Assisi
Saint Francis's whole life on one hillside, from birthplace to tomb, with Saint Clare and Saint Carlo Acutis
Assisi is a small hill town that changed the Church. Francis Bernardone was born here in 1181, the son of a rich cloth merchant, and was baptized at the font that still stands in the Cathedral of Saint Rufinus. In the square outside the bishop's house, now the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, he gave his father back his clothes and everything he owned. At San Damiano, below the walls, he heard Christ speak from the crucifix and ask him to rebuild his house. That crucifix now hangs in the Basilica of Saint Clare. Clare followed him out of her family's house on Palm Sunday night in 1212 and spent the rest of her life at San Damiano. Down on the plain, the Porziuncola, the little chapel where his brotherhood began and where he died, stands inside the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels. Francis is buried in the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Francis. Saint Carlo Acutis, canonized in 2025, lies in the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, a few steps from where Francis gave everything away.
Fly over Assisi in 3DA tour of the town of Francis and ClareStart the tourTop sites
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The Saints of Assisi
Saint Francis of AssisiFounder of the Friars Minor, born and buried in Assisi: you meet him at his tomb, his family home, San Damiano, the Carceri and the Porziuncola, where he died.
Saint Clare of AssisiFounder of the Poor Clares, who lived at San Damiano for 41 years; her tomb and the San Damiano Cross, the crucifix where Francis heard Christ ask him to rebuild his Church, are in her basilica.
Saint Carlo AcutisMilanese teenager devoted to the Eucharist, canonized in 2025; his body lies in the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, where Francis gave his clothes back to his father.
Saint Angela of FolignoFranciscan mystic from Foligno whose defining experience of the Holy Trinity came on her pilgrimage to Assisi in 1291, near the small Church of the Most Holy Trinity.
Saint Rufinus of AssisiThird century martyr bishop and principal patron of Assisi; he lies under the high altar of the cathedral named for him, and the city keeps his feast on 12 August.
Saint Agnes of AssisiSaint Clare's younger sister, who followed her to Sant'Angelo in Panzo in 1212 and later led the Poor Ladies at Monticelli; her relics are in the Basilica of Saint Clare.
Jacopa dei SettesoliThe Roman noblewoman Francis called Brother Jacopa, who came to his deathbed with the almond sweets he loved; she is buried in the crypt facing his tomb.
Bernard of QuintavalleFrancis's first companion, a wealthy Assisi lawyer who gave everything away after Francis opened the Gospel book three times at San Nicolò to ask how they should live; he is buried in the Lower Basilica.
Ortolana of AssisiSaint Clare's mother, a pilgrim to the Holy Land who later joined her daughters at San Damiano; her remains may lie with Saint Agnes's in the Basilica of Saint Clare.
Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of SorrowsPassionist student born in Assisi in 1838 and baptised the same day at Francis's font in the Cathedral of Saint Rufinus; he died at 23 and was canonized in 1920.
Beyond the churches
Views, walks and the town between the churches.
The Rocca Maggiore
The fortress above the town gives the widest view in Assisi: the whole Umbrian valley, Perugia in the distance and Monte Subasio behind. The young Francis joined the townsmen who tore it down in 1198, and a papal legate, Cardinal Albornoz, rebuilt it. Allow 20 to 25 minutes uphill from Piazza del Comune and about an hour inside; entry is ticketed. Go at sunset or on a clear day after rain.
Itineraries
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8 sitesHow the Franciscan Order BeganThe chapels, hut and caves where the first friars found their way of life
8 sitesSaint Clare's AssisiThe places of Saint Clare's life, from her family's house to the crypt where she lies
4 sitesSaint Carlo Acutis in AssisiHis body, his heart and a second relic in three churches of the town
5 sitesThe Young Francis in AssisiFive places in the upper town, from his birth to his renunciation
5 sitesEucharistic Miracles from Assisi to SienaShrines from Carlo Acutis's exhibition of Eucharistic miracles, near his tomb
6 sitesSaint Francis Beyond AssisiRome, Cortona and La Verna, the places his journeys took him
7 sitesGreat Franciscan Saints of ItalyTombs and relics of the Franciscan family, from Assisi to the Gargano
5 sitesHoly Women Around AssisiFive women saints and their shrines within reach of Assisi
5 sitesSaint Francis From Rome to AssisiPapal approval and a hospice cell in Rome, then the crib and the tomb
10 sitesHidden Gems of Assisi: Quiet Chapels and Monasteries Most Pilgrims MissTen small churches, hermitages and monasteries away from the basilicas, from Clare's first refuge to the abbey that gave Francis the Porziuncola
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Good to know
Give Assisi two nights for a first visit: one day for Francis's and Clare's beginnings in the town and at San Damiano, and one for the Carceri, the Porziuncola, Rivotorto and the tomb. One night is the real minimum, because the sanctuaries are quietest at dawn and in the evening.
Article · 7 minHow Many Days in Assisi? One Night, Two or ThreeReadYes, as a full day. Direct trains from Roma Termini take a little over two hours and stop about 400 meters from the Porziuncola, so start there and take the Assisi Link bus up to the town. A night in Assisi is far better if you can manage it.
Article · 7 minAssisi Day Trip from Rome by TrainReadAssisi is steep and paved in stone, with slopes over 20 percent near the Basilica of Saint Francis. Santa Maria degli Angeli on the plain is the easiest base: it is flat, close to the station, and the Porziuncola is fully accessible. A lift reaches the tomb of Saint Francis, but Saint Clare's tomb is down 27 steps.
Article · 6 minAssisi with Limited Mobility, a Wheelchair or ChildrenReadYes. Assisi has many guesthouses run by sisters, friars and nuns, usually well below hotel prices, and you do not need to be Catholic to stay. Most sisters' houses keep a curfew between 22:00 and 23:30, which matters for the evening prayer at the tomb, and some take bookings only in writing.
Article · 6 minStaying in a Convent in AssisiReadThe Assisi Link bus runs from the station and the Porziuncola to the Basilica of Saint Francis and on to Piazza Matteotti in about ten minutes; buy the ticket before boarding. Inside the walls you walk, ideally downhill from the top of the town. The historic center is a limited traffic zone, so drivers park outside the walls.
Article · 8 minGetting Around Assisi: Station to Town, Buses, Taxis and ParkingReadOn the evening of October 3 the friars recall Francis's death at the Porziuncola, and a night walk climbs to a midnight Mass at the tomb. On October 4, a national holiday in Italy, the lamp at the tomb is lit during the solemn Mass in the Upper Church, with oil offered by one of Italy's regions. The main Masses and the night walk need free booking.
Article · 6 minThe Feast of Saint Francis in Assisi: the Transitus and 4 OctoberReadYes. The hermitage is about 4 km above the town and 430 meters higher, about an hour's climb on a waymarked trail from Porta Cappuccini, partly on a quiet road and partly through oak woods. There is no regular bus, so the alternative is a taxi up and the walk back down.
Article · 6 minWalking to the Eremo delle Carceri from AssisiReadSaint Carlo Acutis lies in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, a short walk below Piazza del Comune. Entry is free with no booking, and the line moves steadily past the tomb. Come early in the morning, and note that visits pause on Sundays and holy days from 10:30 to 12:30 for Mass.
Article · 6 minCarlo Acutis's Tomb in Assisi: Hours, Mass and What You SeeReadCatholic stays
A religious guesthouse in Assisi keeps a gentler rhythm than a hotel, with a chapel, simple meals, times of silence and often Lauds and Vespers that guests may join. Most sisters' houses keep a curfew between 22:00 and 23:30, and bookings are made by email.
Monastero di San GiuseppeActive Benedictine monastery in Assisi, heir to three medieval communities, housing 14th-century frescoes and connected to Saint Clare of Assisi's founding night as a Poor Clare.- Monastero Santa ColetteColettine Poor Clare monastery in Assisi, founded by French exiles in 1908, housing a chapel with four icons by Paolo Orlando and offering guesthouse hospitality within an active contemplative community.
Monastero Santa Croce delle Clarisse Cappuccine TedescheGerman Capuchin Poor Clare monastery founded in 1723, living the Rule of Saint Clare under the reform of Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo, with a guest house serving German-speaking pilgrims.
Article · The full guide to every stay · 6 min readStaying in a Convent in AssisiReligious guesthouses run by sisters, nuns and friars: who runs them, curfews, daily Mass and how to bookRead the guideArticles
See all- PlanningAssisi Day Trip from Rome by Train7 min read
Assisi from Florence: Why It Is Not a Day Trip6 min read- PracticalAssisi with Limited Mobility, a Wheelchair or Children6 min read
- Visiting sitesCarlo Acutis's Tomb in Assisi: Hours, Mass and What You See6 min read
Feasts and seasonsChristmas and Holy Week in Assisi6 min read- Getting aroundGetting Around Assisi: Station to Town, Buses, Taxis and Parking8 min read
- PlanningHow Many Days in Assisi? One Night, Two or Three7 min read
Mass and sacramentsMass and Confession in English in Assisi6 min read
PlanningSiena, Assisi and Orvieto: How to Combine Them5 min read- StayingStaying in a Convent in Assisi6 min read
PlanningThe Best Order to See Assisi: Uphill, Downhill and Around the Crowds7 min read- Feasts and seasonsThe Feast of Saint Francis in Assisi: the Transitus and 4 October6 min read
Visiting sitesVisiting the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi6 min read- Visiting sitesWalking to the Eremo delle Carceri from Assisi6 min read
PracticalWhat to Wear in Italian Churches: the Dress Code6 min read
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