Assisi, City Highlights and Basilica of St. Francis tour
Description
See the highlights of Assisi on a walking tour with a official local guide. Visit the stunning UNESCO World Heritage-listed Basilica di San Francesco (Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi), the Duomo di San Rufino, the Basilica di Santa Chiara (St Claire) and the lovely main square, Piazza del Comune. Enjoy clear views of the massive 14th-century fort, Rocca Maggiore, which sits on top of the hill. As you walk with your guide, hear about the history and cultural treasures of Assisi.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Assisi Cathedral, dedicated to San Rufino (Rufinus of Assisi) is a major church in Assisi.
The Basilica of St. Clare of Assisi, realized with the typical pink stone extracted from the quarry of the Subasio mountain, contains precious frescos dating back to the period from the XIIth to the XIVth century. In the chapel on the right, along the unique nave of St. Clare of Assisi, finishing in transept and polygonal apse, you can admire the Crucifix which, according to tradition, would have invited St. Francesco in the church of St. Damiano in order to "reset up the Church"
Chiesa Nuova. The Chiesa Nuova is a church in Assisi, Italy, built in 1615 on the site of the presumed birthplace of St. Francis, the house of Pietro di Bernardone. It was then called Chiesa Nuova because it was the last church to be built in Assisi at that time.
The Temple of Minerva is an ancient Roman building in Assisi, Umbria, central Italy. It currently houses a church, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, built in 1539 and renovated in Baroque style in the 17th century.
At the square you will see one of the best-preserved Roman temples in Italy – Minerva's temple – which is surrounded by imposing medieval government buildings.
Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the basilica of St. Francis was built under the direction of Brother Elias, vicar general and architect of the order, starting in 1228, just two years after the saint's death, as a place designed to receive his remains.
If the solemn and dark lower basilica invites penance and silence, the upper church soars into the sky, airy and bright. In a Gothic style with French influences, the nave has four bays, cross vaulting, and a polygonal transept and apse.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Due to the exposition of the remains of St. Francis, guided tours of the basilica will be suspended from February 15, 2026, to April 6, 2026. The guide will provide an explanation from outside, and then visitors will be able to enter on their own.
Reviews(21)
We had such a wonderful experience! Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. We learned so much and would absolutely recommend!
Well organized tour, covering historical and religious features. Great guide. Well worth the hike. Great city to visit as either pilgrim or tourist.
Marica our guide was extremely knowledgeable and very personable. She did a fantastic job teaching us about the life of St. Francis and the history of Assisi. This was one of our best tours since we have been in Italy. Thank you Marica!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Marica made such a positive impression. Her passion and knowledge truly bring the history of Assisi and the life of St. Francis to life. We’re especially happy to know this was one of your best experiences in Italy — that means a lot to us! We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Marica. Hope to welcome you again soon!
Don't go to Assisi without doing this tour, it’s a must! So much history and valuable information that’s not possible to know without a local guide. Our guide was amazing.
Thank you for your kind words and wonderful recommendation! We're so pleased our guide brought Assisi's history to life for you. Reviews like yours mean everything to us. We hope to welcome you back soon!
We had a wonderful experience on the Assisi tour. The town is absolutely beautiful, and the tour was very well organized. Our guide was knowledgeable and engaging, sharing meaningful historical and cultural insights that truly brought Assisi to life. We especially appreciated walking from the upper part of Assisi down to the lower town, which made the experience much easier and more enjoyable as we were traveling with a senior. Highly recommend!
Fabulous tour. Our guide was knowledgeable in several areas including history, religion, art, and architecture. Best guide I’ve ever had!!
It’s such a beautiful village with so much history of extraordinary Saints. You could tell our guide was really in love with her town and its beautiful history. Bravo
We have been in multiple tours, in all of them you always need to balance the experience, friendliness, knowledge of the area and ability to adapt to changes and be organized. Well, Maria Luciano has all of them, what a great person and guide you are, you also were very kind to our son Franchesco, inivited us for a coffee, gave away a few chocolates for our familiy and we never felt rushed to finish the tour. Thank you for sharing more tips and details about the live of Saint Chiara and Saint Francis, now we are more in love with the live of them. If you are in Assisi, please book your tour with her. Marica thanks again for being so nice with my family, lots of blessings for you.
Our tour guide was knowledgeable. A local. Answered all our questions. Gave an overview of all the important highlights of Assisi and Francis.
This was a great introduction tour to Assisi by Francesca. She was very knowledgeable and her stories of history and the area were fascinating.
