06 Aug A Day in Assisi

Admittedly, I had never heard of Italy’s Patron Saint Francis until a few days ago. 

The reason millions of pilgrims visit Assisi each year, Francis was the founder of the Franciscan Order, and a man who inspired thousands of followers to live a life of poverty, based on Jesus’s teachings. When he died in 1226, Pope Gregory IX quickly canonized him; and soon after, the Basilica of St. Francis (seen in the picture above) was erected in his honor. 

This basilica is seen as one of the “spiritual and artistic highlights of Western civilization” (according to Rick Steves), painted with frescoes from top to bottom by Giotto and his assistants. It’s also one of the most popular day trips from Rome. Because of this, Luke, Charlie and I decided to head to the famous hilltop town in the afternoon (I’d read that most tourists head back around 3pm) and spend the night in a B&B. Here’s what we did while there:

Wine Tasting at Bibenda Assisi

We arrived to Assisi around 5pm and it was still too hot to walk around. I had read rave reviews about a wine shop called Bibenda Assisi, and it seemed like the perfect way to start our Assisi adventure. 

The enoteca’s owner and sommelier, Nila Halun, was incredibly knowledgeable about the local wines and took the time to tell us stories of winemaking in the times of St. Francis and the evolution of communion wines. Luke and I opted for two glasses of red: a sagrantino and a limited production wine created for this particular shop, made with 50% Merlot and 50% Sangiovese called Francésco. 

As Nila was aerating the wines, she told us how sagrantino was once a sacramental wine, and that the Francesco label was one of four that were selected for a gift box for Xi Jinping. Both were both exceptional, especially paired with local wild boar sopressata, venison salami, and Norcia ham. Charlie also loved his water, which came from a Roman aqueduct. 

We didn’t make reservations, though you might need to if you’re going while the day-trippers are still in town. For more information, visit Bibenda Assisi’s website. 

Assisi Town Walk with Rick Steves

Usually I love Rick Steves’ audio tours. They’re free and provide a good introduction to European cities and towns. My favorites have been the ones in Rome, particularly his tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. This one on Assisi, however…meh. 

The directions were hard to follow and the timing seemed off. But Luke and I still enjoyed weaving through the town’s streets for an hour and appreciated some of Rick’s anecdotes. 

The highlights were exploring Assisi’s back lanes and appreciating the beautifully preserved medieval architecture: pink limestone walkways, pointed arches over doorways, and vaults that turned lanes into tunnels. Something we learned is that the town is so well preserved because after its golden age, it suffered a black plague in the 1300s. As a result, trade stopped and so did new construction. So what we see today is a town frozen in time. 

Aperitivo at Bar San Francesco 

Rick’s tour left us on Via San Francesco: the main drag that leads from the town square to the basilica. It’s lined with medieval fountains, old hostels from the 1300s which once housed pilgrims, and bars selling granitas and spritzes. 

We found a bar/restaurant right at the edge of the town, overlooking the magnificent church, and the valley below. It was apertivo time (Italian happy hour, with drinks and snacks), and the perfect excuse to take a break from walking and kill some time before the sun set. 

Bar San Francesco has been around since 1945 and has an old-timey charm about it. Aperol Spritzes come with the classic bowl of chips, a bowl of peanuts (5 euro each), and an incomparable view. They even serve to-go drinks for 4.50!

Sunset at Basilica of St. Francis

It’s hard to believe, but these photos aren’t photoshopped; there really weren’t other tourists around. In fact, Luke and I had the entire lower basilica to ourselves (granted it wasn’t open, but the outside courtyard was). 

The upper basilica did have a few other sunset gazers, but not many. We were all silent as we watched the red globe of a sun dip behind the church, creating a halo of light around the structure. It was beautiful, and I wondered if the visiting Franciscans were having a religious experience. 

Dinner at Nonna Nini

On our walk back uphill, Luke and I became really hungry (it was 9pm after all), and we stopped as a waft of homemade sauces and rich cheeses hit us. Simultaneously, we turned towards the open restaurant door and decided that’s where we were having dinner. 

The family-owned restaurant, Nonna Nini, had a small menu of tagliere (salumi and cheese platters), pasta dishes, and a handful of meat options. I chose a sinfully rich truffle gnocchi and Luke got a surprisingly delicious “piccoli sacchetti” pasta filled with gorgonzola and caramelized pears. 

We were too full for dessert, but the panna cotta looked to-die.

Dessert at Bibenda Assisi

While we didn’t plan to return to Bibenda Assisi so soon, we just happened to pass by on Charlie’s nighttime walk. We asked for Nila to surprise us with two different types of dessert wines, and once again, her recommendations did not disappoint. 

We sat outside, dunking our almond tozzetti (Umbrian cookies) into the sweet communion wine. The cool breeze whipped up from the valley, under the stone archways. Below us, a large Italian family ate dinner and celebrated a birthday. The piazza across from us was packed with people eating gelati on the fountain steps. I could have sat there all night just drinking it all in. 

Overnight Stay at Alter Ego B&B

While we’re currently living only an hour and 15 minutes away from Assisi, we wanted to really experience the town. I’m so glad we chose Alter Ego B&B—only 65 euros, right in the center, and run by a joyful young man who sleeps on the top floor of this old building that belongs to his family. Breakfast was hearty, with local meats and cheeses, freshly made cornetti, and cappuccinos. 

A Morning Walk to the Basilica

I woke up early with the dog, and we spent the morning strolling the empty streets, watching the shopkeepers get ready for tourists. A man in an apron sliced porchetta in a window; a woman took out a tray of hot pastries from the oven. A pharmacist wearing shorts, flip-flops and a lab coat propped open the door and basked in the morning sun. 

Luke was still sleeping after I had breakfast, so I walked the length of the town, down to the basilica on my own. The church opened at 8:30, and tourists usually arrive around 10; so at 9am, I had plenty of space to walk around, admiring the frescoes. (I would actually recommend Rick Steves’ tour of the basilica; it was great.) I also went down to see the tomb of St. Francis. 

Friars lit candles in the low-lit room, and visitors sat in pews with eyes closed, crossing themselves. A woman in the front row silently wept. I wondered how long they’d traveled to come here; what St. Francis meant to them. Would this experience change them in some way? If I believed, would it change me in some way?

Contemplative, I emerged back into the sunlight. It was already much hotter than it should have been at 9:45am. I removed the shawl from my shoulders and put on my visor, and hiked uphill back to the hotel. 

After that, Luke and I packed up and got an espresso before hitting the road. On the way home, we talked about how charmed we were by the medieval hilltop town—and the incredible impact Saint Francis had on his hometown of Assisi.