Hotels in Assisi

Perugia is the capital city in Umbria, but the town of Assisi gets as much tourist attention - if not more - because it’s the birthplace of St. Francis. (In fact, the sites associated with St. Francis in Assisi are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.) The town is, therefore, as much a destination for pilgrims as it is for travelers who are simply interested in the history and the beauty of the surrounding area - but there are lots of places to stay in Assisi that can make it a good home base for exploring Umbria.
Assisi is quite hilly, so if you have qualms about lots of walking up and down hills to get to and from your hotel, you may want to choose a hotel that’s closer to the major monuments. You’re still likely to have to do some walking, but perhaps not as much as if you chose a hotel a bit further away.

Most people come for the Basilica of San Francesco, which is really two churches stacked on top of each other, with the saint’s tomb in the crypt and the famous fresco cycle of his life (traditionally credited to Giotto) in the upper church. The town is built from pink and white stone quarried on Monte Subasio right behind it, so the whole place glows at sunset. Stay the night and you get the streets after the tour buses leave, a walk up to the Rocca Maggiore castle, and time for a morning hike out to the Eremo delle Carceri, the hermitage in the woods where Francis went to pray.

Trains stop at Assisi station down in the valley at Santa Maria degli Angeli, about 20 minutes from Perugia, and a local bus runs up the hill to the old center. Before you get on it, look inside the huge Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli by the station: it was built around the Porziuncola, the tiny chapel where Francis started his order. Umbrian food is simple and leans on pork, lentils and black truffles, and you’ll find torta al testo, a griddled flatbread stuffed with greens or cured meat, all over town. 2026 marks 800 years since Francis died in 1226, so expect more pilgrims than usual, especially around his feast day on October 4.

Click any pin on this map of hotels in Assisi for reviews and current prices.