MEDIEVAL MOMENTS

Take a trip back in time and explore two of Umbria’s best-loved medieval towns on this full-day excursion to Perugia and Assisi.

Best-known as Italy’s vibrant university hub, lively stage for jazz concerts and the homeland of the world-famous Perugina chocolate factory, Perugia was once far from being the peaceful idyll we can admire today. Echoes of clinging swords, blasts of trumpets, clattering hooves and the raging voices of merciless popes still resonate across the town’s surprisingly well preserved historic centre, awakening memories of a turbulent past. Despite a seemingly endless succession of battles, sieges, rebellions and strife, Perugia resisted hardship and managed to flourish, becoming a prosperous centre for manufacturing and trade as well as a thriving artistic and cultural magnet.

Traces of the city’s 2,500-year-old history have miraculously survived to this day. Etruscan walls, Roman ruins, medieval churches, Renaissance palazzi… every corner of Perugia harbours a compelling story waiting to be unravelled. Your guide will lead you on a leisurely stroll along stone alleys, up and down stairways, across bustling piazzas and also below the ground, allowing you to gain a complete introduction to Perugia’s development throughout the ages, from its 6th century BC origins, right up to the city’s contemporary triumphs.

You begin your day with a visit to the remains of the Rocca Paolina where a momentous event in the history of Perugia once unfolded. Listen as your guide explains how a tax increase imposed five centuries ago on the indignant Perugians triggered a popular uprising, brutally repressed by the troops of Pope Paul III. In 1540, as a stark reminder of his supremacy and power, the pope ordered the construction of a colossal fortress in the pre-existing neighbourhood of Santa Giuliana. Medieval houses and churches were either demolished to make way for the stronghold or incorporated within its foundations. The mighty Rocca Paolina stood guard over Perugia for three centuries until Italy’s unification in 1861, when it was eventually torn down by the citizens who had always regarded it as a symbol of oppression. However, as your guide will reveal on a subterranean journey back in time, a maze of passageways and rooms belonging to an age-old district of the city still survives beneath the surface allowing visitors a fascinating glimpse into the once busy streets of medieval Perugia.

From here, amble along Corso Vannucci, the city’s main thoroughfare and reach Piazza IV Novembre, the pulsing heart of Perugia since Etruscan times. Your guide will point out three striking monuments: the imposing Gothic-style Palazzo dei Priori, complete with crenellated walls and trefoiled windows; the 13th century Fontana Maggiore, a masterpiece of medieval sculpture, featuring symbolic representations of the twelve months and zodiac signs; the beautiful, unfinished Cathedral of San Lorenzo, housing the stirring Deposition from the Cross by Baroque painter Federico Barocci.

But there are more than just medieval sights to delight you on your tour of Perugia. Dip into the city’s soft centres and unwrap its sweet secrets. Along with the lip-smacking Baci, Perugia is home to a number of artisanal confectioners and chocolate shops and proudly hosts the Eurochocolate festival every year in October. Your guide will show you where to find the best pralines, brittles and truffles in town and treat you to a tasting of mouth-watering specialities.

A 30-minute drive will then bring you to the lovely hilltop town of Assisi. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, Assisi is world-renowned as the birthplace of Saint Francis, patron saint of all animals, nature and of Italy itself. You will retrace his steps on a walking tour through the streets and squares of this city-sanctuary, exuding peace and spirituality at every corner, and hear about the legendary life of one of Roman Catholicism’s most cherished and widely worshipped personalities. Born around 1181, son of a wealthy merchant, Francis of Assisi abandoned his dissolute life after hearing the voice of God who commanded him to rebuild the Catholic Church and live in poverty. Francis gave up his worldly possessions, became a devoted Christian and founded the Franciscan Order in 1209. He died on October 3, 1226 and was canonized a saint just two years after his death on July 16, 1228. On that same day Pope Gregory IX laid the first stone of the future Basilica which was to become the mother Church of the Order of Friars Minor, one of Italy’s most famous pilgrimage destinations and a treasure trove of priceless medieval masterpieces, attracting thousands of faithful visitors and art lovers every year.

Evidence of the town’s ancient history still survives within its pristinely preserved medieval historic centre. Your starting point is the site of a long-lost ancient Roman amphitheatre. Having served as a rich mine for building material in the Middle Ages, the original structure is no longer standing though the spot still provides a fascinating glimpse into Assisi’s early beginnings and development throughout the ages, as well as wonderful views of the imposing 14th century fortress that looms over the town. From here, follow your guide along narrow alleys, past charming piazze on a quest for significant landmarks in the life of Saint Francis. You will come across the Cathedral of Saint Rufino, where he was baptized, and take a peek inside the Basilica of Saint Claire to find the holy Crucifix that triggered Saint Francis’ spiritual awakening. The nearby 17th century Chiesa Nuova was supposedly built on the site of the childhood home of Saint Francis. It was here, inside a small cell that can still be seen, that his father Pietro di Bernardone locked him up in chains in an attempt to discourage him from exchanging his comfortable lifestyle for one of poverty. Another notable feature of the town is Assisi’s main square, the picture-postcard Piazza del Comune. It sits on top of the remains of an ancient Roman forum whose strikingly well preserved 1st century BC classical temple was converted into a church in the 1500s.

Last but certainly not least, is a visit to the town’s most iconic monument: the Basilica of Saint Francis. The spectacular complex is built into the side of a hill and is comprised of two independent churches on two different levels, the Lower and Upper Basilica. An underground crypt houses the earthly remains of the saint, buried secretly here shortly after his death to prevent ransacking by relic hunters, only to be rediscovered six hundred years later, in 1818. The greatest artists of the 13th and 14th centuries, including Giotto, Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini, are responsible for the splendid decorative fresco cycles that grace the walls and ceilings of the complex, a cornerstone for understanding the development of Italian art in the Middle Ages. Your guide will lead you past the churches’ highlights and explain the meaning of the painted scenes, illuminating details of the life and miracles of Saint Francis.