Cortona and Assisi - stone hill towns, frescoes and pilgrimage

In brief: Start with Cortona for quiet backstreets, the Museo Diocesano and Santa Maria al Calcinaio. Continue to Assisi for the Basilica di San Francesco, the churches of Santa Chiara and San Rufino, and the forested Eremo delle Carceri. Cortona is easiest with a car or a bus-and-taxi combination; Assisi has useful trains, but its station is below the walled town.

Plan the two hill towns

Cortona is 29 km south of Arezzo, 79 km east of Siena and 117 km southeast of Florence. Assisi is 28 km southeast of Perugia. They fit naturally into a wider Tuscany and Umbria route, but they reward different pacing: Cortona is best explored by wandering away from its busy main street, while Assisi is most peaceful early and late in the day, outside the main pilgrimage and bus-tour hours.

Central Italy is not at its best as a tightly packed checklist. Give each town a main sight, a meal and time for the roads or lanes between them. Long lunches, changing light on the hills and a slower evening are part of the experience, and a modest plan leaves room for the quiet details that disappear when every hour is reserved.

Prices, opening calendars and seasons

The restaurant figures on this page are average prices for a main course at dinner, or at lunch when dinner is not served. Hotel figures are the lowest listed prices for a standard double in high season. Treat both as planning figures and confirm the current amount, opening calendar and reservation policy before travelling.

Cortona

Cortona is an ancient stone town whose main street, Via Nazionale, now has souvenir shops and can be crowded in summer. The principal sights justify entering the busy center, but much of Cortona's appeal is in the quieter maze behind it. Wander through the backstreets to see laundry at the windows, children playing and everyday cooking drifting from the houses rather than following only the most visited route.

Getting to Cortona and moving uphill

By car, leave the A1 autostrada at Valdichiana, follow the signs toward Perugia and then continue for Cortona. Regular Autolinee Toscane buses connect Arezzo and Cortona in about one hour. The train option is less convenient because Cortona's station is in the valley, 3 km below the town, with a steep climb between the two. From the station, plan on using a bus or taxi to reach the center.

Visitor information

The Cortona Tourism Office is at Piazza Signorelli 9. The listed phone number is 0575/637274, and local information is available through the Cortona tourism website. Use the office to confirm the seasonal opening of smaller churches and museums before making a special trip.

Museo Diocesano

• ✦Museo Diocesano - this nine-room art museum occupies part of the original cathedral structure. Its collection includes a strong group of large paintings by Cortona-born Luca Signorelli and a beautiful Annunciation by Fra Angelico. The church was built between 1498 and 1505 and reworked by Giorgio Vasari in 1543. Doceno's frescoes of Old Testament sacrifices, based on Vasari's designs, line the walls. It is at Piazza Duomo 1; phone 0575/286300; admission €6. The museum is closed Monday through Thursday from November to March.

Santa Maria al Calcinaio

• ✦Santa Maria al Calcinaio - local tradition says that an image of the Madonna appeared on a wall beside a medieval calcinaio, a lime pit once used to cure leather, and that the sanctuary was built there between 1485 and 1513. Its restrained gray-and-white interior recalls Florence's Duomo. The Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio is the most likely designer, making the church a clear example of Renaissance architectural principles. It is at Località Il Calcinaio 227, 3 km southeast of Cortona's center; phone 3291605624.The listing does not give a regular ticket price or timetable, so check the church's current information before visiting.

Eating in Cortona

• ✦Osteria del Teatro - a Tuscan tavern just off Cortona's large Piazza del Teatro, with photographs from theatrical productions covering the walls. Seasonal cooking and a warm, friendly service make it a useful dinner stop; the filetto al lardo di colonnata e prugne is beef cooked with bacon and prunes. Average main €20; Via Maffei 2, Cortona; phone 0575/630556.Closed Wednesday and for two weeks in November.

Sleeping in Cortona

• ✦Il Falconiere - a sumptuous country stay in an 18th-century villa, with rooms and suites in the main building plus more secluded private suites and villas at the far end of the property. It sits in the valley beneath Cortona and combines an attractive setting with polished but relaxed service. A car is essential, some rooms in the main villa can be noisy and the property may feel too isolated for some travelers. Località San Martino 370, 3 km north of Cortona; phone 0575/612679; 33 rooms; rooms from €520; free breakfast. Closed November through January.

Assisi

Assisi is one of the Christian world's most important pilgrimage towns and the home of the Basilica di San Francesco, built to honor Saint Francis and begun soon after his death. The medieval town rises dramatically from the flat Umbrian plain and is crowned by a medieval castle. Its calm streets can feel far removed from Italy's larger cities, even though several million pilgrims and visitors arrive each year.

Getting to Assisi by train and road

Assisi lies on the Terontola-Foligno rail line. Trains run almost hourly to Perugia, with direct services to Rome and Florence several times a day. The Stazione Centrale is 4 km from the walled town, and a bus runs approximately every half hour between the station and the town. By car, approach from the A1/E35 Rome-Florence autostrada and then use the SS75.

Parking and minibuses

Ordinary traffic is not allowed inside the walled town. Leave the car at Porta San Pietro, near Porta Nuova or beneath Piazza Matteotti. Before returning to the car, pay at the parking cassa, then insert the ticket you receive into the exit machine. The walk into the center is short but can be steep. Frequent minibuses make the climb easier; tickets are sold at a newsstand or tobacco shop near the parking areas.

Assisi's medieval setting and timing

Assisi retained an unusually pristine medieval appearance in part because it was relatively neglected from the 16th century until the 1926 celebration of the 700th anniversary of Saint Francis's death. That event brought more than two million visitors, and pilgrimage has continued on a much larger scale since then. The town is busiest during the daytime arrival of groups. Early morning and evening are the best periods for its quieter streets, basilica views and unhurried walks.

Basilica di San Francesco

• ✦Basilica di San Francesco - the complex is two churches rather than one: a Gothic Upper Church and a Romanesque Lower Church. Work began in 1228, and both levels are covered with major frescoes. The Lower Basilica is dim and atmospheric, with candlelit shadows; the Upper Basilica is bright and airy. Giotto's frescoes in the Upper Church were painted when he was still in his twenties and show his pivotal role in the development of Western painting. The Lower Church includes works by the Sienese painters Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti, as well as frescoes by Giotto or his assistants. Piazza di San Francesco, Assisi; phone 075/8190084; admission free.

Basilica di Santa Chiara

• ✦Basilica di Santa Chiara - the broad piazza in front of the red-and-white-striped facade frames a panoramic view over the Umbrian plain. The church is dedicated to Saint Clare, one of Saint Francis's earliest and most committed followers and the founder of the Poor Clares. Clare's body is kept here, and the Cappella del Crocifisso contains the cross associated with Saint Francis. A veiled Poor Clares nun is usually stationed before the cross in prayer. Piazza Santa Chiara, Assisi; phone 075/812216; admission free.

Cattedrale di San Rufino and its museum

• ✦Cattedrale di San Rufino - Saint Francis and Saint Clare were baptized here, and the church was Assisi's principal church until the 12th century. The baptismal font has been redecorated, but visitors can still see the crypt of Saint Rufino, the bishop who brought Christianity to Assisi, and climb the bell tower. Admission to the crypt includes the small Museo della Cattedrale, with detached frescoes and artifacts. Piazza San Rufino, Assisi; phone 075/812712.The church is free; the crypt and museum cost €4, the bell tower and museum €5, and the bell tower alone €2. The museum is closed Wednesday.

Eremo delle Carceri

• ✦Eremo delle Carceri - about 4 km east of Assisi, this monastery stands in dense woodland against Monte Subasio. Saint Francis and his followers came here to withdraw into prayer. It is the Assisi site that has remained most essentially unchanged since his time. The walk from town is pleasant, and trails continue across the wooded slopes of Monte Subasio. Via Eremo delle Carceri 38, Assisi; phone 075/812301; donations accepted.

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

• ✦Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - the classical facade belongs to a structure dating from the time of Emperor Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14. It was first dedicated to Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, then served as a monastery and prison before becoming a church in the 16th century. The interior was transformed in the Baroque period, so it is deliberately different from the facade outside. Piazza del Comune 14, Assisi; phone 075/812361; admission free.

Eating in Assisi

• ✦Buca di San Francesco - a busy central restaurant with a green garden for summer meals and low brick-vaulted cellars for winter. The signature dish is homemade spaghetti alla buca with roasted mushroom sauce. Average main €16; Via Eugenio Brizi 1, Assisi; phone 075/812204.Closed Monday and for ten days in late July.
• ✦Osteria Piazzetta dell'Erba - inventive Italian cooking adds unusual touches to local ingredients, including porcini risotto with blue cheese and blueberries. The menu also has salads, unusual for an Umbrian restaurant, sushi options and distinctive desserts. Average main €22; Via San Gabriele dell'Addolorata 15/b, Assisi; phone 075/815352.Closed Monday and for a few weeks in January or February.
• ✦Ristorante Bar San Francesco - its covered terrace looks directly toward the Basilica di San Francesco. The menu changes with the seasons and uses Umbrian dishes flavored with locally grown herbs, alongside a good selection of pasta, main courses, appetizers and desserts. Average main €23; Via di San Francesco 52, Assisi; phone 075/812329.No regular closure is specified in the listing, so verify the current schedule.
• ✦Trattoria Pallotta Assisi - a homey family trattoria with a fireplace and stone walls, where the women cook and the men serve. Try the strangozzi alla pallotta, thick spaghetti with a pesto of olives and mushrooms, or the meat dishes that include pigeon and rabbit. The connected inn has eight rooms, some with views across the rooftops. Average main €22; Vicolo della Volta Pinta 3, Assisi; phone 075/8155273.Closed Tuesday.

Hotels, hostels and reservations

Reserve Assisi accommodation well in advance between Easter and October and over Christmas. Late arrivals may have to stay in the modern town of Santa Maria degli Angeli, 8 km away. If you arrive without a room, restaurants may know of rooms to rent. Pilgrim hostels, often called conventi or ostelli, are run by convents, churches or Catholic organizations and offer a simple, peaceful and economical alternative to a conventional hotel. Rooms are usually spartan.

• ✦Borgo Castello Panicaglia - a small rustic-chic hotel between Assisi and Gubbio in a historical building dating from 1266, modernized inside. It is a relaxing base for the Umbrian countryside, with a family-friendly atmosphere and inventive meals, but there is no spa and the rural location means a car is needed. Località Panicaglia, Nocera, 24 km northeast of Assisi; phone 0742/81663; 17 rooms; rooms from €295; free breakfast.
• ✦Hotel Umbra - a central 16th-century town house near Piazza del Comune. Upper-floor rooms look over Assisi's rooftops toward the valley, and a vine-covered terrace and small garden add outdoor space. Parking is difficult, some rooms are small and breakfast is simple. Via degli Archi 6, Assisi; phone 075/812240; 24 rooms; rooms from €125; free breakfast. Closed November through late March.
• ✦Nun Assisi Relais & Spa Museum - a monastery built in 1275, within walking distance of Assisi's shops and restaurants, converted into a contemporary high-end hotel with an excellent restaurant. Its spa is carved into 2,000-year-old Roman baths. On-site parking costs extra, and split-level rooms with stairs may be difficult for travelers with mobility issues. Via Eremo delle Carceri 1A, Assisi; phone 075/8155150; 18 rooms; rooms from €664; free breakfast.

Practical notes for the route

Countryside stays and reservations

Across central Italy, rural accommodation often means a converted private home, working farm or vineyard, known as an agriturismo. Town hotels are more common in the larger centers, while country properties can be first-class stays and are worth the distance when you have a car. Reserve before travelling rather than hoping to find an out-of-the-way room at the end of the day; a local tourist office may be able to help if you arrive without a booking.

Choose the right transport

Rail is the stronger choice for Assisi because the town sits on a line with frequent connections to Perugia and direct trains to Rome and Florence. Cortona is possible by train, but its station is in the valley and requires another bus or a taxi. A car is more useful for Cortona's countryside and for rural accommodation around either region, while the historic centers themselves are easier on foot once you have parked outside them.

Reserve the time-sensitive stops

In spring and fall, warm days and cool nights make it easier to walk and combine art with the countryside. July and August bring the highest demand, heat and mosquitoes, so begin with the major sights and leave the hottest hours for lunch or rest. From November through March, rain and occasional snow are possible, and many hotels and restaurants outside the cities close. Check the Museo Diocesano's winter calendar, Il Falconiere's seasonal closure, Hotel Umbra's winter closure and each restaurant's weekly closing day before you set the route.

Eat according to the Italian meal structure

A traditional central Italian meal is arranged as antipasto, primo, secondo, contorno and dolce. You do not need all five courses, but ordering at least two usually gives a more complete meal than ordering a main course alone, since the side dish may be separate. In Assisi, looking a few streets away from the main sights can lead to better-value local cooking. Use the local dishes as a guide: Cortona's Osteria del Teatro highlights seasonal Tuscan cooking, while Assisi's restaurants lean into Umbrian herbs, mushrooms, pasta and meat.