Basilica di San Francesco (Assisi)

History

St Francis died in 1226 and the basilica rose straight after, in 1228, commissioned by Pope Gregory IX: two churches built one above the other, the lower and the upper, raised in record time on the Hill of Paradise. In the upper church, between 1297 and 1300, Giotto and his workshop painted the famous cycle of the saint's life, twenty-eight scenes that shaped centuries of Western painting. In 2026, between February and March, a public exposition of Francis's body was held for the eighth centenary of his death: an event already concluded, noted here only as history.

Visiting

What to see

Lower and Upper Basilicas. Cycle of Giotto frescoes (28 scenes, 1297-1300). Crypt with relics of Saint Francis. UNESCO World Heritage.

Surroundings

Assisi, heart of Franciscanism. Umbrian villages (Gubbio, Spoleto, Todi). Countryside with olive and grape cultivation. Truffles, cheeses, olive oil. Cycling tourism Perugia-Assisi (29 km).

Visitor information

Lower church and Tomb from 6am to about 7pm; upper church from 8.30am to 7pm; access limited during celebrations

Contacts

075 8190084 · sanfrancescoassisi.org · info@sanfrancescoassisi.org

Hospitality and where to sleep

No guesthouse

No guesthouse. Farm stays at the foot of Subasio. B&Bs in the historic center. Various hostels.

Beds and prices

The basilica has no guesthouse of its own. Assisi, though, is the capital of religious hospitality: numerous case per ferie, hostels and convents host pilgrims in the centre and at Santa Maria degli Angeli, from budget upwards. Book well ahead at festival times, especially around 3 and 4 October, the feast days of St Francis.

Services

Public fountains in the historic centre, bars and restaurants everywhere, basilica information office in the Lower Square (tel. 075 8190084); audioguides and tours with a friar. Wifi and electronic payments widespread in the town's establishments.

Places to stay nearby (within 15 km)

• Camping–Ostello Fontemaggiocampsite
  Assisi (via Eremo delle Carceri 24) · 1.9 km as the crow flies

  Price:

  ~€15 per person with tent (approx.); budget hostel beds

  Open:

  year-round (campsite: no booking needed)

  Facilities:

  ~80 tent pitches in Monte Subasio Park, hostel and La Stalla restaurant, 15 min on foot from the centre of Assisi

  Source:

  fontemaggio.it/camping-assisi · camping.info

  On the road to the Eremo delle Carceri, 800 m from Porta Cappuccini: the historic base for pilgrims and cyclists on the Via di Francesco.

Getting there by bike

From Santa Maria degli Angeli you climb to Assisi with about 4 km of steady, rideable ascent; the basilica is at the western end of the historic centre (restricted traffic zone): leave bikes at the racks by the Lower Square or the car parks. Free entry for individuals; booking required only for groups.

The climb from Santa Maria degli Angeli is short and steady. Then you enter the historic centre's restricted zone. In 2026 the eight hundredth anniversary of the saint's death falls, with months of heavy crowds. Better to avoid them if you are after calm. The racks at Piazza Inferiore remain the handiest point to leave the bike.

Racks at Piazza Inferiore or the car parks. Public fountains in the historic centre, bars and restaurants everywhere.

Map and stages