Destinations Menu
RSS
ITALY | Assisi & Northeast Umbria, Italy Travel Guide
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Assisi, Italy
Detail from a Pietro Lorenzetti fresco (1310-1329) at the Assisi Basilica in Assisi, Italy
Assisi Travel Guide
Introduction
Assisi is a fascinating little town in the Apennines, with sweeping views of the countryside and a legacy tied to saints – St. Francis of Assisi, for one, founder of the 13th-century religious Order of the Franciscans, as well as St. Clare of the Order of Poor Clares and St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. The town itself unfolds on the hillside in a harmonious medley of buildings, notably a string of richly-frescoed basilicas where you can see the works of some of the most famous artists of the day – the likes of Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti, among others. Assisi is well-known, too, for its intricate, counted-thread embroidery, dating from the 13th century and unique to the Assisi region, which can be found in the local shops that are well worth discovering.
Location
Assisi is situated on the western flank of Monte Subasio, literally on the doorstep of Parco Regionale Monte Subiaso (Mt Subasio Regional Park), in the Italian region of Umbria. It is approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Perugia, or 9 miles (13 km) north of Foligno.
Assisi's principal draw is the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi – Basilica Papale di San Francesco in Italian – an elaborate complex with fresco-adorned upper and lower churches, dating from 1228 and long a center of Christian pilgrimage. Other churches worth visiting in Assisi include the 13th-century Basilica of Santa Chiara, with a Gothic interior and late-medieval frescoes, dedicated to St. Clare; and the Cathedral of San Rufino, noted for its Romanesque façade and rose windows. There is also a massive medieval castle here, Rocca Maggiore, which dates from the 14th century and fairly dominates the town.
- -
- -
- -
- -
- Best Time to Visit:
- Cost Per Day: US$-US$ (-)
- Currency: (US$1 ~ )
- Electricity: 220-240V - 50Hz
- Phone Code: +39
- Population: 28,000
© Indian Chief Travel Guides
Last updated November 30, 2013
Posted in Italy | Assisi & Northeast Umbria
Explore the Destination
Amenities and Resources
Overview
Hotels(30)
Restaurants(12)
Attractions(6)
Activities(41)
Map 
Weather Forecast
- Reported on:
Thu, 11/21/2024 - 01:20
- Reported on:
Trending Themes:
Guides to Popular Ski Resorts
-
Ischgl is a small mountain village turned hip ski resort, with massive appeal among the party-hearty young crowds. It is... Read More
-
Andorra la Vella is its own little world, and not just because it’s a 290-square-mile independent principality (a fifth the... Read More
-
Bariloche (officially San Carlos de Bariloche) is the place to be seen. It is to Argentina what Aspen is to the... Read More
-
Aspen is America's most famous ski resort. And that's an understatement. For, as a ski complex, Aspen is unsurpassed. Its... Read More
-
Zermatt is a small but glamorous mountain resort town, with a population of approximately 5,700. It is one of Switzerland's... Read More
-
St. Moritz is a glitzy, alpine resort town in the celebrated Engadin Valley of Switzerland, with huge notoriety as the... Read More
-
Lake Tahoe is the premier lake resort of America, and the largest alpine lake in all of North America. It is an absolutely... Read More
-
St. Anton, Sankt Anton am Arlberg in German, is Austria's premier ski-bum resort! It's actually a small village cum... Read More
-
Kitzbühel, a small, Tyrolian resort town in the Kitzbüheler Alps, comes with international renown and huge snob appeal, and... Read More