What is Umbria its golden wheat, green forests, or bright yellow fields of sunflowers? In winter, this Italian heartland is transfigured by fog, snow and quietude. Void of the colors of summer, an itinerary at this time of year stems from the heart and goes beyond just the views. What better place to experience the emotions that history can give than the city of Umbria’s patron saint, son of these lands, Saint Francis of Assisi.

Assisi, then. Or perhaps not! It's actually better to begin from the end: from Santa Maria degli Angeli, where a disproportionately large basilica looms in the small village. Inside you’ll find Porziuncola, the chapel Saint Francis chose as his home, where he founded his order, and ultimately, where he died. Anyone who prays at the Porziuncola will be heard, so it’s said, so don’t leave without saying a prayer of your own.  

On to Assisi

Driving through the plain on the way to Assisi you can view two important landmarks: the cupola of Santa Maria degli Angeli to the rear, and the basilica of Saint Francis on the hill up above rising over Assisi. Before passing through the city walls, a brief detour will take you to the monastery of Saint Damian where the cloisters preserve the memory of a crucifix that spoke to Saint Francis in 1205. Here, Saint Francis composed the “Praise of the Creatures” amongst the olive trees.

Find your farmhouse in Umbria!

Leave your car in one of the many convenient parking lots below Assisi, then take an escalator the rest of the way up. If you take the escalator to Matteotti square you can reach Rocca Maggiore quickly and enjoy a view of the whole town.

A short walk takes you to the polygonal tower, where the basilica of St. Francis lies at your feet. As you descend towards the basilica you will pass several art treasures: San Rufino Cathedral, where Saint Francis was baptized; the basilica of Saint Chiara, where Saint Damian's crucifix is today; and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva with its ladder and six Roman columns. The basilica appears at the end the road and should be explored in-depth so you don’t miss a single detail. 

Leaving at dusk, after one last glance at the view (and cupola of Santa Maria degli Angeli), pass through the lower square and begin your trip back. We recommend dining in a nearby town like Spello - you may be tempted to return to Assisi to see the basilica at night!

Find your farmhouse in Umbria!

After a hearty meal of local cuisine, continue your tour of Umbria through the forests of the Subasio Mountain Regional Park. Here you can visit the fascinating “hermitage of prisons”, a small complex of buildings located at the edge of the mountain where Saint Francis and his friends "locked themselves up" in prayer in the surrounding caves.

Next, take the road to Collestrada which passes along the banks of the Chiascio river and connects with the S298 motorway towards Gubbio. After approximately half an hour of gilded forests, hills and pastures you’ll arrive at the village. Start your visit at the Saint Francis convent in the lower part of Gubbio, where Spadalonga encountered the saint after fleeing from his father's house. Take in the rest of the town at a leisurely pace, especially Ranghiasci park, Palace of the Consuls and Piazza Grande.

Wondering why Gubbio is called the “city of the wolf”? According to popular tradition, Saint Francis liberated the wild beast and for a long time it lived in peace with the townspeople. When it died it was buried where it lay, in Via Savelli della Porta. During excavations in 1872 the skeleton of the wolf was discovered!

Saint Francis is still holding back his most indelible surprise. Having left Umbria behind, head north on E45 or on smaller roads, and follow the signs to the hermitage of Verna. In the solitude of this isolated convent, Saint Francis received the stigmata, and spent the last years of his life in prayer and meditation.

Find your farmhouse in Umbria!