Destination guide
Assisi
Italy
Assisi is a small medieval town of about 28,000 people (2022) perched on a hill in Umbria, the heart of Italy. Famous as the birthplace of St.
AI insights
Tripest editorial research (YouTube travel guides, published guides)
The Basilica di San Francesco is free to enter and is two churches stacked on top of each other — Giotto's fresco cycle in the Upper Church, the saint's crypt below; no photography inside.
Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the basilica — no shorts, tank tops or short skirts — so carry a scarf or a light layer, especially in summer.
Assisi is a day-trip town: the tour coaches arrive mid-morning and are gone by late afternoon, so stay the night and the medieval streets are essentially yours at dawn and after dinner.
Walk or take the shuttle up to the Rocca Maggiore fortress for the best view over the Umbrian valley — most visitors never leave the basilica end of town.
2026 is the 800th anniversary of St Francis's death and Assisi is in a Franciscan Jubilee year — expect noticeably heavier pilgrim crowds and book accommodation early.
Eat torta al testo stuffed with sausage and greens at a local osteria rather than a pilgrim-menu place on the main drag near the basilica.
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Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
Assisi in un giorno ⛪ | Cosa vedere nella città di San Francesco e Santa Chiara
Assisi, Italy Walking Tour - 4K60fps with Captions!
Cosa vedere ad Assisi in 3 giorni, Umbria
Assisi, Italy: Legacy of St. Francis - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide - Travel Bite
Assisi, Italy: Home of St. Francis - Rick Steves’ Europe Travel Guide - Travel Bite
Assisi, Italy - 14 Must See Attractions
Assisi, Italy 🇮🇹 4K Walking Tour — Basilica of St. Francis, Rocca Maggiore & Medieval Streets
Best time to go
Best window: April–June and September–November
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.
Getting around
Getting around
Historical Assisi is very small and easily explored on foot. But go slowly, or the hilly streets will put you out of breath before you know it.
Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to see
Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check.
Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
Worth itAlso recommended by Viaggiare in Italia
Basilica was completed in 1253. The walls and ceilings of the upper church are embellished with frescoes of the Giotto school; the lower sanctuary contains the tomb of St. Francis.
Vetted sources
Rocca Maggiore
Worth itAlso recommended by Prowalk Tours
A lovely site with wonderful views. A good climb so be prepared for a walk. The structure has been restored and besides the wonderful architecture and the views you can also see an exhibition based on the Calendimaggio, the spring festival…
Vetted sources
Santa Maria Maggiore Church
near "Piazza del Vescovado"
In a little hidden angle of the town, a beautiful well kept Church (don't be cheated by its unassuming façade). Going down the hill a little look for the monastery of St Quirico.
San Damiano
The little church of San Damiano is outside the walls of the city, halfway down the hill, but easily accessible from Porta Nuova, near St. Clare's Basilica. According to the saint's biographers, it was here that St.
Vetted sources
San Rufino Cathedral
It has probably the most beautiful façade of all the churches in town. If you have some time to spare visit the museum.
Vetted sources
Oratorio San Francesco Piccolino
From Corso Mazzini you follow some little steps and arrive to a very little chapel where the legend says Francis was born.
Vetted sources
What to do
Sportoletti winery
on the way from Assisi to Spello through the hamlets of Viole and Capitan Loreto
Wine tasting where they offer lovely reds, a basic Assisi Rosso and their famous Villa Fidelia.
Vetted sources
What to eat
Trattoria Pallotta
Worth itAlso recommended by Rick Steves and 1 other
Behind the Volta Pinta, serving Umbrian staples — strangozzi with mushrooms, rabbit in hunter's sauce.
Vetted sources
Re Tartù agli Orti
Worth itAlso recommended by Gambero Rosso
A new-generation Assisi kitchen built around truffle-forward Umbrian cooking.
Vetted sources
Terra Umbra
Via Patrono d’Italia 10
The best gourmet shop for all Umbrian foods. Offers olive oil tasting, chocolate, cheese, cured meats, truffles. Pick up your picnic stuff here.
Vetted sources
Ristorante Basilica
opposite the apse of church
Reliable family business well known among locals, delicious fried appetizer, pizza available for dinner.
Vetted sources
Il Baccanale
near the Piazza Matteotti parking lot.
A beautiful wine shop offering wines from all over Italy, exotic coffee, sweets and preserves.
Vetted sources
Trattoria degli Umbri
Piazza del Comune 40
Simple home style renovated into a restaurant; central location.
Vetted sources
Tavola Rotonda
in a small back street near the Farmacia Comunale
A really "local" place, quite full all year around.
Vetted sources
Where to stay
Country House San Potente Assisi
a few km from Assisi historic center· Pricey
A villa with six rooms on two floors. Two of the six apartments are on the first floor, and there is a small but cozy common room. The ground floor is the reception, while in the park is the Town House with two of its four apartments…
Vetted sources
Valle di Assisi Hotel Spa & Golf
6 km from the center of Assisi
Country resort nestled on the hills with a panoramic view over Assisi. The hotel features rooms, suites and private apartments. In the private garden there are a pool and a golf course.
Vetted sources
Agriturismo B&B Alla Madonna del Piatto
7 km outside Assisi near Castello di Petrata· Expensive
Small, intimate B&B, all rooms with splendid views, fun hands-on cooking classes, quiet surroundings.
Vetted sources
Grand Hotel Assisi
150 rooms and 6 suites, all equipped with air conditioning, satellite TV, mini-bar, and telephone with through line for fax and personal computers and a cable link to the hotel's congress centre, allowing guests to watch live broadcasts of…
Vetted sources
Travel essentials
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Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.