Tour - Destinazione Subasio

Arrive in Gubbio, visit the town and the places associated with St. Francis. Gubbio is where he made his full conversion. The tour begins with the visit of the Church of St. Francis, designed by the architect Fra’ Bevignate, located on the site where the residence of the Spadalonga family once stood. In early February 1207, during a very cold winter, Francis crossed the hills that separate Assisi from Gubbio, dressed only in a coarse shirt.

Continue to the church of St. Francis of Peace (San Francesco della Pace), built in 1600 and housing the sarcophagus of the wolf tamed by the saint. In the early twentieth century, a sarcophagus with a wolf decoration was found during excavations inside the church. The church also displays the “Ceri mezzani” and the statuettes of St. Ubaldo, St. George and St. Anthony, used in the annual ceremonial processions and race held every May 15th. The painting of the Madonna with Child and Saints is the by Giovanni B. Michelini of Foligno.

Lunch at the restaurant San Francesco e il Lupo, known for its fine cuisine and location in the historic heart of Gubbio.

From the restaurant, you can easily reach on foot every monument of the city of Gubbio such as Palazzo dei Consoli and its square with a spectacular view, admired by visitors from around the world. The restaurant offers an exquisite menu consisting of the typical dishes of the city and Umbrian tradition. In the afternoon, visit the Vittorina Church, where the Saint founded his first religious community. The construction of the church seems to date back to the 9th century in memory of a victory over the barbarians: its name derives from “ad Victorias”. Inside, the walls of the single nave are decorated with fifteenth-century frescoes and a seventeenth-century painting cycle of stories from the life of the Virgin.

Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel

Visit Gubbio’s Gothic-style cathedral, burial site of Bishop Villano who welcomed Francis and donated the church of the Vittorina to the Franciscan community.

Lunch at the Taverna del Lupo, a historic pillar of Umbrian and Gubbian cuisine revisited in a modern key and using the best local ingredients

After lunch, take the cableway up to the Basilica of St. Ubaldo, bishop and patron saint of Gubbio who died in 1160. Francis knew the bishop, who was already much venerated, through the words and stories of their friend Spadalonga. Every May 15th, Gubbi celebrates the Festa dei Ceri in honour of St. Ubaldo.

Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel

Departure in an electric vehicle to visit the Vallingegno abbey (about 10 Km from Gubbio). Its imposing structure is set in beautiful countryside and is visible from far away. The abbey, often visited by St. Francis, is one of the largest in the area.

Lunch at the abbey, and after, return to Gubbio.

Overnight in hotel.

Breakfast in hotel

Departure for Assisi by electric vehicle. Guided tour of the most important places of interest: the Basilica of St. Francis, an architectural masterpiece decorated with the best Italian art of the Middle Ages, including Giotto and Cimabue. Continue on to the Piazza del Comune in the centre of Assisi, a square fronted by the most important palaces of the city: the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, the Palazzo dei Priori, the seat of the Torre del Popolo, and the Temple of Minerva, a building of Roman origins, transformed into the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The tour continues with the Cathedral of San Rufino, the place where St. Francis first preached, and where St. Clare met Bishop Guido, and the Gothic Basilica of Santa Chiara, built in 1257 of the famous pink and white stone of Assisi. As with all Franciscan places, Assisi is surrounded by breath-taking views that inspire sweetness and tranquillity.