🇮🇹Italy · Places to discover
What to see in Assise?
25 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Assisi is a medieval town perched on the flanks of Monte Subasio in Umbria, known as the birthplace of Saint Francis in the twelfth century. This Franciscan heritage still pervades the atmosphere: the rose-stone alleyways, the relative quiet of the mornings, and the Basilica di San Francesco, whose Giotto frescoes constitute one of Italy's most significant pictorial cycles, give the town a rare cohesion.
Spring (April–May) and autumn remain the best periods, before coach-loads of pilgrims swamp Piazza del Comune in July and August. Two days are enough to explore the town on foot, the only sensible way to move through this pedestrianised historic centre. Avoid restaurants immediately around the basilica: prices are inflated there and quality sacrificed to tourist throughput.
Landmarks & heritage
4 places
1Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Landmark
Rocca Maggiore
Fourteenth-century medieval fortress dominating the city from its rocky spur. The climb rewards you equally for its ramparts and 360° panorama over the Spoleto valley and Monte Subasio.
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Landmark
Landmark
Porta San Giacomo and Northern Ramparts
14th-century medieval gate opening onto Assisi's most authentic quarter, remarkably free from tourists. The rampart walkway towards the Rocca offers glimpses of private gardens and terracotta rooftops.
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Landmark
Landmark
Roman Forum and Archaeological Collection
Remains of the Roman forum buried beneath the Piazza del Comune, accessed by a surprising descent. The archaeological collection reveals ancient Asisium, a discovery few visitors take time to explore.
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Landmark
Landmark
Hermitage of the Prisons
A fifteenth-century Franciscan hermitage nestled in the wooded gorges of Monte Subasio, 4 km from Assisi. Saint Francis would retreat here for prayer; the caves and rushing stream create a uniquely mystical atmosphere.
Museums
1 place
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Museum
Museum
Pinacoteca Comunale di Assisi
Municipal art gallery housed in the Palazzo dei Priori, featuring detached 14th-century frescoes and rare Umbrian paintings. With modest admission and near-empty rooms, it's a rare luxury for contemplating major works in peace.
Religious sites
7 places
6Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Religious site
Church of San Pietro
13th-century Benedictine Romanesque church with its characteristic trilobed façade, usually open and virtually always empty. The interior is austere and luminous, with sculptured capitals of remarkable finesse.
7Wikimedia CommonsReligious site
Cathedral of San Rufino
A twelfth-century Romanesque cathedral where Francis and Clare were baptised. Its façade is a masterpiece of Umbrian Romanesque sculpture, often overlooked in favour of more celebrated basilicas.
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Religious site
Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
A vast sixteenth-century Baroque basilica built around the Porziuncola, the tiny original chapel of Saint Francis. The contrast between the overwhelming nave and the modest inner chapel is breathtaking.
9Wikimedia CommonsReligious site
Treasury of the Basilica of San Francesco
The basilica's treasury houses Franciscan relics, medieval chalices and a painting collection gifted by pilgrims from around the world. Remarkably few visitors venture here despite its extraordinary holdings.
10Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Religious site
Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
Thirteenth-century gothic masterpiece on two levels, adorned with Giotto's frescoes depicting the life of Saint Francis. A place of global pilgrimage yet also an absolute aesthetic shock, even for the non-believer.
11Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5Religious site
Basilica of Santa Chiara
Thirteenth-century rose-and-white gothic church dedicated to Saint Clare, foundress of the Poor Clares. In the crypt lies the saint's intact body, bathed in an atmosphere of profound contemplation.
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Religious site
Religious site
Temple of Minerva
A first-century BC Roman temple transformed into a church, featuring six perfectly preserved Corinthian columns on the Piazza del Comune. One of the finest preserved Roman temples in central Italy.
Nature
5 places
13Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Nature
Bosco di San Francesco - Assisi
Sacred woodland restored by the FAI just a stone's throw from Assisi's basilica, featuring a medieval amphitheatre and terraced gardens. A space of natural contemplation that reconciles landscape with spirituality.
14Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Nature
Bosco di San Francesco – FAI
A 64-hectare Franciscan woodland managed by the FAI (Italy's equivalent to the National Trust), with a meditation path alongside a mountain stream. The artistic installation 'Transetto' by Studio Azzurro is woven into the landscape.
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Nature
Nature
Olive Groves of Assisi – The Oil Road
The ancient olive terraces encircling Assisi, accessible on foot from Porta Nuova. In October and November, the blue harvest nets transform the hillsides into a living tapestry.
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Nature
Nature
Lake Valfabbrica
A small artificial lake in the valley below Monte Subasio, surrounded by olive groves and reeds. Perfect for a morning walk away from the historic centre, with remarkable birdlife.
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Nature
Nature
Monte Subasio – Trail 50
A hiking trail crossing the Monte Subasio regional park, winding through wildflower meadows and oak forests. In May, the hilltop grasslands burst with wild daffodils—a spectacle locals jealously guard.
Viewpoints
4 places
18Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Viewpoint
Piazza del Comune at Dusk
Assisi's central square transforms after 6pm when the tour buses depart. Local residents reclaim the terraces around the Temple of Minerva for their aperitivo—the true rhythm of the town.
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Vicolo di Sant'Andrea and Medieval Quarter
A network of alleyways between the cathedral and Rocca Maggiore, preserved since the Middle Ages with its discharge arches, external staircases and hanging gardens. Getting lost here after 8pm, when the town belongs to residents, is an experience unto itself.
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Cima del Monte Subasio (1290 m)
Summit of Monte Subasio accessible by car or on foot from Eremo delle Carceri. Panoramic views across all of Umbria, the Apennines and, on clear days, to the Adriatic. A favourite picnic spot for families from Assisi.
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Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Panorama from Via Borgo Aretino
A natural vantage point on Via Borgo Aretino, on the city's eastern side, offering unobstructed views across the Umbrian plain and Spello at sunset. Far from the crowds, frequented mostly by locals at dusk.
Activities
4 places
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Activity
Activity
Via San Francesco - Local Craft Shops
The main street connecting the basilica to the historic centre still harbours genuine artisans: potters, candle-makers, Umbrian ceramicists. Distinguish them from souvenir shops by seeking workshops where the craftsperson is visible at work.
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Activity
Activity
Piazza Matteotti Saturday Market
Saturday morning market where hill-country producers sell ewe's cheese, norcineria charcuterie, black truffles and new-season olive oil. The true supermarket of Assisi's residents, worlds away from souvenir shops.
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Activity
Activity
Cantina Terre de' Trinci - Wine Tasting
Cooperative cellar producing Sagrantino di Montefalco and Grechetto, easily reached from Assisi for guided tastings. The vineyards surrounding the cellar command panoramic views across the Umbrian hills.
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Activity
Activity
Laboratorio Tessile Spello-Assisi - Ricamo
Traditional embroidery workshop practising the medieval 'punto Assisi' technique, run by local craftswomen in the historic centre. This region-unique craft passes from mother to daughter; demonstrations are open to visitors.
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