Day trip from Rome Assisi
The Umbrian hill town of Saint Francis, about 2 hours 20 minutes from Rome by direct regional train, with a bus from the station up to the Basilica.
Is Assisi worth a day trip from Rome?
Go, but only on the 06:45.
Yes, if you take the 06:45. Assisi is 2 h 21 by direct regional train plus a bus up the hill, so you stand below the Basilica at 09:35 and have about 6 hours before the 16:26 train home. That covers both churches of the Basilica of Saint Francis, which is free, lunch and a walk across town to Santa Chiara. The fare is fixed at € 15.75 each way with the bus, so nothing needs booking. Miss the early train and the next direct one gets you there at 10:50. Nearly 6 hours of travel is the price. Stay overnight if that sounds like too much.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 2 h 50Train 2 h 21 + bus up to the old town; the 07:43 takes 3 h 07 · one way · Trenitalia journey planner
- Transport
- Regional train + bus
- Self-guided cost
- € 31.50Regional train + station bus to Piazza Unita d'Italia, € 15.75 each way on one Trenitalia ticket; the Basilica of Saint Francis is free · Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi
- Tour price
- From € 185Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 5–6.50 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None
- Best time
- Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct, weekdaysDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Assisi
- 01
Basilica of St Francis
Two churches stacked on a hillside. The upper one has the 28-scene fresco cycle of the saint's life, the lower one leads to his tomb. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hours.
- 02
Basilica of St Clare
A pink and white striped church at the other end of town holding the crucifix of San Damiano. It is 15 minutes on foot from the main basilica.
- 03
Rocca Maggiore
A ruined fortress above the rooftops, reached by a steep 15-minute climb. Go for the view over the Umbrian plain more than for the rooms inside.
- 04
Piazza del Comune
The central square, with the six columns of a Roman temple of Minerva now fronting a church. A natural halfway stop between the two basilicas.
- 05
Santa Maria degli Angeli
A large church on the plain, five minutes from the railway station, built over the tiny Porziuncola chapel where Francis founded his order. See it before your train back.
Good forChurches and monasteriesOld towns and villagesArt and museums
How to spend the day
Take the 06:45 regional from Roma Termini, at Assisi station at 09:06. The connecting bus reaches Piazza Unita d'Italia, below the Basilica, at 09:35. See the Lower Church and the tomb first, then the Upper Church, open from 8:30. Walk Via San Francesco to Piazza del Comune for lunch and continue to Santa Chiara. Catch the 16:04 bus for the 16:26 train, in Termini at 18:48. The later pair leaves at 17:49 and arrives at 20:55.
Assisi in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustHot on the pink stone streets, though the town sits about 400 metres up and the evenings cool down. The basilica opens early, so visit it first and climb to the Rocca before 11:00. Pilgrim groups are constant, and around 1-2 August the Feast of the Pardon fills Santa Maria degli Angeli.
Winter
December to FebruaryCold, often 5°C lower than Rome, with fog on the plain and an early dusk. The basilica keeps slightly shorter hours and is at its quietest in January and February. From 8 December to 6 January the town has nativity scenes and lights and gets busy again. A good winter trip if you dress for it.
How crowded it gets
Busy- Busiest
- Easter, May, early August, 3-4 October and Christmas; 10:30-15:00 at the basilica
- Quietest
- Weekdays in November, January and February; before 9:30 any day
Coach groups arrive mid-morning and stay near the Basilica of St Francis. Be inside the lower church early, then walk east, since few groups go beyond Piazza del Comune.
How do you get to Assisi from Rome?
Regional train + bus
- Travel time
- 2 h 50 min to the old town
- Frequency
- 2 direct morning trains; later ones change at Foligno
- Cost
- € 15.75 each way with the bus
- Departs from
- Roma Termini
Direct regional trains leave Termini at 06:45 and 07:43 and cost € 14.45 to Assisi station, which is down in Santa Maria degli Angeli. Buy the ticket through to Assisi Piazza Unita d'Italia for € 15.75 and the bus up is included. Fixed price, no seat reservation.
Organized tour with wine tasting
- Travel time
- 12 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 185
- Departs from
- Piazza della Repubblica
Meets at 7:30 at Piazza della Repubblica, or picks up at hotels inside the Aurelian Walls. You get a guided visit of the Basilica of Saint Francis, Santa Chiara, an hour at a winery with a tasting and 20 minutes at Santa Maria degli Angeli. About € 150 more than the train.
Organized tour (3 towns)
- Travel time
- 14 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 159
- Departs from
- Roma Tiburtina station
Coach from Tiburtina, 3 hours to Assisi, with free time there and no guide inside the Basilica. The group then goes on to Civita di Bagnoregio and Orvieto. Pick it only if you want all three towns; for Assisi itself the train gives you far more time.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Shoulders and knees covered, or you will be refused at the basilica door. The town is one long slope, so wear shoes with grip. Add a warm coat and hat from November to March.
What to eat
Umbrian food is hearty: torta al testo, a griddled flatbread filled with ham or greens, strangozzi pasta with black truffle, lentil soup and cured meats from Norcia. Eat around Piazza del Comune or in the lanes above it, away from the basilica approach.
What you will spend
A low-cost day once you are there. The basilicas are free, with donations welcome. You pay for the regional train from Rome, the short bus between the station and the hill town, lunch and, if you want it, entry to the Rocca Maggiore.
How to get the most out of the day
- Assisi station is on the plain, 4 km below the town. A local bus meets most trains. Buy the ticket at the station bar.
- Silence is enforced inside the Basilica of St Francis and photography is not allowed. Guides use whisper headsets, so read up before you go in.
- Start at the top. Take the bus to Piazza Matteotti and walk downhill through town to the basilica, then catch the bus below it.
- Direct trains from Roma Termini are few and take about two hours. Check the return times before you leave, as gaps can be long.
How long do you need in Assisi?
Plan 5–6.50 h on site, plus 2 h 50 of travel each way from Rome.
When is Assisi closed?
None. Best time: Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct, weekdays.