We had decided that our next destination after leaving Rome would be to the ancient town of Assisi.
Road Trip from Rome to Assisi
We caught a lift from our BnB hosts to the pick-up yard to uplift our lease vehicle for the next couple of months while in Europe. See our blog all about Driving Europe – Tips and Tricks.
It was only 2.5hr drive so it wasn’t going to be a long travel day. This would also allow us time to walk around the sights of Assisi.
Don’t Always Trust GPS
After stopping for lunch at a roadside restaurant, we followed the directions of our lovely sounding GPS navigator. As the days continued, we sometimes didn’t think she sounded so lovely….especially when she got things wrong! Scotty certainly has called her a few choice names over the past few weeks. Luckily she doesn’t get offended easily.
There were one or two of those occasions when she really would have been more helpful if she had not directed us to drive up a one-way street the wrong way! It also would have been helpful if she indicated to us that we were about to drive into a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone). This can be 50€ to 100€/$89 to $178NZ fine. Click on our Driving Europe – Tips and Tricks to find out more about ZTL’s.
We finally found our way to one of the many specified parking areas and made our way through the huge old stone gates and into the walled city.
Accommodation
We had a couple of ideas for accommodation although we hadn’t made any bookings. Our first choice was a small guest house just inside the city walls. An old Italian guy only had a handwritten reservation book and indicated to me that there were no rooms available. I tried telling him that there was a room available on hotels.com but he was insistent there wasn’t (never upset an Italian!).
Not wanting to risk doing the booking online while standing outside we retreated, jumped back in the car and headed to our next option.
Hotels.com showed that Ponte San Vittorino had rooms available for 70€/$123NZ (including breakfast). This is what we ended up getting the room for – no use bartering like we did in Asia!
It was a comfortable standard room and we really just needed a bed for the night. There was a steep hill to get back to the walled city of Assisi. While it was walkable, you would only really want to do it once.
Rick Steves Audio Guide
I mentioned in my Rome on a Budget blog that we downloaded Rick Steves Audio Guide for a lot of attractions. He also has few for Assisi so we walked to where his walking guided tour began. We spent the next hour wandering the streets and learning all about the history of this town.
Pilgrims have been coming to Assisi since the 13th century to pay homage to St Francis, who was born, worked and buried here.
There were many lane-ways and alleys which we loved exploring
The entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the world.
We loved the vibe of this beautiful town and much had been done to preserve its historical features. Yes, it is set up for tourists. There was a market going on in the main piazza. This was not full of tacky tourist souvenirs but really unusual items which reflected the town’s history. There were also demonstrations on iron tool making, blacksmiths and ancient games that adults and children must have partaken in.
Could have gone ‘buyer crazy’ in the markets and shops
St Francis Basilica
Rick Steves has a separate guide just for St Francis Basilica. Click on this link if you want to learn more about the history.
This is the most famous and probably the most impressive attraction in Assisi. It is also literally the biggest building in the area – so massive that you can see it for miles around. It is truly the jewel in the Assisi’s crown.
Construction of the Basilica was started immediately after St Francis death in 1228 just outside the town wall. It is made up of an upper and a lower church and it is indeed huge!
Upper Church, the huge courtyard linking upper and lower churches and an outside view
We wandered both structures in awe at the most incredible frescoes and listened to our audio guide to learn more about the history of this amazing Basilica. Each fresco is a scene from St Frances’ life. Although completed centuries ago, the paintings are still clear and bright.
Did you know…….St Francis’ remains were hidden immediately after he died to keep them from being stolen by relic hunters. His resting place was kept secret for 600 years until being rediscovered in 1818. Today his remains are the only complete skeleton of a saint that isn’t missing any parts due to grave robbing.
To finish off the evening we found a delightful restaurant down a little side alley and enjoyed homemade pasta…and of course more wine.
Time for dinner
Summary
Although you can easily walk the ancient town of Assisi in just an afternoon, it is a good idea to give yourself an overnight stay to truly soak up the atmosphere.
The historic centre is small and easily managed on foot. In saying that though, remember that you are in hilly Umbria. Wear good walking shoes and take it slow on the sometimes steep and slippery when wet cobblestone streets.
A huge part of visiting Assisi is wandering through its many churches and Basilica. Be sure to dress appropriately. Shorts that cover your knees and shirts that cover your shoulders are essential for both men and women.
Click on the link below to see a video of our highlights our short stay in Assisi.