First stop todaywill be Assisi, town of St. Francis and Italy’s most visited shrine, afterRome. Of course the highlight of the day will be the Basilica di San Francescobut the town itself has some great medieval architecture. The Basilica wasstarted very soon after the death of St. Francis and dates from 1228. Dividedinto an upper and a lower section, it ranks as a turning point in Western art,moving from the period of stylised Byzantine art to a more humanist narrative.The frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue are quite breath-taking. Damage from theearthquake of 1997 was fully repaired by 1999 and you will be completelyunaware of it. From here, a short drive will bring you to the medieval hilltown of Spello and more amazing frescoes, this time by Pinturicchio, in thechurch of Santa Maria Maggiore. It is a lovely town to wander in and has someRoman remains as well.
