The finale in Assisi
My walking trip ends in Assisi. I enter town beside the massive wooden doors of Porto Nuovo. Like the other medieval towns I visit, there are stony walls, charming cobbled laneways, archways and old buildings that look pleasingly lopsided. But this larger town feels different. As the most visited place in Umbria, it’s no surprise I see more people inside the gate. And plenty of touristy shops.
But mostly I notice Christmas music. It’s pumping out of speakers along the street.
🎵 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, every where you go…
I heard a surprising amount of Micheal Bublé during the holidays in Italy.
In Assisi, it certainly looks like Christmas. There is a sign in the Piazza Commune beside a bushy Christmas tree: Natale ad Assisi (Christmas in Assisi). On one side of this main piazza there is an extensive nativity scene in the vestiges of a Roman temple (Minerva temple). Walking through a stone arch I find a Christmas market lining the perimeter of the small piazza in front of Chiesa Nueva. There appear to be many holiday themed events around town. Kids decorating cookies. A little train trundles up the street. Grandparents with their grandkids walk around looking at the sights (it makes me think of my Mom taking her grandkids to see the light display at the RBG). At night yellow stars twirl on the streets. Colourful scenes are projected on monuments.
It’s quite the holiday extravaganza!
But I do miss the wood smoke and tranquillity that was a fixture in the small towns of Montefalco, Bevagna and Spello. It’s not crowded, really. As soon as I move off the main drag, it’s easy to find quiet little streets. And to pop into a café-bar (or two) for my quick caffè fix.
There is good reason why so many people visit Assisi. The Basilica San Francesco built over the remains of the revered Saint is a huge draw for tourists, art lovers, and the devout. The complex is actually two resplendent churches on top of each other. The Upper Basilica is considered to be the first Gothic church in Italy with some of the oldest stain-glass windows. The magnificent frescoes by Giotto (from around 1300) were revolutionary at the time for their humanism and natural elements.
These frescoes are a highlight. It’s a kaleidoscope of colours in the bright airy space. In 28 panels they depict events in Saint Francis’ life. The art covers the long nave like wallpaper. It’s a bigger picture book than the one I saw in the Chiesa San Francesco in Montefalco.
My earlier encounters provided me with context. Now standing in front of the Giotto frescoes, some stories are familiar (though I still rely heavily on the Rick Steves audio tour to guide me). I recognize the pivotal scene where Francis renounces his wealth and possessions to his father, sheds his clothes and runs off to the hills. Further along, there’s the uplifting dream of the pope followed by Saint Francis’ visit to Rome where the Pope confirms the creation of the Franciscan Order. I also recognize “the sermon of the birds” from Bevagna. Others panels I don’t recall, such as the “miracle of spring” where Francis draws water from a rock to quench the thirst of a stranger or the legend of Saint Francis receiving the stigmata (the five wounds suffered by Christ). It’s a fascinating series of frescoes and incredible to think of the masses of people over the centuries that “read” the story on these walls.
It was an apt culmination of my journey in Umbria.
The grand Basilica is impressive. A “must see” site, certainly. But Saint Francis left his mark throughout the region. I am so glad to have approached Assisi via the smaller towns. Beautiful art is found everywhere: alleyways, churches and museums. The holiday vibe in the smaller towns was also wonderful with intimate nativity scenes, twinkling lights, and oh, that smoky scent of wood fire. My relaxed pace also meant I had more time to savour Umbrian cuisine. It’s not only art that is divine here. My walking tour (organized by Patrizia and Guilia) was a fantastic way to explore the countryside and the many delights the region has to offer.
It’s off to Rome next. The Eternal City holds the most beloved of all treasures for me. Pantheon? Colosseum? No. My family! I am meeting my husband and daughter for Christmas in Rome.
