Assisi: fairytale beauty

Assisi is one of the most beautiful and famous towns in beautiful Umbria. You can already see the town appearing in the distance on the flanks of Monte Subasio. When you enter the town you don’t know what you see. Time seems to have stood still here. Everywhere you will find the most beautiful old buildings, picturesque alleys and the most impressive views over the hills of Umbria.

Assisi sits on a slope as high as 1290 meters and is best known for the Basilica of St. Francis and the Rocca Maggiore fortress. Which can be admired from afar. It is a lovely town to stroll through. It one of the best preserved medieval towns in the world and part of UNESCO World Heritage.

Tip! If you’re with an RV, parking can be tricky. There is a special RV park outside the city where you can catch a bus directly to the center of Assisi.

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Assisi
AssisiTips
Assisi Umbria
Assisi

What to do in Assisi

The old city center is one big open-air museum. Take your time and stroll quietly through this town and admire all its beauty. A few places not to be missed are:

Basilica di San Francesco

Since the 13th century, pilgrims have been flocking to the basilica. This is Assisi’s most important religious site and perhaps one of the most beautiful basilicas in Italy.

Basilica di Santa Chiara

Another popular basilica is Basilica di Santa Chiara. This basilica is dedicated to St. Clare of Assisi and was built from 1257 to 1265.

Fontane dei Tre Leoni

Fontana dei Tre Leoni, translation fountain of the three lions, is found in a cozy place where you have numerous options to enjoy a coffee or aperitivo.

Piazza del Comune

Surely the centerpiece of Assisi is Piazza del comune. A large square with some of the city’s important monuments, such as Tempio di Minerva and Fontane dei Tre Leoni.

AssisiTips
Assisi Umbria

AssisiTips
Assisi Umbria

Hotspots & food in

Best time to travel to Assisi

The best travel time to visit Umbria and therefore Assisi is from April to June and September, October. Even in July and August you almost always have nice weather in Umbria but the heat can be quite intense then. Also because it can be quite a climb at times. If you do go during the high season, it is wise to cool off often and bring some water with you.

Which budget do i need in Assisi?

You don’t need a huge budget for Umbria. Especially if you are with an RV, you have cheap camping options or even free wild camping spots in several places (especially in the off-season). Also, you can often eat spotty food there. You should consider the following budget at Assisi:

  • Lunch dish: 5 – 10 – euro p.p.
  • Dinner: 15 – 20 euros p.p.
  • Accommodations: 50 – 150 euros per night
  • Camping: 20 – 30 euros per night
  • Wine: 5 euros for half a liter
  • Public transportation: 1 – 2 euros for small rides
  • Sightseeing: especially churches and viewpoints are free of charge

Day budget Assisi + camping: 45 – 75 euros per day for 2 people
Day budget Assisi hotel: 75 – 150 euros per day for 2 people

Assisi tips
Assisi Umbria

Practical information about Assisi

  • Parking is often paid, so make sure you have plenty of cash and/or a credit card
  • If you are with an RV, you can only park outside the city. There is a dedicated RV parking lot 10 minutes from town. You can catch a free bus to the city from here.
  • Many supermarkets and restaurants close in the afternoon.
  • Want a cheap wine (always good in Italy). Then ask after the house wine. You often get these by the half or whole liter for about 5 – 10 euros.
  • Learn a few words of Italian, such as thank you, have a nice day and may I order something etc.
  • Bring water with you in hot weather, as it is quite a climb.
  • With an ACSI discount card, you often get discounts at campsites in the off-season.
  • For the nicest camping spot, we always use the app Park4night & camper contact
  • The same obligations apply in the car as in the Netherlands. So bring safety jacket and warning triangle!
Assisi tips
Assisi Umbria

What are nice places to stay in Assisi?

Although Assisi is fine to explore in a day, it is of course much more fun to spend the night here as well.

Since we were traveling with our own Captain VANtastic, an old Mercedes van, we were parked just outside the town in an RV park. Pretty simple and not much shade for about 25 euros a night, but walking distance to town.

If you’re not a camper on the road, we’ve also collected some cool accommodations for you.

How to get to Assisi?

From the Netherlands, it is about a 1500 km drive to Assisi and takes almost 15 hours. So a hefty drive, but fine for a road trip. Along the way, you can make a few stops in South Tyrol or Switzerland, for example. If you have the time then we definitely recommend taking this road trip.

If you do want to fly then we recommend flying to Florence (2 hours), Bologna (3 hours) or Rome (2.5 hours) and from here rent a car to take a nice road trip through Umbria.

Assisi

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Our verdict

By : We Wander Why 8,5 / 10

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