The next day we got up early and took a water bus to the train station and boarded a train to Assisi.  We had a stop in Padeu and we visited Basilica of St. Anthony’s .  Padua (Italian: Padova) is one of Italy’s oldest cities, founded by the ancient Veneti around the 12th century BCE. It became a Roman colony in 45 BCE and later a center of early Christianity. During the Middle Ages, Padua flourished, especially with the founding of the University of Padua in 1222—one of Europe’s oldest. The city became a hub for science and the arts, with figures like Galileo teaching there. Rich in history, Padua is also home to Giotto’s famous frescoes and the Basilica of Saint Anthony. Our grandchildren were very interested in St. Anthony’s tongue and jaw on display at the church.  

We arrived into Assisi where we were staying here for two night nights.  We stayed at an old monastery called Casa per Ferie Ulivo d’Assisi.   These accommodations were a lot more modest than our Venice accommodations. We have encountered above normal temperatures for this area and a lot of places have no AC.  The hotel had no AC, single beds and very small showers.  It was a fraction of the price of our Venice hotel and walking distance from the city center, as well as able to accommodate all 26 of us in the same place.  The Casa per Ferie Ulivo d’Assisi was fantastic, the staff was great, we had a great room that we were able to hang out and drink wine and let the cousins play together.  Breakfast every morning was great !  It was great.

Assisi, nestled in the hills of Umbria, dates back to Roman times, but it’s best known as the birthplace of Saint Francis in the 12th century. His message of peace and simplicity made Assisi a major spiritual center. The Basilica of Saint Francis, built in his honor, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with stunning frescoes. Over the centuries, Assisi has preserved its medieval charm, remaining a symbol of faith, art, and history in Italy.

The next day we visited the Basilica of St. Francis where St. Francis is buried.  Some people got confession then we had a family lunch and then off to see Carlos Acutis.  Carlos will be canonized later this year as a saint.  All of the grandchildren were very enthralled with Carlos as he was incorruptible.  This means when his body was exhumed, it had not deteriorated.  Carlos is a millennial so he just died recently but several miracles are associated with him.  He was instrumental in creating internet content to help young people join the Catholic Church.   

We then visited the Basilica of St. Claire, where our grandchildren saw a second saint that was incorruptible, St. Claire.  Of course we had gelato ( a daily event for the grandchildren) and found a carousel for the anyone that was interested.  We topped off the evening, with a dinner in the city.  Assisi is such an interesting city with narrow windy steep streets with so much history.

Next Stop is Rome, Italy