Arrivederci Florence, Salve Assisi and a beautiful Basilica (but no pictures please)

So after a day and a half in Florence ( I am now convinced that one needs to spend at least a week in Florence to at just begin to see what there is to see) where we visited the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio (with the copy of the David, Neptune and a variety of other sculptures), Ponte Vecchio and the Pitti Palace, we were off to Assisi to visit the Basilica and start our hike. One thing that I neglected to share in the prior post were the views the guys had from the top of the Duomo. I shall correct that below with a slide show:

Below is a slide show of Palazzo Vecchio courtesy of William and Stephen

Before we totally leave Florence I do want to recommend one restaurant were I have eaten dinner twice, Mattacena (Via del Moro, 85R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy). Now there are truly hundreds, if not a thousand, restaurants in Florence and many can probably offer the same vibe as I have had there. But, if one is near the Duomo and wants to get away from the tourists and just have dinner at a place that is frequented primarily by the locals with an occasional lost tourist thrown in, I heartily recommend Mattacena. Good food, very reasonable prices and a relaxed familial vibe that is more typical of a small town rather than the bustle of Florence.

So, onto the train from Florence to Assisi. It was a local and I do mean local 18 stops between Florence and Assisi but the scenery was beautiful as we went almost half way around Lago Trasmeno (literal translation Lake Transmit…Italian at times does not often translate well directly into english). Thus, 2.5 hours later we arrive in Assisi. A short, steep, cab ride placed us at our hotel, just below the Basilica superiore di San Francesco d’Assisi. Assisi, a medieval town on top of a ridge as most of the old cities/towns of Italy are (much easier to defend against invasion) with the castle or, in this case Basilica, placed upon the highest part of the given community. So, as often is the case it was go up, old man, go up.

Walking up a quaint street lined with Souvenirs shops and restaurants we arrived at the plaza below the Basilica.

Unfortunately pictures are not allowed inside the Basilica and they enforce that policy with vigor. It is unfortunate as the interior of the structure is really quite beautiful and the iconography borders on stunning. Alas.

After a wonderful meal at a local restaurant, trust me there were A LOT of wonderful meals. We walked back down to our hotel anticipating the hike commencing the next day.

I think I finally have my photos uploaded to where posts should start to come faster. Ciao for now!

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