Assisi

Discover Assisi

The western flank of Monte Subasio rises to 424 m (1,391 ft) above the Umbrian plain, and the limestone buildings of Assisi follow the mountain’s terraces in a sequence that Roman engineers first designed as a series of level platforms.

Below the Basilica of San Francesco, the lower piazza opens onto a valley of olive groves and scattered farmhouses, while behind the town the Rocca Maggiore’s cylindrical bastion marks the skyline from every approach road.

The Roman forum still lies beneath Piazza del Comune, its geometry intact under two thousand years of repaving.

Deciding what to see in Assisi is not a short exercise: the town of 27,721 inhabitants holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site, two medieval castles, a Roman amphitheatre, and more than a dozen churches with documented frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto, Pietro Lorenzetti, and Simone Martini.

Visitors to Assisi find that the Basilica of San Francesco alone requires several hours, while the Eremo delle Carceri monastery and the Rocca Maggiore each demand a separate excursion.

The full circuit of the historic centre, from the Cathedral of San Rufino to the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, covers the town’s entire span from the Roman era to the Baroque.

History of Assisi

The earliest documented inhabitants of what is now Assisi were the Umbri, described by Pliny the Elder in 77 AD as the oldest people of Italy. The Romans established the municipium of Asisium — the Latin name from which the modern Italian form derives — after their victory at the Battle of Sentinum in 295 BC.

They built city walls, a theatre, an amphitheatre, a forum, and the Temple of Minerva on a series of terraces cut into Monte Subasio, creating the urban skeleton that the medieval town would later inherit intact.

In 1997, excavations uncovered the remains of a Roman villa containing frescoed and mosaic-decorated rooms in a state of preservation comparable to Pompeii.

The poet Propertius, born around 50–45 BC, is considered a native of the town; bishop Rufino converted the population to Christianity in 238 AD before being martyred at Costano, and his remains are held in the Cathedral of San Rufino.

The town’s medieval centuries were shaped by repeated conflict with neighbouring Perugia, a Guelph stronghold that periodically subjugated the Ghibelline commune of Assisi. It was during one of those military confrontations — the battle at Collestrada — that Giovanni di Bernardone, later known as Francis of Assisi, was taken prisoner, a captivity that preceded his decision to renounce wealth and establish the Order of Friars Minor in 1208.

The Rocca Maggiore, the imperial fortress above the town, was plundered by the citizens themselves in 1189 and later rebuilt in 1367 on the orders of papal legate Cardinal Gil de Albornoz.

The Black Death of 1348 severely depopulated the town, and Assisi passed through the hands of successive rulers — including Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Francesco I Sforza, and Federico II da Montefeltro — before returning to papal jurisdiction under Pope Pius II between 1458 and 1464.

Modern history brought further disruption.

In September 1943 Nazi Germany occupied Assisi, but the Catholic Church organised the Assisi Network, concealing Jewish families within the city’s religious houses. Germany subsequently declared Assisi an open city, and the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales) entered on 17 June 1944. A German medical officer, Colonel Valentin Müller, arranged for Assisi to serve as a German hospital city, a designation that helped spare the buildings from the destruction suffered by Cassino.

Then, on 26 September 1997, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake caused part of the vault of the Basilica di San Francesco to collapse, killing four people and destroying a Cimabue fresco.

Restoration of the basilica was completed in under two years, and UNESCO formally designated the Franciscan complex a World Heritage Site in 2000.

The municipality of Assisi today governs a territory in the Province of Perugia with 27,721 inhabitants.

What to see in Assisi, Umbria: top attractions

Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi

Two superimposed churches of pink-and-white Subasio stone form the basilica complex, constructed between 1228 and 1253 following the canonisation of Francis. The lower church — Basilica inferiore — preserves frescoes by Cimabue and Giotto, while the upper church — Basilica superiore — contains a cycle of scenes from the life of Francis now attributed to painters of the Roman school of Pietro Cavallini rather than to Giotto alone.

Simone Martini’s 1317 fresco in the lower transept demonstrates the direct influence of Giotto’s use of depth and colour.

The earthquake of 26 September 1997 collapsed part of the upper vault and destroyed one of the Cimabue frescoes, but a two-year restoration programme returned the complex to full use before the UNESCO inscription of 2000.

The Sacro Convento adjoins the churches and is accessible to visitors on guided tours.

Rocca Maggiore

The Rocca Maggiore occupies the highest point directly above the historic centre, making it the dominant vertical element of the Assisi skyline at a position well above the 424 m (1,391 ft) town altitude. Cardinal Albornoz rebuilt the fortress extensively in 1366 after the original structure had been plundered in 1189; Pope Pius II added the polygonal tower in 1458, and Pope Paul III built the cylindrical bastion near the entrance between 1535 and 1538. The walls enclose a walkable circuit with views across the Valle Umbra toward Perugia to the northwest and Spoleto to the south.

It is worth climbing up to the tower level in the morning, when the light falls directly on the Umbrian plain below and the town’s rooftops are visible in their full terrace formation.

Cathedral of San Rufino

The Romanesque façade of the Cathedral of San Rufino presents three rose windows in graduated sizes across a surface of dressed stone, with carved animal and human figures worked into the archivolt mouldings.

Part of the building stands over a cistern from the Roman era, physically connecting the Christian monument to the city’s pre-medieval infrastructure.

The cathedral holds particular significance as the place where both Francis of Assisi and Clare of Assisi were baptised; the baptismal font, carved from a granite Roman column, survives intact inside the building. Bishop Rufino, the patron saint of Assisi whose feast falls on 12 August, was martyred in 238 AD, and his remains rest here according to documented tradition dating to the conversion of the town.

Eremo delle Carceri

The Eremo delle Carceri sits inside a canyon on the forested slopes of Monte Subasio, approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) east of the historic centre along a road that climbs steadily from the Porta Cappuccini gate. The complex combines a small church with a monastery built around the natural rock formations where Francis of Assisi retreated to pray; the name carceri — Italian for “prisons” — refers to the voluntary isolation of the early Franciscans rather than to any punitive function.

The woodland setting of holm oak and hornbeam remains substantially unchanged from the medieval period.

For those arriving on foot from Assisi, the path from the Porta dei Cappuccini takes around one hour at a moderate pace and gains roughly 200 m (656 ft) of elevation.

Piazza del Comune and the Temple of Minerva

Piazza del Comune occupies the exact footprint of the Roman forum, and the Temple of Minerva — a six-column Republican-era structure later converted into the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva — stands on its original podium facing the square.

The Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo dates from the mid-13th century, with merlons added in 1927; the adjacent Torre del Popolo was completed in 1305, and the Palazzo dei Priori was built between 1275 and 1493.

A fountain on the southern side of the square, decorated with three stone lions, dates from the 16th century. Directly under the square, the crypt of the demolished church of San Nicolò preserves the room where Francis and Bernard of Quintavalle are documented to have consulted the Gospels when drafting the earliest Franciscan Rule.

Local food and typical products of Assisi

The food culture of Assisi reflects the agricultural patterns of the Valle Umbra and the slopes of Monte Subasio, where cereals, legumes, and olives have been cultivated since Roman times.

The Umbrian interior, distant from coastal trading routes, developed a cuisine based on preserved meats, wild herbs, black truffles from the surrounding hills, and flatbreads cooked directly on stone.

The town’s monastic tradition also left a documented influence: Franciscan communities historically prepared simple grain-based dishes and herb-flavoured baked goods that remain part of the local repertoire.

Among the dishes associated with the area, torta al testo is the most structurally distinctive: an unleavened flatbread cooked on a circular cast-iron or stone plate called a testo, served split and filled with cured meats such as salumi or sautéed greens including chicory or spinach with garlic and olive oil.

Strangozzi al tartufo nero combines hand-rolled egg-free pasta — cut into irregular flat strands — with a sauce of grated black truffle, garlic, and local olive oil. Porchetta, the whole-roasted pig seasoned with rosemary, wild fennel, garlic, and black pepper, appears at markets and festivals throughout the province of Perugia and is sold in thick slices from mobile counters.

Farro della Montagna, an emmer wheat grown on the Apennine slopes, appears in soups with legumes and is among the oldest documented grain crops of central Italy.

The textile tradition of Assisi has a documented parallel in its food crafts.

Assisi embroidery — a counted-thread technique practised in the town since the 13th century — is the most internationally recognised local craft product, characterised by cross-stitch motifs on linen or cotton fabric. While not a food product, it shares the same artisan economy as the town’s food markets and is sold alongside local olive oil and preserved products in the shops of the historic centre.

Local olive oil from the Subasio slopes carries the broader Umbrian DOP designation, produced from Moraiolo, Frantoio, and Leccino cultivars harvested in October and November.

The weekly market in Assisi and the commercial streets around Piazza del Comune offer the most direct access to local producers. The months of October and November, coinciding with the olive harvest and the truffle season in the surrounding hills, bring the largest selection of fresh and preserved local products.

Several agriturismi on the Subasio slopes operate farm-to-table restaurants where farro-based dishes and grilled meats feature on fixed menus, generally requiring advance booking.

Festivals, events and traditions of Assisi

The feast of Rufino di Assisi, patron saint of the town, falls on 12 August each year and centres on the Cathedral of San Rufino, where his remains are venerated.

The celebration includes a formal religious procession through the historic centre and a solemn Mass in the cathedral, drawing both local participants and pilgrims from across the province of Perugia. The August date places the feast within the town’s busiest season for religious tourism, and the surrounding streets typically host informal gatherings and local food stalls in the evening following the liturgical events.

The Calendimaggio festival — a re-enactment of medieval and Renaissance civic life — takes place during the first four days of May, ending on a Saturday.

The town divides into two competing factions: the upper district, parte de sopra, carries a blue flag, while the lower district, parte de sotto, uses red.

The contest involves processions in period costume, theatrical presentations, choral singing, crossbow competitions, flag-waving demonstrations, and dance performances.

The format of the festival and the rivalry between the two factions follow a structure that reflects the documented Guelph-Ghibelline divisions of the medieval commune. For visitors interested in combining a medieval spectacle with the best spring weather in Umbria, early May provides both.

When to visit Assisi, Italy and how to get there

Spring and early autumn offer the most practical conditions for visiting Assisi, Umbria, Italy. April through June brings mild temperatures on Monte Subasio’s western flank, with the Calendimaggio festival in early May providing a documented reason to time a visit precisely.

September and October are the preferred months for those interested in the truffle and olive harvest cycle in the surrounding countryside, and the crowds of August — concentrated around the feast of San Rufino on 12 August and the Franciscan pilgrimage season — make that month the most congested.

Winter visits are feasible and substantially quieter, though several sites on the Subasio slopes may be less accessible after snowfall.

International visitors should note that English is not widely spoken in smaller shops and market stalls; carrying some euros in cash is practical for markets and smaller bars in the historic centre.

Assisi sits approximately 25 km (15.5 mi) east of Perugia and 175 km (108.7 mi) north of Rome, making it realistic as a day trip from either city, though an overnight stay allows time to cover the full range of monuments without rushing. From Rome, the fastest rail connection runs via the Trenitalia service to Foligno or directly to the Assisi station on the Foligno–Terontola line; the journey takes approximately two hours on regional fast services.

The Assisi railway station is located at Santa Maria degli Angeli, roughly 5 km (3.1 mi) below the historic centre, with bus connections up to the town gate.

By road from Perugia, the SS75 leads directly to the Assisi exit; from Rome, the A1 motorway to Orte followed by the E45 toward Perugia, then the SS75, covers the distance in under two hours.

The nearest major airport is Perugia’s Aeroporto Internazionale dell’Umbria, approximately 12 km (7.5 mi) from Assisi. Florence Airport is approximately 170 km (105.6 mi) to the northwest. Visitors arriving from the south of Umbria can also pass through Terni, which lies roughly 60 km (37.3 mi) to the south along the Nera valley road and makes a logical transit point for those driving up from Rome through Orte.

Where to stay near Assisi

Accommodation options around Assisi range from agriturismi on the olive-covered slopes of Monte Subasio to hotels and religious guesthouses within the historic centre.

The Basilica of San Francesco and the Sacro Convento manage a number of guest rooms for pilgrims and retreat visitors, while the wider area of Santa Maria degli Angeli — near the railway station — holds several mid-range hotels accessible without climbing to the hilltop.

The surrounding Valle Umbra offers farm stays with views of the town, generally requiring a car for access.

Booking in advance is essential during the Calendimaggio festival in May, the feast of San Rufino in August, and the Franciscan celebrations around the feast of Francis on 4 October.

Visitors who want to extend their stay in this part of Umbria can combine Assisi with other towns in the province.

The medieval village of Montone, located approximately 40 km (24.9 mi) northwest of Assisi near the upper Tiber valley, preserves a well-documented medieval street plan and a municipal museum with works from the Umbrian school.

Those interested in the more remote Valnerina landscape to the east may continue to Sant’Anatolia di Narco, a small commune along the Nera river roughly 65 km (40.4 mi) southeast of Assisi, or to the high Apennine settlement of Poggiodomo, which occupies a limestone spur above the same valley and belongs to the same provincial network of hill settlements as Assisi itself.