Travel Italy: Venice, Classe and Assisi
Travel Italy: Venice, Classe and Assisi
Travel Italy: Venice, Classe and Assisi
WJ Tested: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade Tour: Day 9 – From Venice we drive to Classe, near Ravenna, for a visit at the Church of St. Apollinaris. Then it’s onwards to Assisi and a guided visit of the Basilica of St. Francis.
This morning we bid a fond farewell to Venice – the enchanting city of islands and canals. The water taxi picked us up outside the Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal at 8:05 am and whisked us away, back to where the coach had dropped us upon arrival. By 8:25 am we were aboard the coach and driving through the flatlands of the Po River Delta.
Comfort Stop Near Classe
After a 90-minute drive through the countryside we had a comfort stop at a local service area where we could purchase snacks, drinks and souvenirs. (Travel Tip: Smoked eel is a local specialty)
Mosaics at the Church of St. Apollinaris in Classe
Following the rest stop we drove for another hour to view the impressive mosaics at the Church of St. Apollinaris in Classe, near Ravenna.
Church of St. Apollinaris in Classe
Mosaics at the Church of St. Apollinaris in Classe
Departing Classe by 12:30 pm we drove for about 70 minutes in the direction of Assisi before stopping again, for a lunch break at an AutoGrille.
View of Assisi in Umbria
Just before arriving in Assisi, driver Alberto made a short stop along the roadside for us to take photos of the hilltop town nestled into the vibrant and lush mountainside. We were now in the province of Perugia in the region of Umbria.
Assisi in Umbria
The coach dropped us off at the parking area at the bottom of the hill leading up to the town of Assisi. From this point it was about a 10-minute stroll up hill to the entrance of the Basilica of St. Francis, where we met with our interesting and knowledgeable local guide, Giuseppi, for a tour of the church and to view St. Francis’ tomb.
Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi – Did You Know?
- Saint Francis died of TB, malaria and bone cancer
- The tomb of Saint Francis is under the church
Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Do You Know?
- What is the difference between a mural and a fresco? A mural is painted on the surface and a fresco is part of the plaster.
Views of Umbria
Once we finished the guided tour with Guiseppi we had about an hour of free time before meeting the bus at the bottom of the hill (back in the parking lot) and continuing on to our hotel for the night.
4-star Ròseo Hotel Assisi
4-star Ròseo Hotel Assisi
A 2 km drive into the countryside to the 4-star Ròseo Hotel Assisi, saw us entering our guest room by 6:15 pm (room 429). The room had a small window overlooking the stairwell, but as we were basically only there to sleep it didn’t really matter. (Note: Visit the rooftop terrace for fabulous views across the valley.)
Insight Vacations Voyageur Cocktail Reception at Ròseo Hotel Assisi
We were all invited to join Tour Director Mark at 7:30 pm in a nice area of the hotel lobby for a hosted Voyageur cocktail reception – nibbles and wine.
Dinner Buffet at Ròseo Hotel Assisi
Dinner Buffet at Ròseo Hotel Assisi
At 8 pm it was time for our group to have an included dinner at the hotel – a buffet in a downstairs meeting room with other tour groups staying at the hotel.
Sunset in Assisi
Next… Onward to Sorrento
Previous: Insight Vacations Italian Escapade – | Tour Overview | Meet and Greet in Rome! | Rome with Local Historian | Skip the Lines – Vatican Museums | Siena | Florence & Michelangelo’s David | Florence to Pisa | Exploring Baveno and Stresa on Lake Maggiore | Prosecco at Fratelli Berlucchi Vineyard | Visiting the Medieval City of Verona | Venice and Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal | Murano Glass and Venice Gondola Ride |
If You Go:
Note: WAVEJourney were guests of Insight Vacations for their April 30 – May 12, 2013 Italian Escapade tour. Read our full disclosure statement to see that this has no effect on our reviews.
