Assisi

Assisi clings to the western slope of Monte Subasio in Umbria, a medieval town of rose-tinted stone whose name is inseparable from its most famous son—Saint Francis, the wealthy merchant's child who renounced his inheritance in the early thirteenth century, embraced poverty, and founded a religious order that transformed Christianity. The Basilica of Saint Francis, a two-level church completed in 1253 and decorated with frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue that are among the most important works of art in the Western world, stands at the town's western end, its position on a hillside creating an approaching view that has drawn pilgrims for eight centuries.

The town itself is an extraordinarily well-preserved medieval ensemble, its narrow streets paved in the same pink and cream stone from Monte Subasio that gives every building a warm, unified tone. The Piazza del Comune, the central square, incorporates the Temple of Minerva—a first-century Roman temple whose perfect Corinthian columns prompted Goethe to declare it the finest building he had seen in Italy. The Basilica of Santa Chiara, housing the remains of Saint Clare (Francis's follower and founder of the Poor Clares), provides the town's eastern anchor. Between these landmarks, the streets reveal medieval fountains, Romanesque churches, and views across the Umbrian plain that stretch to Perugia and beyond.

Umbrian cuisine, which Assisi showcases beautifully, is earthy, simple, and built on ingredients of exceptional quality. The black truffle of Norcia, harvested from the surrounding hills, is shaved over pasta, eggs, and bruschetta with the same reverence afforded to the Périgord's finest. Strangozzi (hand-rolled pasta) with truffle sauce is the quintessential Umbrian primo. The pork products of Norcia—prosciutto, sausages, and porchetta (roast suckling pig)—are famous throughout Italy. Umbrian olive oil, pressed from the small, intensely flavored olives that grow on terraced hillsides, rivals Tuscan and Puglian oils in quality. The local wines—Sagrantino di Montefalco (one of Italy's most tannic and age-worthy reds) and the white Grechetto—complement the cuisine with authority.

Beyond the basilicas, the surrounding landscape rewards exploration. The Eremo delle Carceri, a hermitage in the forest of Monte Subasio where Francis retreated for prayer, provides a contemplative walk through woodland that has changed little since the thirteenth century. Spello, a short drive south, offers Pinturicchio's extraordinary frescoes in the Baglioni Chapel and a main street lined with flower-bedecked stone houses. Spoleto, with its Roman bridge, its cathedral, and its annual Festival dei Due Mondi, is among Umbria's most cultured towns. The Piano Grande di Castelluccio, a high plain that erupts in wildflowers each June, is one of the most spectacular natural displays in Italy.

Assisi is accessible from Perugia (thirty minutes), Rome (two and a half hours), and Florence (two and a half hours), and is included in many central Italian touring itineraries. The best time to visit is April through June and September through October, when the weather is mild, the light is golden, and the town is not overwhelmed by summer tour groups. The Feast of Saint Francis (October 4) brings special religious celebrations. Christmas in Assisi, with its living nativity scenes and candlelit processions, captures the spirit of the town with particular warmth.