A Winery Visit Near Touristy Assisi at SAIO!

By the time this article has posted, I will be a real Italian citizen! YAY! This post clearly had to be about Italy in light of this major life accomplishment! As such, this post reviews our visit to the SAIO winery just outside of Assisi in Umbria, Italy, where we spent the first day of my 40th year in December. In sum, the wine could be better, but this is a fun stop near touristy Assisi.

SAIO decked out for the holidays (my birthday is December 26th).

SAIO winery is a small winery located only 800 meters from Assisi’s famous St. Francis church. That being said, St. Francis church is located on a hilltop and SAIO is located on the ground level, so its not exactly walking distance or that close in reality , but does offer fabulous views of Assisi. SAIO brands itself as the “winery of Assisi” and prides itself on its wines and olive oil. SAIO is run by the Mencarelli family and makes a small selection of reds and whites.

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Visiting Assisi at Christmastime!

Assisi is an absolutely adorable hilltop town in Umbria, Italy, about 35 minutes from our beloved Montefalco, and 2.5 hours from Rome (via train). Dan and I first visited Assisi in 2008 (when we studied abroad in Rome for a summer!) and, although we adored Assisi in 2008, did not return until December 2023! That was a mistake, and we won’t wait so long next time. This time around, rather than a couple nights as we did in Summer 2008, we stayed in Brufa, Italy at the Borgobrufa Spa Resort and took a short (but expensive taxi) to Assisi and back. This post reviews what we did during an afternoon in Assisi at Christmastime!

Dan & I in Assisi, circa Summer 2008.

ASSISI, UMBIRA

Assisi is known to many tourists as the home of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals, who was born in Assisi, lived in Assisi, and died in Assisi.  In addition to Saint Francis, Assisi is also home to another famous Saint, Saint Chiara (a lady saint!) and so many churches for a tiny little town. You truly cannot visit Assisi without seeing multiple churches and related religious things.  All the religious stuff being said, Assisi is also a beautiful Umbrian hilltop town complete with views of the surrounding Umbrian countryside and its own ruined castle. I recommend Assisi to, of course, those coming for religious reasons, but also to those in Umbria and wanting to see a gorgeous hilltop town. Stay the night to see Assisi without the crowds if you can, which are worst during the middle of the day when day trippers and tour groups come from all around.

Assisi from the top of town in December 2023.

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