Assisi FULL DAY Walking Tour

Meet our guide and visit the old Roman ruins of the local amphitheatre, which was reused in the Middle Ages as a quarry for stones to build local houses. You will see how the amphitheatre was turned into a private neighbourhood. Through narrow alleys and medieval squares, you will reach Saint Rufino’s Cathedral and Saint Claire's Basilica. From there, you will get to the main city square, Piazza del Comune. 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. The morning will then head down to the Basilica of Saint Francis, famous throughout the world for its 13th-14th century frescoes. The frescoes were designed to illustrate episodes from the Bible to the people in the most effective way and to tell them about the life of St Francis, ignoring the Cistercian controversy about church decoration. In fact, in their artistic vision, the frescoes had to have a didactic role rather than an aesthetic one. The greatest painters of the time were involved in their creation: Cimabue, Cavallini and Giotto. After free time for lunch, in the afternoon you will explore Sanctuaries and Franciscan Sites outside Assisi by driver and guide. Your tour will start with the visit of EREMO DELLE CARCERI. “Carceri” is a metaphoric name given to this place, which is nowadays an impressive old Franciscan friary built-in 15th C. on the mountain slopes. It incorporates the grottoes where Saint Francis used to do retreat. From there you will also enjoy one of the most stunning views over the below Umbrian Valley. After the hermitage, you will be taken to the sanctuary of Saint Damiano which is the place of Saint Francis vocation. There it happened the vision of the crucifix advising Francis to fix his church. It was the starting point of Francis’s new experience as a friar in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Your tour will take you as last to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, which protects under its gigantic dome the tiny Porziuncola. This is the very little chapel where Francis and his first companions founded the Franciscan community, and also the place where Saint Francis passed away. The tour will end at 6:00 pm.