Italy in Spring Part 8 Perugia & Assisi

After visiting Rome, I took a train to Perugia. At Perugia's train station, I rode the sweet, almost egg-shaped MiniMetro into the old town and took a funicular for the last stretch. However, as I later discovered, there is also a series of escalators leading up. To be straightforward, Perugia strikes me as dark and remote. Huge, massive buildings stand closely together, interrupted only by endless piazzas with impressive structures that offer no shade. Yet, in the evening, young Perugians come here to celebrate. Large groups fill the bars and cafes, chatting, drinking, and enjoying life. 

On the second day, I took the escalators and MiniMetro back down and boarded the train to Assisi. From Assisi train station, there is a bus that goes up. The bus already has many believers and a priest onboard. The Basilica of San Francesco dominates the western part of the town, its white marble almost blinding in the sun. It consists of two parts, both very impressive. In the lower church, there lies the tomb of Francis of Assisi. The church's construction began two years after his death for his canonization. It was his last wish to be buried in the shadow of the hill that the locals called 'Colle d'inferno', where executions took place in the city, just like Jesus was buried at Golgotha. And now the hill is called Colle del Paradiso.

I immediately fell in love with Assisi. Small, narrow streets - but plenty of light, flowers, and life. And the expansive view of the surrounding landscape. I was also charmed by the Bosco di San Francesco, a small forest walk right next to the basilica. Here, the top representatives of the four world religions promised on a bell to ‘never again war, never again terrorism, never again violence.’ It's a pity that their members/followers do not adhere to this. (The gender-inclusive phrasing is intentionally omitted here!).