New Year's Eve in Assisi 2027: the square, the basilicas and a relaxing place to stay

What is New Year's Eve like in Piazza del Comune?

In recent years the 31 December party has been held in Piazza del Comune, the heart of the medieval town, between the Temple of Minerva and the Torre del Popolo. To welcome 2026 the programme featured live music from the Antonio Ballarano Band, with DJ sets to open and close the night, from 10 pm to 3 am. The programme for 2027 has not been published yet: performers and times may change.

No fireworks in the centre

In both 2024 and 2025 the town council issued an ordinance banning fireworks, firecrackers and bangers in the historic centre on New Year's Eve: in 2025 from 8 pm on 31 December to 8 am on 1 January, in the areas around Piazza del Comune, together with a ban on selling drinks in glass bottles and cans. The reasons included public safety, protecting the town's heritage and peace and quiet for residents and animals. If you travel with small children or a dog, it makes a difference.

For the party, in 2025 the local police changed the traffic arrangements in the historic centre, much of which is a limited traffic zone (ZTL) anyway: it's best to leave the car in one of the car parks listed by the town and walk up. From La Mora, Piazza del Comune is 6.8 km away, about 14 minutes by car according to Google Maps.

A different New Year: the Te Deum and vigils in the basilicas

Assisi is also a place to end the year in reflection. On 31 December, in the Lower Basilica of St. Francis, the friars of the Sacro Convento celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving with the singing of the Te Deum: at 5 pm in both 2024 and 2025. In 2024, at 11 pm, the basilica also hosted the New Year's vigil of the Centro Francescano Giovani, the friars' youth centre.

In Santa Maria degli Angeli, 2.1 km from La Mora, the Basilica of the Porziuncola has its own programme. On 31 December 2025 it included a gathering for young people at 6 pm, “Capodanno alla Porziuncola”, First Vespers with the Te Deum at 7:15 pm and the end-of-year Mass at 11:30 pm. On 1 January, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and World Day of Peace, the solemn Mass was at 11:30 am.

Times change from year to year: the 2026 ones are published on the websites of the Basilica of St. Francis and of the Franciscan friars of the Porziuncola, linked at the end of this article.

What to do on 1 and 2 January around Assisi?

Living nativity scenes

In Petrignano di Assisi, the living nativity scene — presented by its organisers as the oldest in Umbria — was open on 1 January in its 2025/26 edition (the 43rd), from 5:15 pm to 7:30 pm, as well as on 25, 26 and 28 December and 4 January, with the Epiphany parade on the 6th. In Armenzano, a small mountain village within the municipality of Assisi, the living nativity has in the past been held on 26 December and on 1 and 3 January in the afternoon, with the village lit only by torches and small fires. The 2026/27 dates have not been published yet: check them before you go.

Perugia and Spello for half a day

Perugia is 21.0 km away, about 23 minutes: in its 2025/26 edition, Christmas in the city lasted until 6 January, with lights and art installations in the historic centre and the Christmas market along Corso Vannucci. We cover it in our guide to Umbria's Christmas markets. Spello, 15.1 km away (about 18 minutes), is a pink-stone village overlooking the valley, perfect for an unhurried walk on the first day of the year.

In previous years the Christmas programme in Assisi has also included concerts: dates and venues are announced with the town's official calendar.

Where to stay for New Year's Eve near Assisi?

Agriturismo La Mora is at Via Fonte Citerna 7, in the countryside outside Assisi: five independent apartments with a fully equipped kitchen, sleeping 4 to 8, and free parking on site, away from the ZTL in the centre. After the party in the square or the end-of-year Mass, you are back in a few minutes in an apartment all to yourselves, and on 1 January you wake up in the Umbrian countryside.

Travelling with children? The playground is always open, under adult supervision, a cot is available on request (€15 per stay) and there are age-based reductions for children: you'll find them on our Family holidays page. Bringing your dog? Gemelli and Sagittario, the two pet-friendly apartments on the ground floor with a private garden, welcome dogs for a supplement of €25 per stay: all the details are on our Holidays with pets page.