Assisi, Italy: Tuscany That Isn’t Tuscany

Basilica Papale e Sacro (The Tomb of Saint Francis): Although part of the main basilica, this is separate and houses the tomb of Saint Francis. This is a must-see chapel. If there is a line, it moves fast.

Basilica superiore di San Francesco d’Assisi: The main church above the Basilica Papale e Sacro. This is the church built to honor Saint Francis—it has beautiful frescoes. Outside, you will find people with their dogs enjoying the large piazza.

Cattedrale di San Rufino: The Cathedral of San Rufino, on the other end of Assisi’s old town, has amazing excavation sites in the church that show parts of the old town that were buried. Pope John Paul II has a memorial in this church, although he is not buried here.

Rocca Maggiore: A fortress that dominated for over 800 years, overlooking Assisi’s old town. It has a small museum in the old hall that exhibits art by different artists depending on the time you visit. There is a wonderful garden with a small bar that sells food items and cold drinks. Take a rest and have an Aperol spritz and enjoy the olive trees.

Old town Assisi: Walk the old town and take in the sights and shops. The old town is a hilltop village with old city walls and amazing architecture. Bring your walking shoes! All the streets are sloped—depending on the direction you are going, it is uphill. Take your time and pop into some of the shops and have a gelato. Parking is limited and located outside the city walls, so park in the new town and take a bus up.

Hilltop villages: Take a day trip or two and visit the other hilltop villages in the area. Montone is a great example of a small medieval village that has retained its city walls and charm. There are four eateries in the whole village, and two of them are Michelin-starred. Gubbio is a larger hilltop town that is known for truffles, amazing views, and a nice museum (Palazzo dei Consoli).

Ristorante La Stalla: A great steak house that grills in the main dining room. The baked potatoes are rumored to be amazing—they ran out by the time we got a table. Reservations are recommended, as the restaurant is very popular with tourists and locals alike.

La Pregiutteria Casa Norcia: An amazing local restaurant in new town Assisi. This restaurant is near the new town church. It specializes in parma ham—it was phenomenal. The tagliatelle al tartufo and the gnocchi al ragu di prosciutto were delicious, and, naturally, the wine was great.

Le Terrazze di Properzio: A great restaurant with spectacular views. The tagliatelle con ragu bianco di coniglio, carciofi e parmigiano 30 (tagliatelle with rabbit sauce, artichokes, and parmigiano cheese) and the Umbricelli alla carbonara di carciofi were both delicious. You must have the carciofi fritti when it’s in season. Like Tuscany, this region is known for its red wines—you can’t go wrong.

Tipico Osteria dei Sensi: Tipico Osteria dei Sensi is one of the Michelin-starred restaurants. Like many small-town Italian restaurants, the owner greeted us and explained the menu. We had gnocchi, pasta with wild asparagus, cheesecake with a caramel and pear sauce, and, naturally, wine. Bellissima!

Le Mandrie: Off-the-beaten-path agriturismo—the food is rustic and amazing. Staff is very welcoming and the locals are friendly. The restaurant raises its own beef and grows its own produce. The veal stew was to-die-for.

Ristorante Bar San Francesco: A busy bar and restaurant near the Basilica superiore di San Francesco. It’s a great place to stop and snack while sipping wine. The people-watching is great.