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www.monasterystays.com
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Assisi - The Green Heart of Italy
Accommodation in Authentic Italian Monasteries
Experience a slice of Italian life as a guest of monks or nuns
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A town in the Province of Perugia, in the Region of Umbria [known as the green heart of Italy]
Don’t miss it when you are in Italy – it exemplifies many aspects of Italian life and culture in one small place.
A special medieval hilltop town
Of the many hilltop towns of Italy this one is singled out for special interest. It is incredibly interesting after Rome, Florence and Venice.
It’s found in the heart of Italy – in the region of Umbria – north of regions of Lazio [Rome] and south of the region of Tuscany.
I think Umbria is second to none for its history, beautiful natural features, culture as well as religious significance.
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It is a popular destination for Italians and many others around the world. Assisi is a small town with a population of 25,000.
My first visit
I visited Assisi after travelling to Italy many times and not going to this special place – don’t you make the same mistake.
I arrived by train and took a bus up the hillside about 20 minutes away to Assisi’s drop of point terminus – then it’s a walker’s town.
Its only 1.5kms [near enough to one mile] in width and about half that up the hill – top to bottom. None of the hilltop town is difficult to navigate and the stone paths and roads are in good order.
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Visitor's Centre
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Piazza del Comune - the centre of Assisi
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At Piazza del Comune – a smallish but beautiful square you will find the visitor’s centre at the north-western end.The centre has the most enthusiastic staff most of whom speak English and who genuinely try to help the visitor. This town is host to many visitors from within Italy and from overseas.
People arrive on coaches as part of group travel, as well as individual travellers on local and special buses, by car, taxi and train.
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You will find all the information you need at this information centre – the materials provided to visitors are of excellent quality, in English and make a great read.
Assisi – the spiritual home to those devoted to ideals of St Francis and St Clare
Assisi attracts a lot of attention and for good reason. It is the spiritual home of the Franciscans Order of religious men and women. Around the world a lot of lay people are also involved with the Franciscans both formally and informally. Assisi is a most beautiful and magnificently preserved medieval town in the green region of Umbria. Whether or not you are interested in religion Assisi is worth a visit.
Assisi is one of the classical pilgrim towns as it was the home St Francis [b.1182] and the spiritual home of the Franciscan Friars and Nuns. Millions of people word wide identifies with this early 13th century saint and the order which he founded as well as St Clare [b.1193] the founder of the Poor Clares the order of nuns. Both saints had the poor as their primary focus.
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Major points of interest
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Due to the Franciscan heritage the major points of interest in and about Assisi are to do with the saints who commenced the works of their orders here.
Places that are a must see include the Basilica di San Francisco [St Francis], both upper and lower church and below this the Crypt of St Francis where the mortal remains of St Francis are laid to rest and also the Basilica di Santa Chiara [St Clare].
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Visit the beautiful Basilica di San Francisco
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The life and times of St Francis and St Clare and other places of interest in Assisi are explained in detail on maps and booklets for very practical self guided walking tours, these being available from the visitors’ information centre.
Other nearby significant towns
Assisi is not far from towns and places of significance such as Perugia, the lake Lago di Trasimeno and as a friend of mine says the wonderful and untouched town Todi on a hilltop south of Assisi [Todi is the home of the Slow Town Movement]. All are within Umbria and are accessible by train, the great [cheap and well serviced] public bus service of Italy and taxi. Not too distant also are the towns of Spello, Foligno, Terni and Spoleto.
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Other points of Interest
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The Umbrian countryside
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Music – always check on local performances – sacred music in one of the Basilicas is worth checking on.
We were able to attend a wonderful performance of Mozart’s Requiem with a magnificent choir and international soloists for the sum of 5 Euro per ticket. Such a performance elsewhere could have cost over 100 Euro.
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Franciscan focused tours throughout Umbria start, cross and end in Assisi for those wishing to follow one of these Franciscan itineraries – they go as far north as just into Tuscany to La Verna and to the southern over the regional border to Greccio and Poggio Bustone.
Nearby are other places worth visiting –
1. The Abbey of San Benedetto on Mt. Subasio about 4 kms from Assisi
2. The Sanctuary of Rivotorto 5kms from Assisi
3. S. Maria Degli Angeli a basilica 5kms from Assisi
Wineries abound in Umbria as in most parts of Italy and may be visited from Assisi.
One can also visit a dairy, pottery, oil mills, marble works, wood carvers, embroidery and wrought iron works, wood carvers in or near Assisi. Assisi also has a natural spring spa.
Castles abound in the town and areas near Assisi and there is a very useful guide to these medieval buildings available from the visitors’ information centre.
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When and Where to stay
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When to visit
Visiting – avoid weekends and Italy’s public holidays [see list on our website] and if you can August – the holiday month for Italians – Assisi can become crowded – it’s a small place and most of the roads and paths are narrow for large numbers of visitors on foot.
Where to stay?
Well – of course we stayed at a Convent Guest House UMA119 situated on the eastern parameter of Assisi. Great location, some rooms with excellent views, comfortable and well facilitated, wonderful hospitality, great breakfast and on site parking should you be driving. You can see the photos of this place on the website.
In Assisi Monastery Stays has no less than 13 monasteries or convent guest houses located within the town walls or just outside.
Where to eat?
We used one restaurant more than once – a 75 seat family affair off the visitor track catering mainly for the locals – giving real hospitality – it is called Ristorante Gli Orti and it is located near the Basilica of St Clare. The address is Via Salita degli Orti, 8 and telephone 075 812 549. Enjoy.
A last word
Don’t rush your visit to Assisi – it’s a place to be walked calmly – to be absorbed and to come to love. |
About Monastery Stays
Monastery Stays Pty is a typical innovative small company established to provide a superior service for people wanting an authentic experience in Italy of staying in unique and value for money lodgings conducted by religious orders, showing warm hospitality to all travellers.
Monastery Stays Pty Ltd
Angela Hoban
VP Customer Relations
Email: info@monasterystays.com
Website:
www.monasterystays.com
Note: The author is David Hoban, a director of Monastery Stays Pty Ltd. This article may be freely reproduced if acknowledgement is given to Monastery Stays Pty Ltd or a link to our website provided.
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