Assisi rises out of the Umbrian countryside in pale pink and white stone, a hill town that has drawn pilgrims for eight centuries as the birthplace of Saint Francis. Even for visitors with no particular religious interest, the town’s basilica complex holds some of the most important fresco cycles in Western art, and the surrounding countryside views from its medieval streets rank among the best in central Italy.
Related: Best Tours & Experiences in Assisi Basilica Italy
Best Things to Do
See the Giotto frescoes in the Basilica of St. Francis
The upper basilica’s walls are covered in a fresco cycle depicting scenes from Saint Francis’s life, long attributed largely to Giotto and considered a turning point toward more naturalistic, human figures in Italian painting. The lower basilica, darker and more intimate, holds Francis’s tomb.
Visit the Basilica of Santa Chiara
Dedicated to Saint Clare, a close follower of Francis and founder of her own religious order, this striped pink and white basilica holds the crucifix that, according to tradition, spoke to Francis and prompted his conversion.
Walk up to the Rocca Maggiore fortress
This medieval fortress above the town offers the best panoramic view of Assisi’s rooftops and the Umbrian valley below, and the climb up through the town’s steep stone streets is a good way to see the old town along the way.
Explore the Eremo delle Carceri hermitage
Tucked into a wooded hillside outside town, this small hermitage marks where Francis is said to have retreated for prayer and solitude, and the walk there through forest offers a quieter, more contemplative side of Assisi than the town center.
Top-Rated Assisi Tours & Experiences
Best Time to Visit
Spring and fall bring mild weather for walking the town’s steep streets and surrounding countryside without summer’s heat or crowds. October 4th, the Feast of Saint Francis, draws large crowds of pilgrims and is worth planning around either way depending on your interest.
How to Get There
Assisi is reachable by train from Perugia or Rome, with the station located in the valley below and a shuttle bus connecting up to the hill town itself. Many visitors combine it with a broader Umbria road trip, since it’s a manageable drive from Perugia, Orvieto or Spoleto.
Good to Know
As an active pilgrimage site, modest dress is required in both basilicas, and photography is restricted in some areas, particularly around the frescoes. A visit to the main basilica complex takes a couple of hours, though the full town easily fills a half or full day.
Assisi offers something genuinely rare: a hill town whose art and architecture carry real weight beyond their beauty, set in a landscape that looks much as it did when Francis walked it eight hundred years ago.
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