Basilica of St Francis, the two churches and the crypt
1 h 30EveryoneAll year
Visit · 1 h 30 · From 6:00 · Frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue
Stay1–2 nights
Best timeApril, May, June, September, October
RegionUmbria
What to do
What to do in Assisi
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Hike from Assisi to the Eremo delle Carceri and the Croce di Sassopiano
5 h · 12 kmUsed to walkingAll year; best in spring and autumn
Hike · 5 h · 12 km · +500 m · Path 350
Rocca Maggiore, the fortress above Assisi
1 hFrom age 6All year; closed on 25 December
14th-century fortress at the top of Assisi, with a covered walkway and views over the Umbrian valley; €8 entry, open all year.
From €8
How to do it
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Assisi, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Assisi
Spring and autumn, for walking on Subasio without the heat. In early May the Calendimaggio fills the city; in August there are many pilgrims and heat.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Assisi your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Without a car: train, bus and on foot
Assisi is easy without a car: the train from Rome or Perugia drops you at Santa Maria degli Angeli, the city bus takes you up to the centre and, inside the walls, everything is on foot, with hills. As far as Spello you can walk along the Via di Francesco and come back by train.
70–170 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Pallotta, on Via San…
- Getting aroundRegional train from Roma Termini…
- Where to eatTrattoria Pallotta, Umbrian cooking on…
- ServicesAssisi station, at Santa Maria…
Where to stay
- Hotel Pallotta, on Via San Rufino, next to the main square
- Giotto Hotel & Spa, on Via Fontebella, steps from the basilica
Getting around
- Regional train from Roma Termini to Assisi station
- Busitalia bus from the station to the centre, with the combined Assisi Link ticket
- On foot between the basilica, the square and the Rocca Maggiore
Where to eat
- Trattoria Pallotta, Umbrian cooking on Piazza del Comune
- Pasticceria Sensi, for breakfast or a rocciata tea
- La Locanda del Cardinale, for a special dinner
Services
- Assisi station, at Santa Maria degli Angeli
By car: Assisi and the villages of Subasio
With a car, Assisi is a good base for Umbria: Spello, Perugia and Montefalco are close. The historic centre is closed to unauthorised traffic, so the car stays in an outer car park or the hotel's.
80–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayGiotto Hotel & Spa, with…
- Getting aroundFrom Rome, via the A1…
- Where to eatTrattoria Pallotta, on Piazza del…
- ServicesPaid outer car parks around…
Where to stay
- Giotto Hotel & Spa, with private parking at the door, €20 a night
- Agriturismo Malvarina, in the countryside, with its own osteria
Getting around
- From Rome, via the A1 and the E45, exit Assisi: about two and a half hours
- Covered car park at Piazza Matteotti, in the upper part, €12 a day
- The Eremo delle Carceri is reached by road, although walking is prettier
Where to eat
- Trattoria Pallotta, on Piazza del Comune
- La Locanda del Cardinale, for a special meal
- The osteria at Malvarina, if you sleep in the countryside
Services
- Paid outer car parks around the walls
Fly to Rome and take the train to Assisi
For Assisi the usual thing is to fly to Rome: Fiumicino has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities. From Roma Termini, the regional train reaches Assisi station, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, in about two and a half hours; from there a city bus with a combined ticket goes up to the centre. Perugia airport (PEG) is closer, halfway between Perugia and Assisi, but check first whether there is a flight from your city. By car from Fiumicino, the A1 motorway and the E45 to the Assisi exit: about two and a half hours.
- Getting thereRome Fiumicino (FCO): train to…
- Getting aroundAssisi Link: train ticket with…
- Where to stayHotel Pallotta, next to Piazza…
- ServicesAssisi station, at Santa Maria…
Getting there
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO): train to Roma Termini and a regional to Assisi, direct or changing at Foligno
- Rome Ciampino (CIA): bus to Termini and the same train
- Perugia (PEG), if you find a flight: a few kilometres from Assisi, by taxi or hire car
Getting around
- Assisi Link: train ticket with the Busitalia bus from the station to the centre, €1.30 extra
- On foot inside the walls: the centre is closed to traffic
- Hire car at the airport only if you are going to sleep in the countryside or add Spello and Montefalco
Where to stay
- Hotel Pallotta, next to Piazza del Comune, if you arrive without a car
- Giotto Hotel & Spa, next to the basilica, with parking if you hire a car
Services
- Assisi station, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, next to the basilica of the Porziuncola
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Assisi for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Assisi with children, in short steps
Assisi is small and can be covered on foot, but with slopes. It works to alternate a short visit with a while in a square or at the fortress, where children can climb the towers.
- What works bestThe Rocca Maggiore, with towers…
- Where to sleepInside the walls, so you…
- Where to eatTorta al testo, the Umbrian…
- Keep in mindThe streets are steep and…
What works best
- The Rocca Maggiore, with towers and a covered walkway; free up to age 8
- The basilica, if you first tell them the story of St Francis and the animals
- The Porziuncola, a tiny chapel inside an enormous basilica
- The Calendimaggio, if it coincides, with parades and music in the street
Where to sleep
- Inside the walls, so you don't depend on the bus
Where to eat
- Torta al testo, the Umbrian flatbread with filling, easy for children
Keep in mind
- The streets are steep and cobbled: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair
- The route to the Eremo and Sassopiano is not a family route according to the park; with children, go up only to the Eremo
What to do as a family
Assisi for teenagers who walk
A teenager is more interested in the mountain than in churches. Combine the basilica first thing with a proper hike on Subasio or the walk to Spello.
- What works bestThe route to the Eremo…
- Where to sleepInside the walls or in…
- Where to eatTorta al testo and a…
- Keep in mindThere is no shade in…
What works best
- The route to the Eremo delle Carceri and Sassopiano: 12 km and 500 m of climbing
- The Rocca Maggiore, with the covered walkway; reduced ticket for ages 9 to 18
- The Calendimaggio, with competition between the two neighbourhoods
- Giotto's frescoes in the basilica, like a comic strip of 28 panels
Where to sleep
- Inside the walls or in Santa Maria degli Angeli, next to the station
Where to eat
- Torta al testo and a sandwich for the route
Keep in mind
- There is no shade in the summit meadow
- In the basilica silence is requested and clothing that covers shoulders and knees
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay without a carif you're drivingif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Giotto Hotel & Spa
Why we like it: Four-star hotel on Via Fontebella, a few steps from the basilica of St Francis, with rooms and suites with valley views, a spa and its own parking.
Hotel Pallotta
Why we like it: Small family hotel on Via San Rufino, next to Piazza del Comune, in an old house with a viewing platform over the rooftops and optional home-made breakfast.
Agriturismo Malvarina
Why we like it: Organic farm stay in the hills south-east of Assisi, with attic-ceilinged rooms, cottages with kitchen, an osteria in the Slow Food guide and electric bike hire.
Where to eat
Where to eat in Assisi
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Trattoria Pallotta
What to order: strangozzi alla Pallotta and, as a main course, pigeon alla ghiotta or rabbit cacciatore with torta al testo
La Locanda del Cardinale
What to order: seasonal Umbrian cooking and something from the wine cellar, which the Michelin Guide highlights
Takeaway and markets
Pasticceria Sensi, Assisi
Nearby
Near Assisi
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
42.72° N · 12.11° E
Orvieto
Car-freeBy carBy plane
42.63° N · 12.11° E
Civita di Bagnoregio
43.08° N · 11.68° E
Val d'Orcia
By carBy plane
42.41° N · 12.24° E
Caprarola and Bomarzo
By planeBy car
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Start with the lower church
It opens at 6:00, two and a half hours before the upper one.
- 2Get the combined ticket
For €14 you enter the Rocca Maggiore, the Roman Forum, the Pinacoteca and the Torre del Popolo, with an audio guide.
- 3Go up Subasio in the morning
The summit meadow has no shade.
Going up to the Eremo by the road at midday
It's asphalt in the sun and with cars. The dirt trail 350 is more pleasant.
How do you get there from Spain?
The most convenient way is to fly to Rome and continue by train to Foligno and Assisi, or to fly to Perugia airport, which is halfway between Perugia and Assisi. The railway station isn't in the city but below, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, on the Foligno–Terontola line; from there you go up by bus. By car you arrive via the E45, Assisi exit.
How do you get around?
On foot. The historic centre is closed to unauthorised cars and the most convenient paid car park is the one in Piazza Matteotti, in the upper part. The streets are steep: between the basilica and the Rocca Maggiore there's a good climb.
When is it most crowded?
Mid-morning, when groups arrive at the basilica, and on the big Franciscan feast days. Sleep inside the walls and you'll see the city empty early in the morning and at dusk, when the stone turns pink.
Where to sleep and eat?
To sleep inside the walls, the Giotto Hotel & Spa is next to the basilica and has parking, and the Hotel Pallotta, small and family-run, is by Piazza del Comune. If you prefer the countryside, the Agriturismo Malvarina has cottages with a kitchen and its own osteria.
For eating, the Trattoria Pallotta has served Umbrian cooking on the main square since 1860; La Locanda del Cardinale, above the remains of a Roman house, is for a special meal, and the Pasticceria Sensi is for breakfast or to take away a rocciata.
Plans and getaways
From Rome you have Assisi by train in a day, Assisi by car with the Porziuncola and the Eremo delle Carceri and two nights in Assisi with the walk to Spello.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need?
One day for the basilica and the city; two if you want to walk to the Eremo delle Carceri or to Spello.
Is there a train to Assisi?
Yes, to Santa Maria degli Angeli station, on the plain. From there you go up to the centre by bus.
Can you drive in?
Not into the historic centre, except authorised vehicles. Park in Piazza Matteotti or another car park outside.
When is the Calendimaggio?
From the first Wednesday to the first Saturday after 1 May.
What are the basilica's opening hours?
The lower church opens from 6:00 to 18:30 (Wednesdays until 17:30) and the upper one from 8:30 to 18:00.