This morning we had to be to breakfast by 6:15 and we checked out of the hotel and were on the bus by 6:45. Our first stop was Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. We visited the church and walked through the garden and then took the bus to the Basilica, where we had our tour.

In the lower building we were able to walk into the crypt to see the tomb of St. Francis, where many people pray and leave offerings, and then we walked up to the church where we saw some of the frescoes we studied in our art history class, including some by Giotto. After the tour we had some time to walk around the town for a bit. We stopped to get something to eat and visited a few of the shops before making our way back to meet the bus for Florence.

Just before we reached the city we stopped at a lookout point that offered a magnificent panoramic of Florence. We took some photos and then ventured into the city and checked into our hotels. There were three different hotels for this part of the trip, but my roommate and I were able to stay together. We stayed at the Capitol. It was quite a bit more modern than the hotel in Rome and not as pretty, but the beds were so much more comfortable!

We all ate dinner together at a restaurant near our hotel. They served delicious pasta, chicken and salad, and then for dessert we had tiramisu. After dinner, there was a night tour that Matt, Ali and I decided to follow, while the rest of our group went to find the nightlife.

Every city in Italy has its own feel to it and no two cities seem to be the same. While Rome is an ancient city bustling with tourists, Florence is a medieval city with a much more relaxed atmosphere. In Piazza della Signoria there was an orchestra performing an outdoor concert next to the Renaissance sculptures. It was a beautiful night and we took the time to listen and enjoy the view.

As our tour continued, we moved on to the Ponte Vecchio. Matt bought us gelato and we sat and talked on the bridge overlooking the Arno for at least an hour and a half. It was absolutely beautiful! The rest of our group met up with us after we lost the rest of our tour and we made our way back to our hotels. Jess, Ali, Ashley and Alexa were at one hotel, Matt and AJ at another, and Joe, Doug, Mike, James and I were at the last. It was a bit of a walk, but it was nice to get a feel for the city and I had a great sleep when I got back.