Anne Robichaud's Assisi Tours

Assisi (Half-day)
St. Francis Basilica, Assisi

Our tour of Assisi - justly acclaimed "crown jewel of the medieval hill towns" - will encompass its rich historical and artistic heritage as well as contact with the "locals"....and its modern day life and history.

We will visit the stunning 3-level Romanesque/Gothic Basilica di San Francesco built in the 13th c. to house the body of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy and most beloved of all saints for the Italians. The greatest masters of the time - Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti - were called here to fresco Francesco, rendering this church one of Italy's most outstanding art museums. In the words of a 13th c. historian: "no more exquisite monument to the Lord has yet been built"... (this comment: still appropriate!)

Our walk through the town will include stops to meet and talk with local artisans intent on their crafts: painters, sculptors, young craftsman of maiolica (for which this area is so noted), a book-binder/restorer of ancient volumes, women at work on the local embroidery of "the Franciscan cross-stitch", a craftsman who paints on glass...

Temple of Minerva, Assisi

The main piazza of Assisi is graced by its medieval bell tower, elegant civic buildings of the 13th-14th c. and the stately Temple of Minerva, 1st c. BC... so amazing that Goethe detoured just to gaze on it!

Near the 13th c. Gothic Basilica di Santa Chiara (where St. Clare of Assisi is buried), we'll stop in to see a significant tribute to Assisi's involvement in modern history: the printing press which falsified the identity documents for all the Jews hidden here in World War II, thanks to the heroic efforts of the local bishop, young priests and the printer and his son... the Assisi Underground.

The above itinerary plus an interval for lunch which can include an experience of Umbrian rural culinary traditions (and lore).

Our Assisi tour will also include:

Visit to the Cathedral of San Rufino, 12th c. Romanesque materpiece built on the site of the martrydom of San Rufino, Assisi's first Christian bishop and our walk will include other areas of the picturesque back streets of Assisi (each one, a delight to the eye!), meeting the locals, artisans, etc. wherever... as a morning certainly isn't enough to discover all the hidden secrets of Assisi!...
or
A visit to the Church of San Damiano, outside the medieval walls... where the crucifix is said to have spoken to St. Francis in the early 13th c., changing his life....
or
After lunch, a ride up to the 15th c. Franciscan monastery, the Hermitage (Eremo delle Carceri), set in hundreds of acres of live oaks and built over the site of the grottoes where Francis and his followers withdrew for periods of prayer and meditation.

Added optional highlights to full-day Assisi tour:

Lunch in our home
Full-day tours for groups of 4-8 may include lunch in our home (about 4 miles from Assisi in the hills). Menu includes antipastos, pasta or risotto, main course, side dishes, dessert, wines. NB: mini-cooking demo can precede the meal.

Lunch in family-run country restaurant outside of Assisi
For groups of 8 or more: out to the country to a family-run restaurant for a meal of Umbrian rural cuisine (the closest one can get to eating with a farm family!) - preceded, if desired, by a mini-cooking demonstration!

Memorable visit to a privately-owned historic Renaissance palazzo which incorporates the 13th c. home of one of St. Francis' first followers... and a visit with the owner who will tell us the fascinating history of her family home....

This new tour is targeted at providing participants with an "inside" look at rural life of the past, as still lived by so very few. Our tour starts in the bellissima Assisi countryside at our farmhouse - now being restored by my husband Pino, fine artisan - in order to learn about the restoration of the rural architecture, now strictly preserved and considered part of Italy's artistic heritage. I will tell you about the restoration of the house, while also explaining the former structure and how we lived, worked the land around us.

We will then visit farm families who live near us, those people who taught Pino and I everything about farming - and life - when we moved here in the 1970's and set out to work the land, with few resources but molto determination. Today, few farmers still work the land, using the methods used 40 years ago - a rarity. What a privilege, therefore, for making pasta

us to visit the homes of a couple of our neighbors, catching them in the midst of farm chores, chatting with them about past farm life "quando c'era la miseria" ( loosely - but aptly - translated as "when we were poor"...) - and enjoying a taste of their wine. Our tour will wind up with a buonissimo farm lunch (or dinner - if our tour takes place in the afternoon) in the home of some of our dearest farm neighbors (and still today, some of our best friends).

On the St. Francis Trail (Full-day)
Our tour will center on the rich historic and artistic heritage of this "gem" of the medieval hilltowns, while also offering an opportunity for contact with local artisans and artists as well as a most special encounter with a Franciscan friar. See article for more details.

Assisi/Spello (Full-day)
After a morning in Assisi, we will head over to Spello - che bello! - (16 km from Assisi), a gem of the "undiscovered" medieval hilltowns of Umbria.

Like Assisi, Spello is constructed in the local pink limestone quarried on Mt. Subasio, lending it a unique rosy hue, particularly at sunset. Called Hispellum by the Romans, a walk through Spello is a feast for the eye: cobblestone passageways open into intimate closed piazzettas, and lead to Roman arches, Romanesque churches, a wooden loggia, a frescoed courtyard...

Our tour will take in one of the most splendid Renaissance fresco cycles in Umbria, painted by Pinturicchio (and my personal favorite of all Umbria's artistic masterpieces), as well as a special visit to a most unique local friar/craftsman... who'll also show us a 13th century cloister and refectory, not open to the public.

Our day will end in a medieval wine cellar for a tasting of Umbria's best wines, prize-winning olive oils and various Umbrian delicacies which range from white truffle/almond paté to wild boar salami... our host: one of Umbria's top sommeliers.

Assisi
"The warmth of Assisi's history, customs and peoples were given to us almost as one would give a gift...."
Bob and Anne Williams, Jacksonville, FL

"...Don't see Assisi without Anne - she is fabulous!! She is not just a knowledgable guide but she treats you as though you are a close friend. My husband and I were so moved by Assisi in a way I don't think would have been possible with out Anne...."
Kathy Stasz, Rowlett, TX

My husband and I had the lovely opportunity to spend a day in Assisi with Annie this past May. The wealth of knowledge concerning art and history that Annie shared with us was so interesting; but it was her enthusiastic sharing of the life of St. Francis that changed our lives. She brought St. Francis alive to us in all the important times of his life. Not only did we see the cross that spoke to Francis and the Bascilica; but the caves where he meditated and slept. What a thrill this was to my husband, who has a special devotion to St. Francis. We also went to the church where St. Francis died; just minutes before our train arrived in Assisi!
We also felt like Annie was an old friend or neighbor by the end of the day. If we lived nearby, we could have cracked open the bottle of wine and just enjoyed her company.
And last but not least, since coming home my husband and I have started to take steps on becoming a Third Order Franciscan. Like I said, her enthusiasm and sharing about the life of St. Francis truly made a change in our lives. Grazie mille, Annie.
Gwen and Joe Houdart, Thorofare, NJ

"Assisi was a very happy surprise for us - we had expected a lot of cheesy marketing of St. Francis, to be honest. What we found was a place of peace - and commerce, to be sure - but a town that celebrated its history and its patron in beautiful ways. The Cathedral was literally awe-some, and learning more about the treasures inside really brought the peace and love of Francis home to us. Thank you for sharing your beautiful and peace-filled Assisi with us, Anne - it was a day we'll never forget!"
Chris Nolin and family, Pittsburgh , PA

"While in Umbria, we spent a day and a half with Anne, who showed us some wonderful secrets of Italy's hill towns. Her knowledge of art and history, coupled with a wonderful sense of humor, really made our trip quite special. We started out as clients, but ended as friends."
Harry and Donna Huey, Falls Church, VA

"Walking the streets of Assisi, and other hill towns, with Anne was like walking as a native. We were given 'inside' insights and information with enthusiasm that is rarely seen in tour guides." Bruce and Sylvia Ross, Tiburon, CA

"I was delighted and greatly pleased with Anne's knowledge of the events and life of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare. I would definitely want (and also recommend) her as an Assisi guide for any of our Secular Franciscan family."
Betty Chipman, Scottsdale, AZ

"Thank you so much for the priceless day you gave us in Assisi. We'd like to tell everyone and anyone who is heading to Umbria to do whatever they need to to have you take them around. You gave us a feel for history, place, and current Italian life in Umbria that wove the whole experience together... We had read about Assisi before we came, we all know a fair amount about Medieval and Renaissance art - and you pointed out so many things we would never have seen or known on our own. Please post our communication on your website so everyone who logs on knows what a treasure you are!"
Jim and Susie Ratner, Zack and Debby Paris, Cincinnati, OH

"...No other guide we met matched Anne's dedication to promote her town's many assets nor the ability to educate her tour members in so short a period of time."
Cyd Crampton, Pacifica, CA

Assisi and Dinner in our Home
"We were sitting on the steps of the fountain in Assisi - when Anne rescued us from another day of "I wonder what that is" self- guided tours. Our day with Anne was the highlight of our trip to Italy. Her love of the land and people and her indepth knowledge of the art and history of the area brought our visit to Assisi alive. The warm feeling we had at dinner in her home with her friends and family will long be remembered. She made our time in Assisi very special."
Barbara and Leigh Shermna, Newark, OH

"We are still talking about how beautiful and amazing Assisi was... seen with Anne. The highlight of our day was the meal in her home. The food was amazing and... definitely the best food I had in Italy!"
Colleen McDonald, NY, NY

"The highlight of our two week trip to Italy and the day with Anne was a cooking lesson/meal with Anne in her house outside of Assisi. We purchased all of the food together in the morning spent hours cooking... and... every dish was better than the one before. All accompanied, of course, with excellent wine. It was a wonderful day."
Robert and Susan Tobias, Washington, DC

Rural Life Revisited
"We were part of the inauguration tour Rural Life Revisited. It was a great view into a fast-disappearing way of life. The farm people are friendly, humorous and earthy. Conversation with them was a treat. The food at lunch was delicious, and it was such a treat to eat a meal of all foods grown on th e farm. But remind signora to keep your portions small unless you intend to work in the field after lunch."
Peter Roth, Palo Alto, CA

"Yesterday I had the magnificent opportunity to see, taste, and meet the people of Umbria and have come to know why it is so splendid during a personally guided tour of local farms and their owners. It is actually rare to know an experience is an event of a lifetime, but yesterday was!! I know I can only thank Anne for this Umbrian adventure. I became a part of this community - the people, their way of being and living."
Karen Boose, Boise, ID

"The most impressive part of the tour was meeting the rural people, hearing their stories, seeing their faces and their stories written there. They all - men and women - worked long hard days but were content, happy and really spent quality time with their families and neighbors. Hard work yet happiness etched deeply in the faces of the farm families. A slice of life that is dying and not to be missed!!"
Joanne and Mike Kaeske, Park City, UT

"Thank you so much for all of the wonderful tours and classes and for letting us get a close up view into everyday life in Italy. That is a gift that we could never have seen on our own. The farm friends of yours that we met simpply made our trip much more special than simply going on yet another 'walking tour'. We loved all the shared meals, wine and conversations... oh that cooking lesson!"
Joan King, NC

Assisi/Spello
"We thoroughly enjoyed our special day in Assisi and Spello, with highlights too numerous to mention. Thanks to knowledgeable and accessible Annie, we saw and experienced more in our time with her than in any other tour we have ever taken. Most importantly, we had lots of fun; the wine tasting was a blast."
Karen and Chuck Shoup, Riverbank, CA

"Thank you for the wonderful walking tour of Assisi, and the tastings "banquet" lunch in Spello. I have been editing my pictures, and smile when I see us dancing at the lunch, accompanied by the wonderful guitar player. What a memorable afternoon: bright sunshine, cozy environment, great food and wine".
Darlene Quigg, Sausalito, CA