Arrival and free time in Assisi

It’s a rainy day but as we got closer to Assisi a little bit of sun poked out. Assisi sits on a hill with two valleys in each side and is famous as the birth place and burial site of Saint Francis of Assisi. He was known for his love of animals and nature as well as being a simple, humble man. The town is a popular tourist site for religious travelers. 

Like most cities, we had to park in a large surface lot for buses and walk into the city. Since it was hilly it was nice to ride the escalator!

The town of Assisi has a strong medieval time and we could immediately see a difference in the architecture. Same narrow streets but more stonework and less brick. It’s a special kind of pink and white limestone. Assisi is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

We dropped the students at a central square and gave them some free time for lunch and to explore before our guided tour of the basilica. Some went for pasta, some for pizza, some for sandwiches, and of course some went for gelato!

After lunch our meeting point was in front of the basilica to pick up our local guide. We were spoiled by the beautiful views. Although it was a little drizzly today, it must be stunning on a sunny day!

We had a few students who got turned around or were a few minutes late, but they were good sports about wearing the orange and yellow vests!

Next up, time to tour the interior! We made our way through the beautiful doors to the inside, where we will learn more about our Saint Francis of Assisi and the church built in his honor.