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Assisi

With the plains spreading picturesquely below and Monte Subasio rearing steep and wooded above, the mere sight of Assisi in the rosy glow of dusk is enough to send pilgrims' souls spiralling to heaven. It’s at this hour, when the day trippers have left and the town is shrouded in saintly silence, that the true spirit of St Francis of Assisi, born here in 1181, can be felt most keenly. However, you don’t have to be religious to be struck by Assisi’s beauty and enjoy its pristine centro storico (historic centre) and Unesco-listed Basilica di San Francesco, home to one of Italy’s most celebrated artistic masterpieces.

Explore Assisi

Basilica di San Francesco
Visible for miles around, the Basilica di San Francesco is the crowning glory of Assisi's Unesco-listed historic centre. The 13th-century complex is…
B
Basilica Superiore
The upper church of the Basilica di San Francesco was built after the Basilica Inferiore and consecrated in 1253, and the change in style and grandiosity…
B
Basilica Inferiore
The lower and earlier of the two churches comprising the Basilica di San Francesco, this basilica was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, just two…
E
Eremo delle Carceri
Perched on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, this monastery is set around the caves where St Francis and his followers prayed and contemplated…
C
Chiesa di San Damiano
Set amid lush olive groves 1.5km southeast of Assisi's historic centre, this atmospheric sanctuary is where St Francis is said to have heard the voice of…
T
Tomb of St Francis
Hidden for almost 600 years, St Francis' tomb was discovered beneath the Basilica di San Francesco in 1818 following a 52-day dig, and painstakingly…
B
Basilica di Santa Chiara
Built in a 13th-century Romanesque style, with muscular flying buttresses and a striking pink-and-white striped facade, this church is dedicated to St…
B
Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli
The enormous domed church you see as you approach Assisi along the Tiber valley is the 16th-century Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, some 4km beneath…
R
Rocca Maggiore
Looming over Assisi is the 14th-century Rocca Maggiore, an oft-expanded, pillaged and rebuilt fortress that commands inspiring 360-degree views of Perugia…

Basilica di San Francesco
Visible for miles around, the Basilica di San Francesco is the crowning glory of Assisi's Unesco-listed historic centre. The 13th-century complex is…
B
Basilica Superiore
The upper church of the Basilica di San Francesco was built after the Basilica Inferiore and consecrated in 1253, and the change in style and grandiosity…
B
Basilica Inferiore
The lower and earlier of the two churches comprising the Basilica di San Francesco, this basilica was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, just two…
E
Eremo delle Carceri
Perched on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, this monastery is set around the caves where St Francis and his followers prayed and contemplated…
C
Chiesa di San Damiano
Set amid lush olive groves 1.5km southeast of Assisi's historic centre, this atmospheric sanctuary is where St Francis is said to have heard the voice of…
T
Tomb of St Francis
Hidden for almost 600 years, St Francis' tomb was discovered beneath the Basilica di San Francesco in 1818 following a 52-day dig, and painstakingly…
B
Basilica di Santa Chiara
Built in a 13th-century Romanesque style, with muscular flying buttresses and a striking pink-and-white striped facade, this church is dedicated to St…
B
Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli
The enormous domed church you see as you approach Assisi along the Tiber valley is the 16th-century Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, some 4km beneath…
R
Rocca Maggiore
Looming over Assisi is the 14th-century Rocca Maggiore, an oft-expanded, pillaged and rebuilt fortress that commands inspiring 360-degree views of Perugia…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Assisi.

See
Basilica di San Francesco
Visible for miles around, the Basilica di San Francesco is the crowning glory of Assisi's Unesco-listed historic centre. The 13th-century complex is…
See
Basilica Superiore
The upper church of the Basilica di San Francesco was built after the Basilica Inferiore and consecrated in 1253, and the change in style and grandiosity…
See
Basilica Inferiore
The lower and earlier of the two churches comprising the Basilica di San Francesco, this basilica was commissioned by Pope Gregory IX in 1228, just two…
See
Eremo delle Carceri
Perched on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, this monastery is set around the caves where St Francis and his followers prayed and contemplated…
See
Chiesa di San Damiano
Set amid lush olive groves 1.5km southeast of Assisi's historic centre, this atmospheric sanctuary is where St Francis is said to have heard the voice of…
See
Tomb of St Francis
Hidden for almost 600 years, St Francis' tomb was discovered beneath the Basilica di San Francesco in 1818 following a 52-day dig, and painstakingly…
See
Basilica di Santa Chiara
Built in a 13th-century Romanesque style, with muscular flying buttresses and a striking pink-and-white striped facade, this church is dedicated to St…
See
Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli
The enormous domed church you see as you approach Assisi along the Tiber valley is the 16th-century Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli, some 4km beneath…
See
Rocca Maggiore
Looming over Assisi is the 14th-century Rocca Maggiore, an oft-expanded, pillaged and rebuilt fortress that commands inspiring 360-degree views of Perugia…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Assisi

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