Day 7: Assisi and Wine TastingHotel: Altarocca Wine Resort
Phrase of the Day: Bicchiere di vino rosso (glass of red wine) |
Miles
Churches/Chapels Visited
High Temperature for the Day
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Did you know?
Orvieto was the religious and political center of the Etruscan civilization, dating from the 9th century BC, until the Romans invaded in the 3rd century BC
A stop in Assisi
Drove through Tuscany and into Ubria with its lush green hills, stopping first at the Church of Santa Maria degli Angelo, a grand baroque cathedral like no other we had seen on the tour. In the center is the Chapel of Porziuncola, the chapel that belonged to St. Francis and where he preached his teachings to his followers. The grand cathedral was built to protect and shelter this humble little chapel. It was quite a contrast between the ancient simple building inside such an ornate cathedral. Also here is the chapel where St. Francis died of a type of leukemia that they suspect was caused by radiation from time he spent in nearby caves. On up the steep hill to Assisi (thank goodness for the escalator!) where we stopped in at the Basilica of Santa Chiara (Saint Clare) with its flying buttresses and explored the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, which was formerly a Roman temple of Minerva, with its ancient Roman facade but decidedly not ancient roman baroque interior. We grabbed some lunch, eating outdoors in this beautiful old town, before joining back up with our tour group for a guided tour through the city and into the Upper and Lower churches of the Basilica of Saint Francis. Frescoes by Giotto cover the walls, telling the stories of St. Francis. Then on the road to our Alta Rosso and our agriturismo for dinner and some wine tasting.
HELPFUL HINT: Be a good visitor and watch for signs with regard to restrictions on photography. Some churches and cathedrals do not allow photography and it is always frustrating seeing people disrespectfully ignoring these signs.
Italy offers one of the most priceless of one's possessions - one's own soul
- Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
Exploring Orvieto
What a wonderful day in Orvieto, another stunning Italian hill town, which was an optional excursion for our tour group. We started off, unsurprisingly, at the cathedral, with its striped sides and ornate facade, Inside the duomo, is the Chapel of San Brizio, a masterpiece of Renaissance art! The stunning frescoes tell the story of judgment day, a reminder that these paintings were telling stories to the masses who likely could not read, showing them the way to heaven and the consequences of hell. We were so lucky as the cathedral was virtually empty and there was an organist rehearsing, so music filled the cathedral from the huge pipe organ, making it a memorable experience.
We then explored the Etruscan museum with its many pieces of pottery, sculptures, coins, and jewelry. Amazing to think these items were over 2,000-3,000 years old! Orvieto is known for its pottery, and I do pottery as a hobby, so we were then off to check out a few local shops. At the end of the street, we found ourselves at a public garden and park at the edge of the city and we were able to overlook the beautiful Umbrian landscape before heading back to our agriturismo.
We then explored the Etruscan museum with its many pieces of pottery, sculptures, coins, and jewelry. Amazing to think these items were over 2,000-3,000 years old! Orvieto is known for its pottery, and I do pottery as a hobby, so we were then off to check out a few local shops. At the end of the street, we found ourselves at a public garden and park at the edge of the city and we were able to overlook the beautiful Umbrian landscape before heading back to our agriturismo.
HELPFUL HINT: Find local artists to find the most unique souvenirs. We asked Stephanie, our tour guide, about local potters and found two shops off the beaten path where both held the artists workshop as well as their sales room. It's great to support a local artist and know that you are not buying mass produced pieces!