Assisi

Day 1: Basilicas and the medieval core

Begin with the Franciscan heart of Assisi at a contemplative pace. Start early to experience the great churches in quiet, then wander the lanes that still hold the town’s everyday life. Keep shoulders and knees covered; several sites ask for silence and restrict photography.

• Morning: Enter the Basilica di San Francesco via the Lower Church first; move in silence to the crypt to pay respects at the tomb, then “ascend” to the Upper Church to read the Giotto cycle. Audio guides help, but on Sundays/feast days guides cannot speak inside, so brief outside and visit independently. Arrive for opening (about 08:30) to avoid crowds and summer heat.
• Midday: Walk up to the Cattedrale di San Rufino to see the baptismal font of Francis and Clare; check hours as many sites close roughly 12:30–14:30. Take a light Umbrian lunch nearby and refill water—Assisi’s slopes and cobbles demand sturdy shoes.
• Afternoon: Visit the Basilica di Santa Chiara for the crypt and the San Damiano Cross; keep phones silent and avoid flash. Continue to Chiesa Nuova (Francis’s birthplace) and, if time allows, Santa Maria Maggiore where Francis renounced his wealth.
• Evening: Slip into Vespers at the Basilica di San Francesco or Santa Chiara for a lived experience of the town’s spirituality (arrive 10–15 minutes early). Stroll to the tiny church of Santo Stefano at dusk; locals treasure its stark beauty and the legend of the self-tolling bell.

Day 2: Hermitages, nature and quiet art

Today is about the contemplative spaces where the Franciscan story took shape. Expect uneven paths and bring layers—Monte Subasio can be breezy even in summer. Move slowly; this is a day to be more pilgrim than tourist.

• Morning: Walk the olive-grove path to San Damiano (about 20–30 minutes downhill from the walls); linger in the cloister, refectory and dormitory of Clare. Remember this is an active religious house: speak softly, observe no-photo signs and consider a small donation.
• Midday: Pause for lunch back in town and a short rest during the common midday closure. In hot months, this is the time to avoid exposed climbs; in winter, daylight is short, so keep an eye on site closing times.
• Afternoon: Taxi or hike 4 km to the Eremo delle Carceri on Monte Subasio. Wander the oak woods and caves in silence; paths are narrow and can be slippery after rain. This is the place to connect the Canticle’s love of creation with the landscape itself.
• Evening: Return to the centre for a quiet hour in the Piazza del Comune. Pop into Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Temple of Minerva façade) when crowds thin to sense Assisi’s Roman roots within a 16th‑century church.

Day 3: The plain below—origins and living pilgrimage

Head down to the valley for the cradle of the Franciscan movement. Public buses and taxis make this easy; Linea C links major stops, and escalators help with steep ascents back to the old town.

• Morning: Begin at Santa Maria degli Angeli; enter the Porziuncola first, then the Cappella del Transito where Francis died. No photos inside the Porziuncola; dress modestly. If visiting 1–2 August, the Pardon of Assisi indulgence draws large pilgrim crowds—arrive very early; a 06:15 Mass is particularly moving.
• Midday: Continue to the Santuario di Rivotorto to see the reconstructed stone hovel of the first brothers. Pack a simple picnic or eat locally; sites may close around 12:30–14:30.
• Afternoon: Back in the hilltown, visit the Oratorio dei Pellegrini to enjoy intimate 15th‑century frescoes without the bustle. Leave unscheduled time to sit, write, or simply be—Assisi rewards unhurried reflection as much as box‑ticking.
• Evening: Close with a final, unhurried circuit of the Basilica di San Francesco piazzas at sunset. If you’re in town during Holy Week, join the torch‑lit Good Friday procession; during 3–4 October (Festa di San Francesco), expect solemn civic rites and very full churches—plan earlier arrivals and be ready to queue respectfully.

Notes for all days:

• Check official websites for seasonal opening hours and any conservation closures.
• Photography: no flash anywhere; none at all in the most sacred areas (Francis’s tomb, Porziuncola).
• Accessibility: main basilicas have level access; crypts and hermitages involve stairs/uneven terrain.
• Mindset: adopt the pilgrim’s pace—look, then linger. A simple “Pace e bene” is a welcome greeting.

By Air

• Perugia San Francesco d’Assisi (PEG) – 12 km from Assisi. 20–25 minutes by taxi/car. Seasonal Umbria Airlink shuttles connect the airport with Assisi and Perugia (check current schedules). Limited but growing flight options.
• Rome Fiumicino (FCO) – about 2.5–3.5 hours by train to Assisi (via Roma Termini/Tiburtina and Foligno). Around 2.5 hours by car (c. 200 km).
• Rome Ciampino (CIA) – bus to Roma Termini, then train to Assisi via Foligno; 3–3.5 hours total. Around 2–2.5 hours by car.
• Florence (FLR) – 2.5–3.5 hours by train (via Terontola/Arezzo or Perugia). Roughly 2–2.5 hours by car (c. 170 km).
• Ancona (AOI) – 2.5–3 hours by train via Foligno; around 1.5–2 hours by car.

By Train

• Assisi’s railway station is in Santa Maria degli Angeli (4–5 km below the historic centre). Local buses and taxis connect to the old town (10–15 minutes by bus).
• Rome → Assisi: typically 2–2 h 45 min with a change at Foligno (Regionale/Regionale Veloce via Trenitalia).
• Florence → Assisi: about 2–3 hours, usually changing at Terontola-Cortona or Arezzo (some services via Perugia).
• Perugia → Assisi: 20–25 minutes, frequent regional trains.
• Ancona → Assisi: about 2–2.5 hours via Foligno.
• Milan/Venice → Assisi: 4.5–6 hours with changes (usually via Florence/Bologna and Foligno).

Notes:

• The historic centre is steep and mostly ZTL (limited traffic). From the station, Busitalia town buses run frequently; look for services to Piazza Matteotti/Porta Nuova. Audio announcements/signage are in Italian.

By Bus

• Regional buses (Busitalia) link Assisi/Santa Maria degli Angeli with Perugia, Foligno, Spello and Spoleto—useful where train timings are sparse. Main stops include Assisi Piazza Matteotti/Porta Nuova and the railway station area.
• Long-distance buses often serve Perugia; from there, take a regional train or bus to Assisi. Direct long-distance buses to Assisi are limited and vary by season.

By Car

• Best approach is the SS75 (four-lane) between Perugia and Foligno; exits signed for Santa Maria degli Angeli/Assisi. Allow roughly: Perugia 30–40 min; Rome 2–2.5 h (A1 to Orte then SS3/SS75); Florence 2–2.5 h (A1 to Valdichiana then via Perugia); Ancona 1.5–2 h (SS76 to Foligno then SS75).
• The old town is ZTL; use edge-of-centre car parks and walk or take lifts/escalators:
  • Mojano (P2) and Porta Nuova (P3) for the upper town (moving walkways/escalators available).
  • Piazza Matteotti (P1) for the upper town.
  • Santa Maria degli Angeli car parks for the basilica area and the rail/bus links up to the hilltown.