and thrived under their rule for centuries.

The flag of Assisi

After rounding up everyone, my tour-mates and I we were introduced to our local guide for Assisi, an older man that appeared quite knowledgeable about his hometown.  He quickly started down one of the main streets, called via San Franceso.  Weaving through the crowds, and we all tried not to lose him in the mass of people.

The streets were crowded with people and autos

I don't remember much of anything the man pointed out to our group on this tour.  It was partially due to me trying to take photographs of this lovely little town, but I also think enough time has passed (remember this was early May) that I've forgotten most of what the guide said.  So enjoy this next batch of photos from our walk without commentary.

Potted plants on this stairway

Interesting fountain

Where does this path go?

Steep lane between buildings

Wonderful countryside views

Lovely buildings

Church dome framed in the arch

Good place for a photo op!

St. Francis of Assisi statue

After a bit of walking down the via San Francesco, I started to see a large, white cathedral at the street's end.  Hordes of people were all heading towards it.  Our guide said that this was the Basilica of St. Francis, the famous church that was built over St. Francis of Assisi's tomb.  This basilica was the reason so many people made the pilgrimage to Assisi.

Approaching the Basilica of St. Francis

As our group came closer, I began to notice the basilica's white facade had a pink hue to it.  Our guide explained that this was due to the region's distinct pink limestone, quarried from the slopes of nearby Mt. Subasio, that had been used to construct this church.  The Italians called this particular limestone Scaglia Rossa and it was particularly lovely when sunset light struck it, making the basilica's outer facade glow.  Looking around, I could see that an adjacent wall, staircase, and street pavement were also composed of this special stone.

The basilica grounds were surrounded by a tall brick wall

St. Francis of Assisi was canonized in 1128 (only two years after his death), and construction of this basilica to honor him was started almost immediately thereafter.  The hill where this basilica now stood was once known as "Hill of Hell" due to it being a place where criminals were put to death.  However, once the walls of this basilica began to rise, the name was changed to "Hill of Paradise."  The Lower Basilica was finished in 1230, and the remains of St. Francis were supposedly then buried within.  The Upper Basilica was constructed between 1239 and 1253.  In 2000, the Basilica was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There were huge crowds at the basilicia

Our group was led to a lower area of the basilica, where a huge plaza with two linear arcades on either side stood.  We were told these arcades were used to house monks and also to stable horses in the 15th century.  It was here we had to stand in line to get into the basilica.  This huge line snaked from the entrance, back towards where our group stood, probably at least two city blocks.  Because today was a holiday and the place was crowded, our local guide said he wasn't allowed to take us through the basilica, and we'd have to tour the place on our own.  (Had our tour arrived on any other day, he could've guided us inside.  Bad timing on our part.)

Bell tower close-up

With that, our local guide bid us farewell, and left us all standing in line.  As we shuffled closer to the entrance, I admired the grand doorway.  It consisted of two arched doors, both made of ornately carved wood and a large round window above.  The window was sculpted in an intricate rose pattern with another arched doorway above it.  This doorway entered directly into the Lower Basilica.  

The basilica was a beautiful hue of pink

Finally our group reached the doorway and along with the rest of the crowds, were conveyed inside.  There was no photography allowed in the basilica, so you're going to have to rely on my narrative (and memory) instead of my images from here on out.

With no guide to tell us where to go or what to see (or explain what we were seeing), my friends and I were left to simply follow the folks ahead of us.  Seeing a box of candles, I dropped a coin in the slot and picked one up.  Further away was a box to leave your candle for the friars to light at a later time (and pray for your intentions.)  However, having two family members who were battling health issues at the time, I elected to keep my candle and bring it home for them.

Arcade below the basilica where horses were stabled

Following a long conga-line of people led us to the tomb of St. Francis on the building's lowest level.  In keeping with St. Francis' spartan lifestyle, the tomb was merely a simple stone box.  His body was hidden in a secret place while the basilica was under construction, and the exact location became forgotten.  When the tomb finally opened to the public in 1818, it is said to have taken over a month to excavate around the Lower Basilica and locate his actual remains.

Lining up at the basilica entrance

The Lower Basilica had frescoes on the walls depicting scenes from the life of Jesus.  There was a large altar located directly above St. Francis' tomb.  Like all the Italian churches I'd seen so far, there were also a number of side altars branching off from the main aisle.  Relics from St. Francis' life were displayed in another chapel.  Many of the frescoes and paintings decorating this Lower Basilica were created by the great artists of the 1300's.  Of note was a stunning painting of the Crucifixion, by Giotto, hanging in the Lower Basilica's transept.  (Sadly, I learned most of this information after the fact.  Not having a guide inside the basilica who could've pointed out these items of interest was a huge disappointment.)

My view as I went through the doors

A side door from the Lower Basilica spit my friends and I outside onto a large, grassy area.  Tired of the massive crowds inside, we almost didn't visit the Upper Basilica.  But thankfully we spotted an open door and went back in.  And I was immensly thankful we did!

Buildings uphill from the basilica

The Upper Basilica's walls were covered with the most impressive frescoes I'd seen thus far.  Created by the artist Giotto and his assistants, these colorful paintings depicted 28 scenes from the life of St. Francis of Assisi.  They captured both real and folk legend stories about this famous patron saint.  In my opinion, this was the best part our basilica tour.  My friends and I walked around, taking in these magnificent works of art, attempting to interpret each one.  Again, I really wish we'd had a guide to explain everything to us.  (And I was so sad that photography was not allowed!)

Looking down on the lower arcade

This time, the doors on one end of the Upper Basilica led to another huge lawn area, with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside.  By now, my friends and I all needed to use the WC, so we followed another group of people back to the lower arcade area, where our mapping app said the public restrooms were located.  However, upon reaching the WC's we found out they were closed.  A lady at the door told us we couldn't use the restrooms, as the power had gone out.  Ugh, where to go now?  After pondering buying something at a nearby cafe in order to use their restrooms, someone else mentioned another nearby WC.  It was small, and also dark (no power here either) and had no toilet paper.  But everyone had to go so badly we improvised, using our phone flashlights for illumination and packets of tissue we'd carried for just this purpose.

Huge lawn behind the basilica

By then it was time again to regroup with MG for the walk back to our waiting bus.  Heading to the parking lot fighting massive crowds clogging the streets, I was sad we'd come here on such a busy holiday.  I'd been looking forward to seeing this famous town and the basilica honoring such an important figure in Christianity, but the sheer amount of people everywhere had really ruined the experience for me.

Buildings appear to be stacked upon each other

Now it was time to head to our home for the next two evenings, a fancy boutique hotel in the Umbrian countryside near the village of San Luca.  Our original tour agenda had mentioned we'd be staying in an "agriturismo" which in Italy is usually a working farm offering lodging and dining to travelers.  But this fancy hotel was definitely no farm!  The building was beautifully decorated, the grounds impeccably landscaped, and our rooms very nice.  Aside from our Monterosso hotel, this was one of my favorite places we stayed on the tour.

My favorite stained glass window

After valiantly trying to escape the cold that had plagued me during the first few days of our tour, poor Kim realized that evening she'd caught my bug.  I still had some American cold medicine left over from my stash, and I gave everything I had to help my friend.  I felt so sorry for Kim - after her run-in with MG this morning, she most definitely didn't need this.

Interesting building in Assisi

Speaking of her incident with MG - both Debbie and I encouraged Kim to call the tour's main office when it opened and have them check her travel profile.  Problem was, due to the time difference, the call couldn't be made until after 9 pm, when it would be morning back home.  So Kim would have to bide her time during dinner, until it got late enough.

Walking back to the bus

Because our hotel was literally in the middle of nowhere, we had to eat all our meals in its restaurant.  To start our evening, the hotel hosted a wine tasting and allowed us all to sample four of the local wines.  Debbie and I ended up liking one of the whites, and we decided to share a bottle with dinner.

Wine tasting at our fancy hotel in Umbria

Then the wait staff brought out dinner.  I don't have many photos from the night, but I do remember being served a very tasty pasta dish, and an unusual tiramisu shaped like a round ball.  Our MG ended up sitting at our table, which created a bit of tension for my friends and I - not the person any of us wanted to chat with at the time.

Lotti approves of the wine!

After dinner was finally over, Kim and I headed back to our room.  Kim immediately got on the phone with the tour company's main office back in the US.  She explained the issue she was experiencing and asked them to look up her traveler profile.  The staff person she spoke with confirmed that Kim's dietary restrictions were indeed listed correctly.  Hmmmm....then how had our MG gotten things wrong?  As Kim began to provide further details about our guide's behavior that morning, a light bulb went off inside my head.  The MG had probably looked up my profile instead of Kim's!

Dinner with my best travel buddies

After Kim got off the phone, I told her my theory about MG mistaking our identities again.  We both agreed that was likely what happened.  We had a good laugh and Kim was relieved, and a bit vindicated, that she had been in the right all along.  After drugging poor Kim up with cold medicine, it was time to get some rest.  Tomorrow the only thing on the agenda was an optional trip to a nearby hill town.  We needed a rest day before our tour's final destination - the iconic, historic, bustling city of Rome.