This morning we walk through the streets of Assisi as Saints Francis and Clare would have known it. Visit the Cathedral of San Ruffino, the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Chiesa Nuova (New Church), built on the site of Francis' house. We also visit St Clare's Basilica, which now houses the Crucifix that called to Francis. Afterwards we have a guided tour of the twin basilica of St Francis, now fully reopened after the earthquake in 1997. We see the frescoes attributed to Giotto in the Upper Basilica and those by Cimabue and Simone de Martine in the Lower Basilica. The afternoon will be at leisure, with dinner in a local restaurant.

After breakfast we travel by coach into Tuscany, past the birthplace of Michelangelo and up into the mountains to a sanctuary founded by St Francis on land given to him by a local nobleman. It was here that two years before the end of his life, Francis was the first person recorded to have received the Stigmata, that final great identifying sign of the Saint’s life with that of Christ. There will be time at the Sanctuary in the morning, including the celebration of the Eucharist. After lunch at a local restaurant, La Melosa, we drive to the small town of San Sepolcro, where we have the opportunity to visit the Museo Civico, home to the remarkable painting “The Resurrection” by Piero della Francesca, as well as his polyptych of “The Virgin of Mercy”. Dinner will be at choice today.

Today will be at leisure in Assisi. Sunday Eucharist will be celebrated this morning. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.

This morning we take a twisting taxi ride to the Hermitage, situated high above Assisi on Monte Subasio, which was a place of retreat and meditation for Francis and his followers and is still an oasis of quiet today. The taxis wait for about forty minutes here before driving down to San Damiano below Assisi, which was where St Francis received the message from the Crucifix to repair God’s church and where, later, St Clare spent her cloistered life and founded her community. Afterwards we drive down into the valley to visit the Basilica of S. Maria Degli Angeli to see the Porziuncula, the chapel that St Francis restored, and which became the centre of his first community where he died. The rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.

This morning we travel to Lake Trasimeno, where we take a boat ride from Passignano to the picturesque island of Isola Maggiore, where Francis spent the forty days of Lent on his own in 1213. Visit the grotto beside the shore near to where he landed, and the church which is dedicated to him. After a Eucharist which will be celebrated at the shore of the lake, there will be lunch in a local restaurant and some time for private exploration before the return boat ride to Passignano and coach transfer back to Assisi. Dinner will be at choice today.

 After breakfast we leave Assisi and drive north to the Rieti Valley, where St Francis spent much time after being driven from Assisi, and the Sanctuary of Greccio where he devised the first nativity play. We will celebrate the Eucharist here. Afterwards, transfer to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for our return flight, which arrives at Bristol Airport at 18:05.