Here are places you can visit in Italy from the life of Saint Francis. Saint Francis, the patron saint of Italy, was born in Assisi in 1182. The son of a wealthy merchant, he gave everything he had to the poor and founded a humble community based on poverty and simplicity.
For an in-depth look at St. Francis in and around Assisi, take the guided tour Select From Italy’s From Riches to Rags: The Story of St. Francis of Assisi.
Even if you are not interested in Saint Francis, he really knew how to find beautiful places and these places are worth visiting:
Assisi and the Basilica of Saint Francis
Saint Francis was born in Assisi and his tomb is in a crypt below the Basilica of Saint Francis, a popular place of pilgrimage and tourism in Assisi. The construction of the great church began in 1228 when Saint Francis was canonized.
Also in Assisi is the Church of Santa Chiara, or Santa Clara, which contains his remains. Clara was an important supporter of San Francisco. Near Assisi there are several other sites associated with San Francisco.
Saint Francis Woodlands Park
Saint Francis Woodlands Park is on Mount Subasio, behind the city of Assisi, in the forest that Saint Francis visited often. Visitors can walk three different color-coded trails with audio guides: the Landscape Route, the Historic Route, and the Spiritual Route. Visitor information and hours.
Following in the footsteps of Saint Francis
Below Assisi, inside the great Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, you can see the small Porziuncola chapel, said to have been restored by Francis, and the cell where he died in 1226. Above Assisi is the Eremo delle Carceri , a Franciscan Monastery about 4 kilometers from the town. Inside the complex is a cave that Francis used as a refuge.
The verna
La Verna, in eastern Tuscany, is where Francis is said to have received the stigmata. San Francisco used to retreat to this beautiful place perched on a rocky promontory in the mountains. He founded a small church here in 1216 and eight years later he received the stigmata.
Today there is a large church and a monastic complex, but you can still see the small church, the cave that was his cell and the chapel built in the place where he received the stigmata. The sanctuary, perched on a rocky headland, is visible from afar and is located in a remote and beautiful forest area with fantastic views of the countryside.
Convent Francisca Le Celle of Cortona
In the forest, just outside Cortona, there is a peaceful Franciscan convent called the Convento delle Celle or Convent of the Cells. Saint Francis founded the monastery in the early 13th century, preaching here in 1211. Inside the convent is the Spartan cell with a stone bed and a wooden pillow used by Francis. From the convent there are good views of the valley below.
Greccio: the first Christmas crib
The Christmas crib or crib is said to have originated with Saint Francis in 1223 when he built a straw nativity scene in a cave in the town of Greccio and celebrated Christmas Eve mass there. Greccio recreates this event every year and there is a collection of nativity scenes and a monument to Saint Francis. Greccio is located in the Rieti province of Lazio.
La Foresta and the Sacred Valley
Also in the province of Rieti, 4 kilometers from the city of Rieti, is the Franciscan sanctuary of La Foresta. Francis stayed here in 1225 and this is believed to be where he composed Brother Sun’s Song. There is a 13th century church and a cave used by Francisco.
Besides Greccio and La Foresta, Francis visited other parts of the Rieti Valley and is sometimes called the Sacred Valley. The San Francisco Walk, a 50-mile walk, is a pilgrimage walk along the paths used by Francis that includes eight major stops to Francis.
Basilica of St. John Lateran
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome and, during the 13th century, the adjoining Lateran Palace was the home of the Popes. It is here that Saint Francis persuaded Pope Innocent III to give permission to start the Franciscan Order. Also in Rome is the 13th-century church of San Francesco d’Assisi a Ripa, the site of a travelers’ hospice where Francis stayed during his stay in Rome.
Gubbio: Saint Francis and the wolf
Gubbio is a well-preserved medieval mountain town in Umbria, where Francis lived for a time. It is here that Saint Francis made his peace with a wolf who was pestering the people of Gubbio. According to the story, after Francis tamed the wolf, the wolf lived peacefully with the people of Gubbio for two years until he died of old age.
Isola Maggiore, Lake Trasimeno
Isola Maggiore is a beautiful island in Lake Trasimeno, the largest lake in Italy, in the Umbria region. Today it is known for making lace, but in the 13th century it was deserted and in 1211 Francis spent a month on the island fasting for Lent.
