One day in Assisi, what to see, tips and suggestions
One day in Assisi, what to see, tips and suggestions
Assisi is one of the most famous and visited cities in Italy. Known for having given birth to San Francesco, it is one of the main Italian places for pilgrimages. Don't forget, however, that the whole city is a beautiful Umbrian village, as well as a UNESCO site, where you can spend a beautiful day visiting lots of lovely places.
If you arrive by car, we recommend parking at Mojano car park. It is a parking in the central area, convenient for visiting both the upper and lower parts of the city.
From the parking lot you can reach by escalators to the main town square. From the square, the first stop we recommend is the Basilica of Santa Chiara which is located on your right (coming from the escalators) when in the upper part of Assisi. From here you can also enjoy a beautiful view of the Umbrian valley. From Santa Chiara, heading back towards the square, you will find on your left the place where Saint Francis is said to have been born, the sanctuary of Chiesa Nuova.
On the main square on your right there is via San Rufino, a lovely uphill alley that takes you to the Cathedral of Assisi, San Rufino, where you can also visit the diocesan museum. Right near the square we recommend eating a slice of pizza from Andrea, one of the best pizza places in Umbria !!
Return to the main square, before going down to the Basilica of San Francesco have a stop at the temple of Minerva.
The time has come to head towards the Basilica of Saint Francis. On the left of the main square, you can take via Portica which then enters via San Francesco. After about 10 minutes you will see the beautiful Basilica of St. Francis (Upper church). From there it is possible to go down some stairs and reach the entrance of the lower Basilica. Any word on this magnificent work of art would be superfluous.
After visiting the Basilica, you can take a lunch break, we recommend at the restaurant Le Terrazze di Properzio, where you will also enjoy a beautiful view.
For the afternoon ride, you will have to pick up your car to reach the sites outside the city of Assisi.
The first site we recommend you to see is the hermitage of Carceri, set in Mount Subasio, where Saint Francis retired in prayer.
Still with the car you can then head to the Sanctuary of San Damiano, a church restored by San Francesco, where he composed the canticle of creatures. After visiting the sanctuary, you cannot finish your visit to Assisi until after having been to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
The Basilica of our lady of the angels, is one of the largest churches in the world, built at the behest of Pope Saint Pius V (1566-1572), in order to preserve the chapels of the Porziuncola, of the Transit and of the Rose Garden and other places made sacred from the memory of St. Francis, and welcome the many pilgrims who come from all over to visit them.
Do you still have time? Then you can pay a visit to a winery near Assisi. We recommend a visit and a tasting at Tili Winery, just 10 minutes by car from Assisi, where the owners Maria Palma and Annalaura will welcome you and let you taste the organic wines of their cellar.
Would you like to visit Assisi with a guide? Write to us, and we can organize a tour for you with an authorized guide or choose your tour, click here
If you are looking for accommodation in Umbria, you can compare the best deals on HotelsCombined. Book now by clicking here
Share