Our tour of Umbria, Italy, continues today to the town of Assisi. I wish I had some photos of the old country road that we took to get to Assisi from where we were staying. That road is an adventure all on its own – twisty, winding, steep in parts, very little road maintenance, full of potholes in parts, no guard rails in places, you can imagine. (My husband and I actually got a sitter one night and made the drive to and from Assisi in the dark, and I think my knuckles are still white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.)
We started our exploration of Assisi at the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi. You might have heard of St. Francis before. Assisi is his hometown, a beautiful town that seems to be carved into the Umbrian hill side, and the Basilica has the prime spot. We were led through the Basilica and the town by a wonderful tour guide, who was perfect for keeping the children’s interest and engaging them through fun facts or asking them to look for something throughout the tour. The adults actually may or may not have been just as excited to look for things like a dog or angels in the Basilica.
After the visit to the Basilica, our tour led us along the picturesque streets of Assisi to our lunch destination. One of the kids’ favorite parts was a visit to a stone cave at the back of a pottery store, thanks to our tour guide’s insider knowledge.
After lunch, we made our way back to our home base and enjoyed some relaxation poolside. I didn’t pick up my camera in the afternoon and only have this photo of the morning fog over the pool to show you. It’s tempting to photograph everything all the time, but I make it a point to regularly put the camera aside when we’re traveling to just be with my family and take it all in. That’s what it’s all about after all, isn’t it?
