Things to do in  Ascoli Piceno

Named after Saint Francis of Assisi to commemorate the saint’s 1215 visit to the city, the somber Chiesa di San Francesco is one of the Ascoli Piceno’s most important historic churches. Sitting along one side of the elegant (and bustling) Piazza del Popolo, this church wows with its imposing exterior architecture and the treasure trove of art inside.

Set at the far end of Ascoli Piceno’s elegant Piazza Arringo, the Cattedrale di Sant’Emidio is one of the city’s largest and most impressive churches. Architecture buffs will appreciate the mix of architectural styles spanning from the 11th to the 15th century, while art lovers can admire the sumptuous interior frescoes, paintings, mosaics, and masterpieces in marble, silver, and wood.

One of Ascoli Piceno’s most important architectural and sacred sites, the Tempietto di Sant’Emidio alle Grotte wows with its ornate Baroque facade fronting a chapel set directly inside a natural cave. Constructed to mark the site where the martyred Saint Emidio—patron saint of Ascoli Piceno—was once buried, today this 18th-century sanctuary is a popular destination for both architecture buffs and religious pilgrims.