Assisi and Orvieto from Rome: UNESCO sites and frescoes

Two UNESCO hilltop towns in one day: frescoes, stone walls and a 53-meter cathedral facade

A full-day guided tour from Rome to Assisi and Orvieto in Umbria, with hotel pickup, a professional guide for two hours in Assisi, and entry to both the Basilica of St. Francis and Orvieto Cathedral. The tour includes a headset in the basilica and a minivan transfer between sites. Lunch is on your own at a local restaurant. You choose between a private tour or a shared small group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels30m
2. Basilica of St. Clare15m
3. Basilica of St. Francis1h · entry included
4. Orvieto Cathedral30m · entry included

Day tour to Assisi and Orvieto

• Depart from Rome hotel
• Visit Basilica of St. Francis
• Visit Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
• Visit Basilica of St. Clare
• See Pinacoteca Comunale di Assisi
• Free time for lunch and shopping
• Visit Orvieto Cathedral
• Explore Orvieto city center
• Return to Rome

The experience

The minivan picks you up from your hotel in Rome and drives into Umbria, a region of vineyards and olive groves dotted with ancient hilltop villages. Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits on the green slopes of Mount Subasio surrounded by stone walls and narrow streets lined with flowering balconies. A professional guide meets you there and spends two hours walking you through the Basilica of St. Francis, where early Renaissance frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue cover the walls. You'll wear a headset so you hear clearly over the other visitors. The basilica also contains the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built around the Porziuncola chapel where St. Francis died in 1226.

After the guided portion, you have free time to explore Assisi on your own: walk the narrow streets, visit the Basilica of St. Clare (built between 1257 and 1265 around the ancient church of San Giorgio), browse the Pinacoteca Comunale with its medieval and Renaissance frescoes, or eat lunch at a typical local restaurant. An hour is set aside for this, then the group reconvenes for the drive to Orvieto.

Orvieto's Cathedral dominates the town from a cliff: a Gothic masterpiece with a facade 53 meters high, covered in stained glass, mosaics and sculptures. Inside, the walls hold frescoes including Luca Signorelli's Giudizio Universale (Last Judgment), one of the most famous works of the period. You explore the cathedral and the city center, which sits on Etruscan foundations dating back to the 9th century BC. The minivan then returns you to your Rome hotel, arriving after a full day out.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Rome in an air-conditioned minivan.
• a professional guide in Assisi for two hours (available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian or another language of your choice).
• entry to the Basilica of St. Francis with a headset.
• entry to Orvieto Cathedral.
• and free time to explore both towns and eat lunch at a local restaurant.

Options for this experience

2 options

Shared Small GroupGuide in 5 languages · 07:00Small group tour with a maximum of 6 people per minivan and up to 12 people including the guide in Assisi. Duration: 10 hours, though timing may vary depending on traffic. Van holds a maximum of 6 or 7 people. Pickup is included.

Private Tour OptionGuide in 5 languages · 07:00Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (9 to 90 years) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 24

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Welcome Italy

Is this one for you?Choose the private tour if you want the day at your own pace without other travelers. Choose the shared small group if you prefer to split the cost and meet other visitors. Either way, the guide and all entries are arranged, so you spend the day looking at frescoes and stone walls instead of figuring out which basilica to enter first.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4).

What's inside the Basilica of St. Francis that makes it worth the visit?

The Basilica of St. Francis holds early Renaissance frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue covering the interior walls, and it encloses the Porziuncola, the small chapel where St. Francis died in 1226 and where pilgrims have come for centuries to receive the "Pardon of Assisi."

Do I need to arrange my own lunch, or is it included?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You have about an hour of free time in Assisi to eat at a typical local restaurant on your own, or you can skip lunch and use the time to explore the town.

What's the difference between the private tour and the shared small group option?

The private tour is just your group. The shared small group tour combines you with other travelers. Both include the same guide, sites, transfers and inclusions. The choice is whether you travel alone or with others.

How long is the drive from Rome, and what kind of vehicle is used?

The full tour runs about 10 hours from pickup to drop-off. You travel in an air-conditioned minivan provided by Welcome Italy, which also handles the transfer between Assisi and Orvieto.

What makes Orvieto Cathedral special compared to other Italian churches?

Orvieto Cathedral is one of the most celebrated Gothic buildings in central Italy, known for its 53-meter-high facade with stained glass and mosaics, and for the interior frescoes including Luca Signorelli's Giudizio Universale, one of the Renaissance's most important works.

Is there a guide in Orvieto, or do I explore it on my own?

The professional guide leads you through Assisi for two hours. In Orvieto, you explore the cathedral and city center on your own, with time to walk the streets and take in the views from the cliff.