Magnificent illumination highlights Assisi’s medieval monuments during the Christmas season. Quotes of San Francesco – beloved patron saint of all of Italy – are incorporated in the illumination of the splendid 13th-c.…
Don’t overlook open church doors in Spello: one actually opens to the studio of a talented artist who creates his wonders in the de-consecrated church dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo. A poster…
On September 8th – Festa della Nativita’ della Beata Vergine Maria (Nativity of the Blessed Viirgin) – the locals of the area of “upper Assisi” (near the Cathedral of San Rufino) join…
Tour guests, Kerry and her parents, Judie and Bill, joined in recently for a banquet with rural friend near Deruta, Giuseppa. The family prosciutto with an organic melon was just a tidbit…
Floral tapestries carpet the winding medieval streets of more than one Umbrian town for the Feast of Corpus Domini (60 days after Easter – and June 2nd this year.,) but Spello, Umbrian…
Madonna Primavera – Lady Spring – will reign in glory over Assisi’s early May festival, Calendimaggio. On April 30th, five damigelle (damsels) from “Upper” Assisi, La Nobilissima Parte di Sopra (“The Most Noble…
In the Umbria countryside, our rural neighbors still bake even more than a dozen cheesebreads in their outdoor bread ovens…or nowadays, in their indoor gas ovens. Our dear rural friend, Peppa –…
As you enter the 13th-c. Cathedral of San Rufino in Assisi, head to the right to see the baptismal font where St. Francis and St. Clare were both baptized; following this tradition,…
In mid-March, the Umbrian city of Foligno becomes an open market – il Mercato Europeo – as over 80 vendors offer cuilinary goodness and artisan creations from their booths lining the Foligno…
On a recent visit to friends near Pisa, Pino and I decided to head off the usual autostrada route for our return trip to Assisi. We had a full-day ahead of us…