Eremo delle Carceri
Eremo delle Carceri features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Assisi & Umbria. Give it roughly ~60 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type religious
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Assisi & Umbria Assisi & Umbria guide
About Eremo delle Carceri
The Eremo delle Carceri, a hermitage in a wooded gorge on Monte Subasio about four kilometres above Assisi, where St Francis and his first companions withdrew to pray in caves.
Francis and his companions came to pray in the caves here from the early thirteenth century. Around 1400, Saint Bernardino of Siena built a small friary and church. The name comes from the Latin for secluded places, not prisons.
Entry is free. It is a place of prayer, so keep quiet. The grotto of Francis opens later in winter, and some rooms close at midday. There is little parking and no regular public bus; the walk up from Assisi takes about an hour.
Did you know? The name Eremo delle Carceri does not mean prisons: carceri comes from an old Latin word for secluded, solitary places, like the caves where Francis prayed.
How long is a visit to Eremo delle Carceri?
Set aside roughly ~60 min for Eremo delle Carceri. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Eremo delle Carceri worth your time?
Eremo delle Carceri is among the 13 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Assisi & Umbria, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Assisi & Umbria
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Eremo delle Carceri and read more:
Day 2 of the Assisi & Umbria in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Eremo delle Carceri
Preview the Assisi & Umbria tour free in the Gingerguide app.