Beauty surrounding Assisi

On our departure from Siena and our way to Orvieto, we stopped over in rose-colored Assisi. The drive through Tuscany and into Umbria was full of lush colors, including fields of sunflowers and rolling hills dotted with homes and bushels of hay.

City on a hill, Assisi

Lake Trasimeno - read about the battle that occurred here

I have been to Assisi before, with my sister when we traveled back in 2006. I think I have also been here when I was in Urbania back in 2003. Assisi is a beautiful town, also walkable, wherever you stay. The people are nice and friendly. It is a pilgrimage sight; I don't know if people still do it, but I have heard that pilgrims used to come to Assisi on their hands and knees from all over.

St. Francis of Assisi (yes, San Francisco is named after him) started an order -- I believe a rather spartan order. The church or basilica, especially the upper half, is spectacular -- lots of color. The lower half, is more for the pilgrims (I think it has his body or someone else's body?). Anyway, go and say you've been. Assisi has great views and clean air.

I remember this time that we were there, on the Rick Steves trip, I spent a lot of time looking for a porchetta, to no avail. A porchetta is a pork sandwich -- but so much better! Ah... next time.