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.
Duration2 nights
From Rome2 h 30 by train or car
Walk13.5 km to Spello, about 4 h 30
Best timeApril – June · September – October
BookingWeekend meals
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for Thursday to Saturday or Friday to Sunday, so that La Locanda del Cardinale is open and you do not fall on a Tuesday, when Trattoria Pallotta is closed. No car: everything is done by train, bus and on foot.
Friday
- 108:00Train from Rome
Regional from Termini. You reach Assisi station around 10:30.
- 210:30The Porziuncola
A few minutes' walk from the station: the tiny chapel under the dome of Santa Maria degli Angeli. 45 minutes; free.
- 312:00Check-in and lunch at Trattoria Pallotta
Take the bus up to the centre and leave your bag at Hotel Pallotta. Lunch under the Volta Pinta arch: strangozzi, rabbit cacciatora. Book by WhatsApp.
- 415:30The Basilica of St Francis
Lower church, crypt and the upper church with the frescoes of the saint's life. Free. The upper church closes at 18:00.
- 518:30Dusk stroll
The square, Santa Chiara and the walls without people.
Saturday
- 108:30From Assisi to Spello on foot
13.5 km along the Via di Francesco, from the basilica to Porta Montanara, among the olive trees of the Subasio: about 4 h 30 with some 340 m of ascent in short stretches. Have lunch in Spello and return by regional train to Assisi station and by bus to the centre.
- 220:00Dinner at La Locanda del Cardinale
Over the remains of a Roman house from the first century BC, on Piazza del Vescovado. Book on TheFork.
Sunday
- 109:00The Eremo delle Carceri
Walk up by path 350 from the Rocca Minore, along a dirt track mostly in the woods, to the hermitage. Come back the same way.
- 213:00The Rocca Maggiore and rocciata at Sensi
The fortress with views over the whole valley, €8, and on Corso Mazzini a rocciata for the train.
- 316:30Back to Rome
Bus to the station and a regional to Termini.
On a day trip from Rome, Assisi is basilica, square and back. With two nights it changes: you see the city first thing and at dusk, without the groups, when the stone turns pink; you walk a whole day along the slope of Monte Subasio among olive trees to Spello, and climb up to the hermitage where St Francis withdrew to pray. All without a car.
How do you get there from Rome?
By regional train from Roma Termini to Assisi station, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, direct or changing at Foligno: about two and a half hours. Buy the ticket to "Assisi Centro": the Assisi Link adds the Busitalia bus to the centre for €1.30. By car it is also about two and a half hours on the A1 and the Umbrian dual carriageways; the centre is closed to traffic and the car stays outside, so here you do not need it.
Where to stay?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Pallotta | Beside Piazza del Comune | Those arriving by train who want everything on foot |
| Giotto Hotel & Spa | Beside the basilica | Those who want valley views, a spa or parking |
| Agriturismo Malvarina | In the countryside, to the south-east | Those coming by car who want to dine at a Slow Food osteria |
Where to eat
Trattoria Pallotta for classic Umbrian cooking, La Locanda del Cardinale for the special dinner and Pasticceria Sensi for breakfast or an afternoon snack, from 7:00. If you sleep at Malvarina, dine at its osteria: the full set menu of the day costs €35.
What if I have one more day?
Carry on by train towards Perugia, on the same line, or south to Orvieto, with its cathedral and underground city.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
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
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
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
Nights2
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
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
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
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the Spello trains
Before setting out to walk, check the return timetable from Spello to Assisi.
- 2Water and a hat
The route to Spello and the one to the Eremo have stretches in the sun.
- 3Book meals
At weekends, Pallotta and the Locanda fill up.
We'd skip it
Going up to the Eremo by the road at midday: it is asphalt in the sun and with cars. Path 350 is more pleasant.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car?
No. Train from Rome, bus to the centre and, within Assisi and as far as Spello, on foot.
How long is the walk to Spello?
About 13.5 km, around 4 h 30, with some 340 m of ascent in short stretches. Return by train.
Where should you stay?
In the centre, at Hotel Pallotta or Giotto Hotel & Spa; in the countryside, at Agriturismo Malvarina.
Which days work best?
Thursday to Sunday, so that La Locanda del Cardinale is open at midday and to avoid Tuesday.