Best Things to Do in Assisi

There are many commercial and private Things to Do in Assisi lists available, covering popular landmarks, tours, restaurants, etc. One website providing well-informed and interesting details is http://www.brigolante.com. 

Assisi has so much history, art, architecture, good dining and natural beauty that one could easily dedicate much time to any of those topics. However, this post is for visitors, inspired by the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare, seeking to share in Assisi's spiritual life. 

In the early morning, a handful of locals and visitors make their way to the Basilica of Saint Clare for a 7:15 a.m. Mass. The Mass is celebrated in the Chapel of San Giorgio under the original San Damiano Cross, through which a young Francis was asked to "rebuild My house." In a cloistered wing of the chapel, Poor Clares participate in the readings and music. To find the chapel, just go through the Basilica main entrance and turn to the right.

Still earlier, on the other end of town, the doors of the Basilica of Saint Francis open and one may visit his crypt with few, if any, other visitors about. Occasionally, early morning Masses are celebrated in the close confines of the crypt, but usually those present simply engage in quiet prayer. Upstairs from the crypt, in the lower church of the Basilica, a 7:15 a.m. weekday Mass is celebrated. About twenty priests file in and sit along the sides of the altar. Following Mass one may go to the right transept and find Cimabue's likeness of Saint Francis, along with Martini's of Saint Clare, beautiful and well-known images. The lower church may be entered through the doors on the far right of the picture below.

A third early morning alternative, for those inclined to vigorous walking, is a hike up to the Eremo delle Carceri on Mount Subasio. If you pass through Assisi's Porta Cappuccini by 6:00 a.m. and walk at a fair pace, you should reach the Eremo in plenty of time for the 7:30 a.m. Mass. The Eremo is where Francis and his followers used to go for quiet prayer and contemplation, as one may still do today. Upon arrival, walk through the gate, along the path and down into the stone building. On the right is an entrance to a small church, literally built into the mountainside. The seven or so Franciscans who live there are warm and welcoming, but silence is the norm. Following Mass you may enjoy continuing through the ancient building into the forest, hopefully experiencing a tranquility shared by early Franciscans. Even later in the day, when more visitors arrive, it's a special place to walk and pray. 

Back in Assisi, by mid-morning tour groups appear and the main road through town is filled with activity. It's a good time to visit a few other special places, like the Cathedral of San Rufino, where one finds the baptismal font of Saints Francis and Clare, and where the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament is reserved for prayer.

Another special, often quiet place is the Church of Santo Stefano, built a couple of decades before Saint Francis was born. The facade of the Church is fairly unchanged; one sees the same simple church Francis would have seen.

The interior is a good place to imagine life in Assisi eight centuries ago. On Sundays one can join local parishioners here for a 9:00 a.m. Mass as, I suppose, people have been doing since the time of Francis and Clare.

Early afternoon, when the basilicas are crowded and the main road through town is busy with food and souvenir seekers, is a good time to move up or down to quieter side streets. Via Santa Croce offers a pleasant walk across the upper part of town with excellent views.

Almost any side street or alley off the main road will lead to a quieter walk.
Later in the afternoon (4:30 p.m. winter; 5:30 p.m. summer) there is a Mass in the Basilica of Saint Clare in the Chapel of Saint Agnes, sister of Saint Clare. One may share in this small, often crowded service with locals who pray the Rosary before the start of Mass.
Other nice walks include passing through Porta Nuova and strolling a half mile through an olive grove down to San Damiano. There, at certain hours, one may visit where Francis repaired his first church and where Clare and her followers lived in poverty. And, higher up on a sunny day, the hiking trails on Mount Subasio are seldom crowded and offer a glimpse of the natural world Francis and Clare, in her youth, knew well.
Back in town, in the early evening, one can head to the small piazza of the Church of Santa Margherita to sit and watch the sun set. The Church has been ministered to by Franciscans for over 700 years. The piazza offers fine views of the Basilica of Saint Francis and the surrounding Umbrian countryside.

Briefly, some additional information that may be helpful. Pick up a free map of town at the information office, located at the opposite end of the Piazza del Comune from the fountain. A place to stay: Saint Anthony's Guest House. A place to eat: I Monaci. A place to buy religious gifts: The Basilica of Saint Francis gift shop, located just behind the lower/upper churches. Where to find Saints Francis and Clare: in your heart, although throughout Assisi it's easy to sense their presence.
Pace.