Discovering Assisi: An In-Depth Itinerary
Nestled in the green heart of Umbria, Assisi is much more than a tourist destination: it's a journey of the soul.
In every stone, in every corner, spirituality, art, and nature intertwine, making this city unique. From the majesty of the Basilica of Saint Francis to the meditative silence of the Eremo delle Carceri, passing through medieval squares, fortifications, ancient temples, and centuries-old woods,
Assisi offers a pure and unique energy...authentic emotions to anyone who visits it!
🕍 Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi
- Structure: Founded in 1228, it consists of two overlapping churches – the Lower Basilica and the Upper Basilica – and a crypt housing the tomb of Saint Francis.
- Artistic style: It combines Romanesque elements (in the lower part) with Gothic forms (above), becoming an example of advanced sacred architecture in Italy.
- Frescoes and artists: Decorated with precious pictorial cycles by the major masters of the 13th–14th centuries, including Cimabue, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, and Giotto.
- Crypt: Descending to the lower level is the crypt containing the tomb of Saint Francis, open to the public and a place of profound devotion.
- UNESCO World Heritage Site: Part of the site "Assisi, the Basilica of Saint Francis and other Franciscan sites," listed by UNESCO in 2000.
- Recent restorations: The basilica was restored after severe damage to the upper part of the basilica suffered in the 1997 earthquake.
🕍 Basilica di Santa Chiara
📌 Historical and architectural notes
- Built between 1257 and 1265 on the site of a pre-existing church of San Giorgio, which was incorporated into the new building.
Umbrian Gothic architecture features a façade with pink and white stripes from Mount Subasio, flying buttresses added in the 14th century, and a central rose window. - Interior features a single nave in a Latin cross plan; original frescoes remain, including Stories of Genesis, the Last Judgement, and episodes from the life of Saint Clare.
📍 What you absolutely must see
- Neo-Gothic crypt: contains the relics of Saint Clare, placed under the altar through a fenestella confessionis, a small rectangular opening in the front of the altar, which allows the faithful to see the place where the relics of the saint buried beneath it are kept.
- Chapel of the Crucifix: houses the Crucifix of San Damiano (12th century), linked to the conversion of Saint Francis.
- Side chapels: frescoes by the Expressionist Master of Saint Clare and other medieval artists.Cripta neogotica.
⛪️ Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis)
📌 A simple place but full of spirituality
The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the oldest churches in Assisi, located near the Piazza del Vescovado. Despite its simple Romanesque architecture, it has become an important pilgrimage site thanks to the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, beatified in 2020.
Who was Carlo Acutis
Carlo was born in London in 1991, but grew up in Milan. From an early age, he demonstrated a profound faith and a special devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary. Passionate about computers, he created a website to document Eucharistic miracles around the world, using technology as a means of evangelization. For this reason, he is often called the "cyber-apostle of the Eucharist" or "God's influencer." He died in 2006 at just 15 years old, from fulminant leukemia, leaving behind a simple and luminous testimony of faith that touched millions of young people.
🕯️ His tomb
Since 2019, his remains have rested in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in a glass case, where Carlo can be seen wearing casual clothes, as he loved to dress. It is a quiet place, often frequented by families and young people, where many stop to pray.
📸 interior of the church
The interior features medieval frescoes, a Romanesque apse, and a strong spiritual atmosphere. The simplicity of the church reflects the life and style of the young blessed.
🧭 Curiosity
The church is also called the “Bishop's Palace” because here Saint Francis took off his clothes before his father, publicly renouncing all his earthly possessions.
🛡️ Rocca Maggiore
🏰 history and evolution
- A medieval fortress dating back to 1173, expanded and consolidated between the 14th and 16th centuries (Albornoz, Piccinino, Farnese).
- It housed prisoners and castellans, and was the setting for films such as Brother Sun, Sister Moon.
🏰 Structure and path
- The entrance is through a circular bastion built by Pope Paul III in 1535, which leads to the large 14th-century brick courtyard.
- Inside, the keep (or keep) stands out, the residence of the castellan, consisting of four or five rooms on top of each other, connected by a spiral staircase.
- The fortress is connected, by ancient walls, to the Rocca Minore.
🌄 landscape and nature
From the top of the keep and the towers, you can enjoy an extraordinary view of the Umbrian Valley, from Perugia to Spoleto.
The fortress is also a "Living Monument," a habitat for swifts, bats, and other protected species.
ℹ️ Hours, tickets, and services
- Summer hours (June-August): 10:00–20:00; reduced hours at other times.
- Full ticket: €8, reduced €6; combined ticket for the Roman Forum, Art Gallery, and Fortress is also available.
- Guided tours, audio guides, a shop, and services are available.
🌿 Eremo delle Carceri
📍 Location and origin
Located about 4km from Assisi, on Mount Subasio (791m), in a sacred forest of ancient holm oaks, around early Christian caves.
📜 History and spirituality
- Donated to the Franciscans by the Benedictine order; expanded in the 15th century by Saint Bernardino of Siena.
- Here Saint Francis meditated and prayed; the caves of his first friars and the large holm oak (850–1000 years old) are highly evocative places.
🏞️ Itinerary and visit
- walk along a cobbled path to the cloister, the refectory, the church of Santa Maria delle Carceri, then towards the caves and the surrounding woods with chapels and a miraculous well.
💧 The miraculous well
Along the path through the woods of the Eremo delle Carceri, nestled among centuries-old oak trees and silence, you come across an ancient stone well, which, according to tradition, was miraculously opened by Saint Francis during his retreats.
This hidden and simple place is today a place of pilgrimage and meditation, a symbol of providence and faith that quenches the soul.
🌳 Bosco di San Francesco
📌 Nature and spirituality at the foot of the Basilica
- The Bosco di San Francesco (St. Francis's Woods) lies at the foot of the Basilica of San Francesco, restored and opened to the public by the FAI (Italian National Trust) in 2011 with a well-marked natural trail.
- Passing through the woods, you come across the remains of the Benedictine complex of Santa Croce, with its hospital, church, mill, bridge, and the ancient Torre Annamaria, now home to Michelangelo Pistoletto's "Terzo Paradiso."
- The trail ends in a clearing with a panoramic view of the Tescio Valley, near the tower.
🚶♂️ Recommended route
- Ideal for a short, meditative walk, amidst nature and history, with contemplative stops.
🏛️ Tempio di Minerva e Piazza del Comune
📍 Historic center of Assisi
One of the city's most photographed landmarks: an ancient Roman temple from the 1st century BC, now transformed into the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Its classical façade with Corinthian columns is intact and remarkably preserved.
✔️ Also see:
- Piazza del Comune, the true heart of the city, with the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, the Civic Tower, and the Palazzo dei Priori.
- A great place to stop for a drink or a bite to eat, lively yet elegant.
🎨 Pinacoteca Comunale e Foro Romano (Museo e Cripta)
📍 under Piazza del Comune
The Roman Forum is an underground museum that literally takes you through the archaeological heart of the city. Columns, mosaics, inscriptions, and ancient Roman sarcophagi.
✔️ You can also visit the Pinacoteca Comunale, with works by Pietro Perugino and Puccio Capanna, and medieval frescoes from lost churches.
🧵 Monastero di San Damiano
📍 Just outside the walls, south-east area
A place deeply connected to Saint Francis and Saint Clare: here Francis heard the voice of the Crucifix telling him, "Go, repair my house." Saint Clare lived here for much of her life.
✔️ A mystical atmosphere, simple architecture, beautiful views. Less touristy, more intimate.
🕊️ Santuario di Rivotorto
📍 Just outside Assisi (easy to reach from Santa Maria degli Angeli)
Here is the Sacred Hovel, the first refuge of Francis and his companions before the founding of the order. The current church incorporates that tiny building, still visible today.
✔️ A place of great Franciscan simplicity, less frequented but rich in spiritual significance. An excellent addition to an itinerary outside the historic center.
A journey through spirituality, history, and flavors!
Visiting Assisi isn't just about admiring extraordinary monuments like the Basilica of Saint Francis, the Rocca Maggiore, or the Eremo delle Carceri. It's an experience that engages all the senses and the soul.
As you stroll through the cobbled streets of the historic center, you can stop at the many traditional restaurants, Umbrian taverns, and welcoming bars, where you can savor the authentic flavors of local cuisine: black truffle, strangozzi, Castelluccio lentils, DOP olive oil, and a glass of Sagrantino.
Between one visit and another, take the time to rest in a small square, enjoy a good coffee with a view, or purchase a handmade product in the shops in the center.
📸 Assisi is a journey that stays in your heart: whether you come for faith, art, or beauty, it will welcome you with a timeless atmosphere, made of silence, views, and small details that will surely move you!