What to see in Assisi in 2 days: itinerary between spirituality, frescoes and Umbrian trails
Guide to what to see in Assisi in 2 days: from the Basilica of St Francis to the Rocca Maggiore, with forest trails and the hidden villages of the Umbrian Valley.
Why Assisi deserves 2 days
Assisi is much more than the pilgrimage destination the world knows. Perched on Monte Subasio, it preserves one of the most important fresco cycles in Western art, an intact medieval urban fabric and a relationship with the Umbrian landscape that reveals itself only to those who stay more than a few hours. Two days let you alternate art, spirituality and nature at the right pace.
To plan your trip: where to stay in Assisi, where to eat in Assisi and how to get to Assisi.
Day 1: The city of Francis
Morning — Basilica of St Francis
Dedicate the entire morning to the Basilica of St Francis, divided into two superimposed churches. The Upper Church hosts Giotto's cycle of 28 frescoes on the life of Francis — a revolution in Western art. The Lower Church is more intimate: frescoes by Cimabue, Lorenzetti and Simone Martini in the half-light. The crypt with the saint's tomb has an atmosphere of deep contemplation.
Hidden gem: the Bosco di San Francesco (FAI), accessible from a side entrance behind the basilica — a 2 km path descends into the valley through oaks and olive trees to a land art installation. Almost no tourists know it.
Afternoon — Old town and Temple of Minerva
From the basilica walk up Via San Francesco to Piazza del Comune. The Temple of Minerva (1st century BCE) has a perfectly preserved Corinthian pronaos — Goethe called it the first complete architecture he had seen. Next door, the underground Roman Forum reveals the ancient city beneath the medieval one.
Walking route: Basilica → Via San Francesco (medieval palazzi) → Piazza del Comune → Via Portica → Chiesa Nuova (Francis's birthplace) → Via Bernardo da Quintavalle → Basilica of Santa Chiara.
Evening — Santa Chiara and sunset
The Basilica of Santa Chiara holds the Crucifix of San Damiano that spoke to Francis. The churchyard is the best sunset point over the Umbrian Valley — Spello, Foligno, Montefalco are distinguishable in the golden light. Dinner with strangozzi with black truffle and torta al testo.
Day 2: Nature and spirituality
Morning — Rocca Maggiore and Hermitage of the Prisons
Climb to the Rocca Maggiore (14th century): the fortress dominates Assisi and the entire Umbrian Valley. The walls are walkable, with panoramic towers. Then continue on foot (or by car, 4 km) toward the Eremo delle Carceri on Monte Subasio: the retreat where Francis withdrew to pray in the holm oak forest. The silence is absolute — caves, paths among the trees, a tangible spirituality.
Hidden gem: from the Hermitage car park a trail climbs in 40 minutes to the summit meadows of Subasio (1,290 m) — in spring filled with wild orchids, with views as far as the Gran Sasso.
Afternoon — San Damiano and Santa Maria degli Angeli
Descend to the Convent of San Damiano (2 km from the centre, on foot via a path through olive groves): here Francis wrote the Canticle of the Creatures and Clare founded her order. The garden, wooden choir and refectory have remained as they were in the 13th century.
Then reach Santa Maria degli Angeli (in the plain, bus or 4 km on foot): the Basilica contains the Porziuncola — the tiny chapel where the Franciscan order was born, enclosed within the Renaissance church. The Thornless Rose Garden is linked to one of the most poetic legends.
Evening — Walk and Umbrian Valley
Return to Assisi for the evening walk along the walls: Via del Tridente and Via Borgo Aretino are nearly deserted at sunset. Final dinner with roast pigeon, Castelluccio lentils and Sagrantino di Montefalco.
Practical tips
- Day 1: approximately 5 km in the centre (moderate ups and downs)
- Day 2: from 8 to 15 km depending on options (Subasio demanding but beautiful)
- The Basilica of St Francis is free; photography strictly forbidden in the Lower Church
- Hiking shoes for the Hermitage and Subasio; the path to San Damiano is unpaved
- May and September-October: perfect light, mild temperatures, few groups
- Parking at Piazza Matteotti (underground) or Porta Nuova; the centre is ZTL
