In Perugia, we had no idea that to reach the town centre we would have to take a series of escalators. The town is at the top of a steep hill and our hotel was well located but not in the centre of town.
It was down the slope a little way and in order to reach the town centre we had to go up and up and up on a series of escalators that delivered us inside the caverns of a medieval building at the heart of the town.
The centre itself is quite flat with massive buildings – a cathedral and museum and such – lining the main street.
What we were also not expecting was to find a cool wind blowing. The temperature in the town was very chilly compared to what we had been enjoying in Assisi most of the day. We needed coats and sweaters, especially once the sun went down.
The large buildings have very high walls that dwarf everything and everyone. I can’t remember where I have felt so tiny at the side of a building.
Not even in Chicago or New York. It is the Renaissance style and solid brick and stonework that makes the impact of these high walls so dramatic.
Steven and Joyce Stumpo in Dubrovnik 
Richard and Darlene Saunders in Dubrovnik
The town has style and charm but it is arguable whether it is as pretty as other hill towns in the region.
Which may explain the rivalry that has existed for centuries with neighbouring Assisi, which is surprisingly a very attractive town. I was not expecting that.
In Assisi we visited key churches associated with the Saint Francis. The best part for me was seeing the wonderful art of Giotto, Lorenzetti and others.
Giotto’s frescos have to be seen to be truly appreciated. I’d seen them in books and on TV documentaries but I was not prepared for the impact of their true beauty until I saw them in reality.
We wandered around Assisi before heading off to the friendly agriturismo, Casa Faustina, located up in the hills, where we had a wonderful rustic lunch and a free flow of delicious wine.
To get to Casa Faustina, we were picked up by a fleet of small vans and ferried up the hillside along dirt roads to a place of peace and beauty amid fields of olive trees and views overlooking the valley below.
It was a delicious time and we all came away happy and grateful. We spent the evening in Perugia.
In the morning, we moved back to Rome and took a flight to Croatia arriving in Dubrovnik at midday where we had lunch before touring the town and then checking into our lovely resort-style hotel on the ocean.
The pools on multiple levels were put to good use and then we went back to Dubrovnik for dinner.
