Where there is love and wisdom - a time-out in Assisi

Soak up the sun and discover places of power,
stroll through olive groves and enjoy the views,
experience community and find peace,
arrive in the here-and-now.

The picturesque town of Assisi ...

... lies in the ruggedly beautiful landscape of Umbria, between Florence and Rome, near Perugia, on a rocky ridge of Monte Subasio. The birthplace of Clare and Francis of Assisi is a World Heritage Site, a city of peace and an interfaith meeting place.

Like Francis and Clare, we set off on our journey, feel and hear their legends, visit the places and churches where they lived and worked and do mindfulness exercises there and along the way. In the encounter with ourselves and with each other, with nature and culture, we can have many experiences - in conversation, in silence, while walking, while eating.

- You will stay in a cozy guest house run by American sisters with a garden and a wide view over Umbria. It is centrally located in the old town.
- You practise relaxation and meditation 2-3 times a day in the group room or outdoors.
- You will go on short hikes (5-10 km) to important places and churches in Assisi such as Santa M. degli Angeli, Rivotorto or the Carceri, the hermitage of St. Francis on Monte Subasio.
- You will take part in two guided tours - in San Francesco with the Giotto frescoes and in San Damiano with the monastery of St. Clare. There, Franciscan nuns who accompany a youth project in Assisi offer us a talk.
- You can spend a day as you wish, e.g. relaxing, climbing the castle or - in the footsteps of the Franciscans - taking a trip to Bastia, Spello, Spoleto or Lake Trasimeno.
- If you wish, you can have individual discussions with the course leader during the days.

We stay at St. Anthony's Guesthouse in the old town, which is run very personally by American Franciscan nuns. You can stay in a single or double room. The house has a beautiful garden with a wide view over the Umbrian valley and a view of the castle. In the house there is a library where you can sit comfortably, a small chapel and other common rooms. In the garden is our (own) seminar room, where we can meet with the group, practice mindfulness and exchange ideas.

Breakfast is served in the house (bread, muesli, fruit, yogurt, jam, cheese, juice, coffee...). We cater for ourselves on the way, have a picnic together or can stop off somewhere with the group, e.g. for pizza. There are nice places near the market square and all over the city where you can eat very well and sometimes inexpensively.

- In the mornings and evenings, you will practise mindfulness or meditation exercises with the group and receive thematic impulses on the places we visit that day.
- During the day, you will go on short hikes (5-10 km) to important places and churches in Assisi such as Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rivo Torto or the Eremo delle Carceri, the hermitage of St. Francis on Monte Subasio.
- You will take part in two guided tours - in the Basilica of San Francesco with the Giotto frescoes and in San Damiano with the monastery of St. Clare. There, German Franciscan nuns, who run a youth project in Assisi, offer us a talk. In the beautiful atmosphere of the small church, you can then attend vespers (Liturgy of the Hours) or spend time in the cloister or garden.
- You can spend one day of the week on your own, e.g. relaxing, climbing the castle or - as Francis of Assisi liked to do - taking a trip to Lake Trasimeno.

After registering (you are welcome to call in advance), you will immediately receive written instructions on how to get there by bus, car, train or plane. If you are looking for a carpool, you will receive the contact details of other participants.
You will also receive a literature list if you want to read something about Assisi beforehand and a packing list.