Destination
Assisi & Umbria
Assisi is the hill town where St. Francis and St. Clare lived, prayed and are buried, and where St. Carlo Acutis now rests. From here the green hills of Umbria lead to Cascia, home of St. Rita, and to Orvieto, keeper of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena.
- Saints & Tombs
- Shrine & Basilica
How long to stay
Suggested lengths of stay
1 day
Start early at the Basilica of St. Francis and pray at his tomb. Walk across the old town to the Sanctuary of the Renunciation, where St. Carlo Acutis rests, then to the Basilica of St. Clare. On the way back to the train, stop at the Porziuncola in Santa Maria degli Angeli.
2–3 days
Add a slow morning at San Damiano below the town and a trip up to the Eremo delle Carceri on Mount Subasio. Go to Mass at the Basilica, and on a Friday or Saturday night join the quiet prayer at the tomb.
5 days
Use Assisi as your base and add day trips: Cascia for St. Rita, Orvieto for the Corporal of Bolsena, and Gubbio. With a car you can also reach other Franciscan places such as Greccio and La Verna.
In Assisi & Umbria
Major sacred sites
- Saints & Tombs Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi The burial place of St. Francis of Assisi and one of the great pilgrimage churches of Catholic history.
- Saints & Tombs Basilica of St. Clare (Tomb of St. Clare) The tomb of St. Clare, foundress of the Poor Clares, whose incorrupt body is venerated.
- Saints & Tombs Shrine of St. Carlo Acutis (Assisi) The remains of St. Carlo Acutis rest in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore at the Sanctuary of Spogliazione in Assisi, …
- Shrine & Basilica Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels (Porziuncola) Encloses the Porziuncola, the little chapel at the heart of the Franciscan movement.
Worth combining
Day trips from Assisi & Umbria
- Cascia Tomb of St. Rita and the relic of the Eucharistic Miracle of Cascia, in the mountains of southeast Umbria. about 1 h 25 drive
- Orvieto The cathedral keeps the Corporal of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena. about 1 h 30 drive
- Gubbio Medieval town tied to the story of Francis and the wolf. about 1 h drive
- Rome Most international pilgrims arrive here, and Assisi is an easy rail link away. about 2 h train
Getting around
Local travel
- Assisi's train station is in Santa Maria degli Angeli, about 3 km below the old town. Local buses leave from the station square about every 30 minutes and take 10 to 20 minutes to reach the upper town.
- Direct trains from Rome Termini take about 2 hours. Trains that change at Foligno take longer.
- The nearest airport is Perugia (PEG), about 20 minutes away by the airport bus. Most U.S. travelers arrive through Rome, a little over 2 hours by car.
- Cars are restricted in the historic center. Park outside the walls; the Piazza Giovanni Paolo II car park is about 400 m from the Basilica of St. Francis.
- The old town sits on a steep hillside with stone streets and stairs. Wear good shoes and allow extra time between St. Francis and St. Clare, at opposite ends of town.
Go deeper
Saints, routes and group trips
Saints