Umbria’s Pasquarelle: Singing in the Epiphany
January can be icy cold in Umbria but a month of warmth, too: the warmth of the locals celebrating January... View article
Anne's Blog / Festivals
Assisi’s Living Crib Scenes: Remembering a “Profound and Mysterious Event”
For many in Umbria, Christmastime is inextricably linked to visits to the presepi viventi (“living crib scenes”) of medieval villages surrounding Assisi.... View article
Christmas Links: Greccio and Assisi
For periods of contemplation, meditation and restoration ,St. Francis of Assisi often withdrew to various retreats – grottoes, caves, primitive... View article
Assisi’s Christmas Illumination
There’s usually a life-sized creche scene on the lawn in front of Assisi’s majestic Basilica di San Francesco, right across... View article
From Naples to Milan: Christmas Solidarity in Italy
Glorious Naples is not only the Italian capital of pizza but also of espresso; in fact, here in Umbria if... View article
Winter Jazz in Medieval Orvieto: Usually
Even “freddo polare” (“polar cold” – which for Italy means anything below freezing temperature) – never deters jazz appassionati from heading to... View article
Floral Splendor in Spello: a COVID Infiorata
Entering the 12th c.- church of San Lorenzo Martire in Spello, your attention is drawn immediately to the golden baldacchino dominating... View article
Olive Oil Stars in an Assisi Festival
November is the month of the olive oil harvest all over Italy – and this year, it’s my month to... View article
Spello’s Olive Oil: That Umbria “Liquid Gold”
Umbria’s “liquid gold,” olive oil, is world-renowned and celebrated by the umbri in glorious festivals. These feste celebrate the olio nuovo (the... View article
Calendimaggio: Flinging Medieval Banners – with Passion
Flags and banners are integral to the celebration of Calendimaggio in Assisi and not just those representing the two districts,... View article
Agenzia Viaggi Stoppini in Assisi handles all technical support for my guided visits (bus transportation, organization of meals, etc)