Assisi - city of peace and religious gift shops

Despite being brought up a catholic...I have to say I'm not very good at being catholic (Sorry mum and dad). I'm good at the guilt part, I can feel guilty about just about anything, but I'm not so good at believing the stories. Let's say I'm a bit cynical about the Catholic church, so my children don't really know much about Jesus or God. I'm more of a 'do unto others' catholic, maybe that's what you would call being a Christian. Happy to take the underlying messages but I don't really feel comfortable passing the stories. I think I'll leave the stories to their RE lessons in the Italian education system and I'll just teach them the basics.

Assisi is a beautiful hilltop town in Le Marche region which is renowned for being the birthplace  of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and the environment. I visited Assisi when I studied in Italy as a teenager. I remember it being hilly and hot.  Heading off with the family and Nathan for a day trip, my new memories will include the Basilica di St Francis, which is pretty amazing, forgetting to bring something to cover my shoulders with and needing to 'rent' a piece of black material to be able to go into the church, and that it is really hilly and really hot, even moreso with kids in tow.





















Despite what I think I know that my nonna will love it and it has great wheelchair access so she is going to be one happy catholic camper when she gets to Italy in 3 weeks!!!

A good day trip, but with young boys probably not something I'd recommend as a family outing.

Bye Nath, have fun in Roma town! xxx