337 Best Sights in Italy

This church is located high above town, reachable by walking up the zigzagging road along the Strada Provinciale 147, or the signposted path at Via Libertá 87, by the candy store. Once you get up the steep hill (and it will be a bit of a workout), you can admire the breathtaking views along the coast; you can even see the peak of the Madonie above Palermo in the distance. The church itself houses the statue of the town's patron saint, the Madonna Maria Santissima, taken in a procession around the streets as part of feast day celebrations in October. 

Stop at the San Pellegrino in Alpe monastery en route from Abetone to Castelnuovo di Garfagnana to see the staggering view and the large wooden cross. The story goes that a 9th-century Scot, Pellegrino ("Little Pilgrim") by name, came to this spot to repent.

The unusual element at this church is an archaeological site where five layers of Luccan history were revealed when it was discovered in 1969. Paths and catwalks suspended above the delicate sites in the grottoes under the church enable you to wander from one era to another—from the 2nd-century-BC site of a Roman temple through the 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th centuries. After leaving the underground sights, the 12th-century church feels almost modern.

Frescoes here are some of the oldest in the German-speaking world, dating from the 8th century. A small, modern museum offers multimedia installations (in Italian or German only) presenting four epochs in the region's history: ancient, medieval, Gothic, and the era of the Great Plague of 1636 (which claimed a quarter of Naturno's population, some of whom are buried in the church's cemetery). There are leaflets and other information in English on request.

The Malatesta family constructed the Tempio Malatestiano, also called the Basilica Cattedrale, with a masterful facade by Leon Battista Alberti (1404–72). Inside, the chapel to the right of the high altar contains a wonderful (if faded) fresco by Piero della Francesca (1420–92) depicting Sigismondo Malatesta kneeling before a saint. The two greyhounds in the right corner are significantly less faded than the rest.

Standing high above the Spanish Steps, this 16th-century church has a rare double-tower facade, suggestive of late–French Gothic style; in fact, the French crown paid for the church's construction. Today, it is known primarily for its dramatic location and magnificent views. The obelisk in front is from the 2nd or 3rd century AD and was originally a centerpiece to an imperial villa.

Visit this church, said to have been built in 1141, to see two medieval treasures: an 11th-century Romanesque crucifix and an elaborate 15th-century wooden altar, carved by Michael Pacher and a masterpiece of the Gothic style.