One reason for starting my summer travels in Italy was to visit the hometowns of some iconic saints. Here are my highlights! 😊
Siena
St. Catherine of Siena is an absolute baller of a saint. She is known for traveling to Avignon, France to convince the Pope to restore the papacy to Vatican City. My favorite recorded quote of hers is “be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world a fire.” It was such a joy to see her hometown in the heart of Tuscany.
The main sites of Siena are the zebra-patterned Cathedral of Siena, the Piazzo del Campo, and the Basilica Cateriniana San Domenico (Basilica of Catherine of Siena). In the Cathedral, I climbed to the top of the dome, similar to Florence’s Duomo, and walked through Piccolomini’s Library (right). To avoid the light rain, I had a croissant and afternoon Americano just outside the Piazza. Then, I walked to the Basilica to revere St. Catherine’s relic. It was surprising how few people were in the Basilica- I guess revering skulls of saints is not much of a tourist attraction.
Like Florence, art spills from every building in Siena like the ceiling frescoes in stores, Michelangelo’s statues in the Cathedral, and remnants of medieval Catholic artwork in museums. I’m glad this was my first day trip from Florence!
Assisi
Next on the mini saint tour of Italy is the hometown of St. Francis, St. Clare, and Bl. Carlos Acutis, but it started with a tasting of local wines of Assisi.
Through connections of a family friend, I met Francesco, an Italian sommelier, and Endri, a chef, at their wine store. Even though I was a just a friend of a friend of theirs, they treated me like an honored guest. I tried their finest wines, flavored olive oils, and aged balsamic vinegars. The tastings were paired with local, traditional flatbread, cheese, and salami sandwiches. It was a lovely hour of good food and conversation. Francesco even gave me a local’s tour of Assisi afterwards! He showed me the childhood home of St. Francis, the cross of St. Damiano (where St. Francis heard God’s call to rebuild the Church), the crypt of St. Clare, and Bl. Carlos’ home parish. St. Francis is the patron saint of Italy, which could explain the six million pilgrims and tourists every year. I loved being so close to three powerful saints of the Church!
To end my time in Assisi, I hiked up to Rocca Maggiore, a medieval fortress from the 1100s overlooking the valley. The countryside surrounding Assisi is lush with olive groves and farmland, and it is easy to lose track of time soaking it all in, especially when you are traveling solo!
Rome
I’ve picked up a knack for sleeping on trains in Italy. However, the bullet train from Florence to Rome was the one exception. My ears kept popping when the train sped through the tunnels cut in the hills. I made it to Rome safely, though sleepy. I spent two nights in Rome and made friends with the fellow travelers in the hostel when I checked in. The first day, I meandered past the typical tourist sites: the Trevi Fountain, Coliseum, and the Spanish Steps. I found a tour called Vicus Caprarius that takes you to the underground aqueducts that feed the Trevi Fountain! It was a great way to hide from the sun for a half hour and see a hidden part of the city. Of course, I ate pizza and gelato for lunch and people watched in Piazza Novona.
The next morning, I went to daily Mass at St. Mary Maggiore (in Italian) and spent the day in St. Peter’s Basilica. I don’t usually book tours when I solo-travel, but I’m glad I booked a tour of the church that included a ticket to climb the dome. After the tour, I stayed to pray in Adoration and receive the Sacrament of Confession. What a beautiful church that reflects such a beautiful Faith. I visited Rome in 2019 with my mom, and it was cool to return to these sites again- here’s a photo of us at the top of St. Peter’s four years ago, and one of me from this year!
I ended the day watching the sunset from Passeggiata del Pincio and strolling down the quiet street of Via Margutta on the way back to the hostel. I had a late flight to Athens where I met my mother for our cruise in Greece!
kira vesta 