assisi, italy...fountains, frescoes & St. Francis

Assisi

There is a place...a sacred place, tucked away into the hills of Umbria. Some would say it's a holy place.
It is the small chapel which St. Francis rebuilt with his own two hands. Where he wrote and prayed and figured out a path for his life, and many others.

St. Francis was by all accounts an interesting fellow. Born wealthy, he was a playboy, loving the lavish lifestyle known at the time. What changed his life was, what impacts most of us, meeting others who influence or make an impression on us, and a shocking life experience such as an accident or illness.

The hilltop town of Assisi

 

St. Francis, born in the late 1100's with the name Giovanni which his mother gave him, and soon renamed Francesco by his father, had a few influencing encounters with beggars and pilgrims which he wrote about, was then taken prisoner in 1202 while in the military, whereupon he became quite ill. In the following years he began to re-evaluate his life's meaning and purpose, which didn't suit his father one bit. There was much conflict between the two and Francesco turned his back on his father's money, and began a life of service to those in need.

 

He spent most of his time in and around Assisi, the incredibly charming hilltop town in central Italy. The narrow lanes are lined with geranium-filled pots hanging from windowsills and dotting doorsteps. Modern-day pilgrims flock to here to visit the Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi where his tomb was discovered buried beneath in 1818.

While the basilica is impressive, and the views alone are for sure worth a visit, I was mostly interested in finding the stone chapel which St. Francis built and where he spent most of his time, and where he gathered with his followers, officially beginning the Franciscan Orders in 1209.

It took a little while. Most guidebooks and signs point people to the imposing basilica atop of the town. But, the chapel lies just outside of Assisi, on what was once empty fields far (by foot) from the town. Called the Porziuncola, you will find it inside the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels which was built in the late 1500's enclosing the chapel, most likely to protect it and the legions of Franciscans who visit it.

It really is incredible inside. I'm not Catholic, but I was moved to tears being within the tiny Porziuncola's stone walls, knowing that St. Francis built these with stones he collected in Assisi, that here he heard God's direction to devote his life to the poor, and that here he wrote his famous words which have long been hanging on my wall:

"Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me bring love

Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy

Grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
And to love."

The Franciscan Orders follow the teachings of St. Francis, but also those of St. Clare of Assisi, who was one of St. Francis's closest friends. She wrote the first set of monastic guidelines written by a woman. She reminds me a great deal of Hildegard of Bingen...another early power frau who commanded the attention of the men of the time with her intelligence and thought...and whose writings are still revered today.

Perugia

Piazza IV Novembre

 

A short drive from Assisi, about 30 minutes, is the university town of Perugia. It is the capital city of the province of Perugia and is a bustling place with lots of young people (obviously), lots of cafés and restaurants, and much interesting architecture. Walking around this hilltop city for a day, or an afternoon, will not be boring.

 

One of my favourite Renaissance painters, Raphael, was mentored in Perugia, and painted some of his paintings and frescoes here, but unfortunately none of them are here anymore. Still, the atmosphere of art and culture thrives here, as if it is in the bones of these incredible buildings. There are a great many festivals which take place here and exhibitions...so much to do, so little time.

Palazzo dei Priori

 

Along with watching a wedding party descend from the Palazzo dei Priori in the centre of town for a good long while, I couldn't help but take a lot of photos, as inconspicuously as possible, of the glamourous Italians. I can't help myself in Italy. They have a style like no others...unaffected and assured, like the French, but without looking like they're trying at all. A woman I met in Milan once told me, without being the least bit arrogant about it, that they grow up dressing with style...it's in their blood...they just can't help looking this good. I kind of loved that.

 

If at all possible, and I've said this before about Venice, try staying in any Italian town you're visiting until after dark. Experiencing the sights and smells (oh the smells!) while walking past the osterias, trattorias and ristorantes amidst these ancient stone buildings is always an incredible treat. And, it goes without saying, you absolutely need to eat...like everywhere! There's nothing better...

 

except maybe the view!

the italian riviera...2 perfect days

Santa Margherita...the perfect home base

On Italy's north-western coast you will find the most gorgeous towns, where the Italian jetset from Milan spend their summers. Some are difficult to see through the wall of yachts filling their coves, but others are, in comparison, more the wall flower towns, ignored due to their glitzy neighbours. For me, Santa Margherita is one of these perfect, 'plain-jane' gems on the Italian Riviera - mostly undiscovered by the masses...and wonderfully situated for two great days of touring.

This area is not called the Golfo Paradiso for nothing.

Day 1: Camogli, San Fruttuoso, Portofino...train, hike, boat

Camogli

Training around Italy is very easy and affordable. The stations can be crowded, but September is a great time to visit. School holidays in Europe are mostly over, the exhausting heat has moved on, and what's leftover is just dreamy Italian goodness. Let's start with one of my favourites...Camogli.

I have written about Camogli before, and I said I'd be back. Little did I know it would be quite so soon. The train from Santa Margherita to Camogli takes less than 10 minutes, but from Camogli there is a wonderful hike back, which will take you to San Fruttuoso...a hidden cove only reachable by foot or boat.

But first, Camogli. Just north of Santa Margherita nestled amongst the rocky, sea-battered hills, this fishing village, like many fishing villages, has a turbulent past of piracy, shipwrecks, and even Napoleon! His fleet was stationed in Camogli in 1978 according to Wikipedia (the knower of all things true).

But, now Camogli has a peaceful, serene vibe. Sure, there are tourists like me, but it's not overrun. It is quaint; the houses colourful, the cafés outside, and the horizon the bluest of blue.

The trail leading south meanders up many stairs, behind homes dotted along the hillside, towards a chapel high on the hill, San Rocco di Camogli.

As is custom in Italy, the trails are dotted with Christian markers, these here especially large and colourful. I'm not exactly sure of the significance...if they're meant to be signposts towards the a deeper faith possibly, or inspiration, or just symbols of adoration. It doesn't matter to me, I just found them so beautiful among the rocks.

Needless to say, the view back towards Camogli is a treat, but as we kept getting closer to our first goal, I was getting more and more excited. It takes under an hour to reach the hidden cove of San Fruttuoso and I couldn't wait to get there!

San Fruttuoso

Nestled in a deep cove lies the Abbey of San Fruttuoso of Capodimonte, which you reach after many steep, zig-zaggedy steps back down to sea level. The Abbey was built in the tenth century purposefully hidden out of view to protect it from pirates and other sea-faring bandits.

The cove is a lovely spot to bath, drink an aperol and have a bowl of pasta. Most people come and go by boat from Camogli or Portofino, and that is what we chose to do. After a rest, we hopped on a boat, enjoying the view from the water, and jetted along the coast heading south to Portofino.

But, not before passing the site of the underwater Cristo degli Abissi - the Christ of the Abyss. This huge bronze statue (8 feet tall) was placed on the sea floor in 1954, dedicated to an Italian diving instructor, at the place where the first Italian to use scuba gear died. Copies of the statue are located off the coast of Grenada and Florida - Christ's arms and head facing upwards in a blessing of peace.

Portofino

What is there to say about Portofino? As our boat turned the bend from open sea in towards the bay of Portofino, we were first greeted by a giant yacht...one of many. I strained to try and make out who was on board: JayZ and B, Bill Gates, Ralph Lauren? I couldn't tell. But, this is apparently the place to be, if you are rich and not currently in St. Tropez or Mykonos.

It is beautiful, absolutely. Portofino has cute, coloured houses surrounding a quaint harbour, and but for the super high-end boutiques among its few streets and the yachts blocking the view of the Ligurian Sea, you won't see much difference from Camogli, in my opinion. The plain fact is all of these towns are gorgeous!

It's also the perfect place for another Aperol! I really need to start including this refreshing drink into my 5 o'clock, after-work routine...if the Italians do it, then everyone should do it.

Apparently, Portofino is still technically a fishing village. But, since the European aristocracy discovered it in the late nineteenth century fishing has slowly taken a backseat to tourism. We were lucky to have visited on a quiet day. It was late afternoon and there were no cruise ships in the area, and so we found the town to be peaceful and pretty. From Portofino it is a 20-minute bus ride or hour's walk along the seashore back to homebase, Santa Margherita....where pizza awaited us.

Day 2: Cinque Terra's Vernazza...train, hike

Pretty much anyone who is on Instagram has the dream of visiting Cinque Terra someday. Any of the 5 villages making up this unique and extraordinary area is grammed hundreds of times a day. 'Picturesque' seems a mundane word to describe Cinque Terra, but nonetheless the term fits.

We chose to visit Vernazza, the second, most northern of the villages, and 1 hour away from Santa Margherita by train. We took our time exploring the little harbour and the narrow the lanes, slowly making our way to higher ground, wanting to get the view from above.

The way people live here intrigued me, and I could've take a million photographs. Whenever a door opened I tried to sneak a peak inside. I'm not sure if the flats are all small and narrow and high, or if beyond the outside walls there are large open spaces inside...something I can't quite imagine.

The homes are built as if among the rocky cliffs, and not just atop them. It is a curious mix of concrete and rock, as if to purposefully blend the two: nature and man. I'm sure this coast experiences some hefty weather and no doubt the rock provides shelter and structure to the many homes and buildings here.

The bright colours and laundry hanging on the lines everywhere can't help but bring joy...again, as if on purpose.

We wandered the narrow trail which connects all of the villages, to the top of Vernazza, and were rewarded with an incredible view. We had perfect weather, as you can see.

 Back to Santa Margherita...swim, eat, eat

Upon our late afternoon return to Santa Margherita we went for a swim and laid out on the beach. It really is the perfect town to rest for a while, while also exploring some fascinating corners of the Italian Riviera.

  

And don't think for a minute that we weren't enjoying the incredible food. The pizza was to die for, with such simple, fresh ingredients, baked as they should be in a stone oven. We drank wine and ate on outside terraces each evening, taking in all the wonderfulness that Italy has to offer.

If you go:

Training in Italy is easy - book online or on-site for short trips - www.trenitalia.com

Santa Margherita dining - pizza and seafood are excellent options.
Try these delicious options:
-A Santa Lucia Pizzeria
-Trattoria Baicin (Specialty Seafood)

We stayed in a very cute, but apparently illegal suite (common in Italy) and therefore I won't mention it here. The prices along the coast, in the towns along the Golfo Paradiso are higher than inland of course, but for a couple of nights it definitely won't break the bank. Just search and take your time in planning and you will find something perfect.  Have fun!