1473 Best Sights in Italy

This church was built on the spot where tradition says Christ appeared to St. Peter as the apostle was fleeing Rome and persuaded him to return and face martyrdom. A paving stone in the church bears an imprint said to have been made by the feet of Christ.

It is more than worth the short detour from the lively Ballarò Market to step into the serene Baroque perfection of the "Church of Jesus." The ornate church was built by the Jesuits not long after their arrival in Palermo in the late 16th century, and was constructed at the site of their religious seat in the city, so the church is also sometimes known as Casa Professa (motherhouse). The interior is almost completely covered with intricate marble bas-reliefs and elaborate black, tangerine, and cream stonework. The splendid church was severely damaged in World War II, but careful restoration has returned it to its shiny, swirling glory.

With an overall design by Vignola and a facade and dome by Della Porta, the first Jesuit church in Rome influenced the city’s ecclesiastical architecture for more than a century. Consecrated in 1584—after the Council of Trent (1545–63) solidified the determination of the Roman Catholic Church to push back against northern Europe's Reformed Protestants—Il Gesù also became the prototype for Counter-Reformation churches throughout not only Italy but also Europe and the Americas.

Although low lighting underplays the brilliance of everything, the inside of the church drips with gold and lapis lazuli, gold and precious marbles, and gold and more gold. The interior was initially left plain to the point of austerity; when it was finally fully embellished 100 years later, no expense was spared to inspire believers with pomp and majesty. The most striking element is the ceiling, where frescoes swirl down from on high and merge with painted stucco figures at the base. The artist Baciccia achieved extraordinary effects, especially over the nave in the Triumph of the Holy Name of Jesus. Here, the figures representing evil who are being cast out of heaven seem to hurtle down onto the observer.

The founder of the Jesuit order himself is buried in the Chapel of St. Ignatius, in the left-hand transept. This is surely one of the most sumptuous altars in Rome, though as is typical of Baroque decoration, which is renowned for its illusions, the enormous globe of lapis lazuli that crowns the altar is really only a shell of lapis over a stucco base. Note, too, architect Carlo Fontana’s heavy bronze altar rail, which is in keeping with the surrounding opulence.

The second-largest church in Caccamo, the Chiesa dell'Annunziata holds just as much precious artwork as the main cathedral and dates back to the 1700s. The frescoes in the presbytery are by Gianbecchina, while stunning stucco wall decorations are by the famous Sicilian master Giacomo Serpotta and the front altar's design of the Annunciation is by the Flemish, largely Naples-based artist Guglielmo Borremans.

Located right in front of the main square at the heart of Caccamo, the patched-up but picturesque Chiesa dell'Oratorio is one in a series of splendid Baroque monuments in the center of the city. Together with the Chiesa dell'Oratorio, the palace of Monte di Pietà, and the church of the Anime Sante del Purgatorio, it makes up the historic heart of the city's art and culture. The square is used as a majestic open-air stage for events and concerts, and what better backdrop than these splendid examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture.

Yet another beautiful historic church in Castelbuono that is well worth visiting, even for only a moment, Chiesa della Natività di Maria---also known as Madrice Nuova---was constructed in the years straddling the 16th and 17th centuries and rebuilt in the 1830s after substantial earthquake damage. It is characterized by typical Sicilian limestone stonework and an elegant bell tower. Inside it is filled with various reliquaries, gorgeous intarsia work, pious pieces of art, statuary by Filippo Quattroochi (1738--1813), and two 18th-century organs.  

Unwanted babies were left on the steps of this religious institute, founded by a Franciscan friar in 1346. The adjoining orphanage provided the children with a musical education. The quality of the performances here reached continental fame—the in-house conductor was none other than Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), who wrote some of his best compositions here for the hospice. The present church was designed in the 18th century by Giorgio Massari, but the facade was completed only in the early 20th century. The main reason for a visit is to view the magnificent ceiling fresco by Gianbattista Tiepolo. In a room to the left of the entrance is a tiny collection of baroque instruments, including the violin played by Vivaldi. There are guided tours Tuesday through Sunday.

The fabulously voluptuous facade makes a stunning contrast with the limestone cliffs soaring above the edge of the town's historic center. A dizzying fusion of the Baroque and rococo lies behind the lace grate doors of this single-nave church; your eyes eventually lead to the central altarpiece painting, Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew (1779) by Francesco Pasucci. Most enchanting is the Neapolitan wooden nativity scene conceived in the 16th century and remodeled by Pietro Padula (1773–76).

As is usually the case in Sicily, this church is one of the best places in town to see some incredible art. The Chiesa di San Benedetto is decorated with an elaborate and remarkably well-preserved majolica ceramic floor designed and crafted by 18th-century Palermo artist Nicolò Sarana. The decorative gold-highlighted stucco wall decorations make the church glow in the sunlight.

The tiny village of Lamole contains this Romanesque church, which was greatly modified in 1860; the only remnant of its earlier incarnation can be found in its simple facade. Inside is a 14th-century altarpiece, as well as a curious side chapel on the right that is decorated with rather garish 20th-century religious works. From Greve in Chianti, drive south on SR222 for about 1 km (½ mile); take a left and follow signs for Lamole. It's about 10 km (6 miles) southeast of Greve.

This impressive deconsecrated 17th-century church occupies an entire block of the main street in the medieval quarter and sits beside the Collegio dei Gesuiti, which now houses the Biblioteca Comunale, the town's library, and its civic collections. These include the Civico Museo Archeologico, an archaeological museum with exhibits telling the history and significance of the Abete delle Madonie, an endangered fir tree species; and the Museo del Giocattolo Antico, with poignant displays of antique toys. The church itself is in the standard Greek cross structure. It is filled with marble vaults that host the statues of various saints and is decorated with floral embellishments typical of the extravagant Sicilian Baroque style. Government funding was secured in 2023 to begin extensive restoration of the building. 

Scicli is a city of honey-hued churches, all built after the devastating earthquake in 1693. The church of San Matteo is abandoned, but it’s well worth climbing the shallow stairs up the steep hillside to take in the panoramic views of Scicli’s old town from the terrace in front of the church. It's especially magical at sunset. If you're feeling adventurous, the tranquil but tricky paths around San Matteo and the caves of the Quarterie Chiafura are scattered with picturesque ruins among wild meadows. Take care, though, as you approach the sadly decaying Chiesa di Santo Spirito, completed in 1747 on top of an earlier earthquake-smashed church.  

Next to the Museo Civico Archeologico, you’ll find this little gem of a church, constructed starting in 1503 and decorated almost completely with magnificent 16th-century frescoes. The modest exterior belies the treasures inside, including a concealed back room once used by nuns that includes a fascinating fresco of Noah loading the ark with animals, including two unicorns.

Tiny, cypress-lined San Michele is home to the first church designed by Mauro Codussi and the first example of Renaissance architecture in Venice; the gracefully elegant structure shows the profound influence of Florentine architects Alberti and Rossellino that would come to full fruition in Codussi's palaces on the Canale Grande. The church's dedication to St. Michael is singularly appropriate, since traditionally he holds the scales of the Last Judgment.

Next to the church is the somewhat later hexagonal Capella Emiliani (1528–1543), whose strangely shaped dome recalls those of Etruscan tombs.

Built in the 13th century, this church was renovated at the end of the 15th century, the beginning of the 18th century (perhaps due to damage from an earthquake), and most recently in 1981. From the Middle Ages up through the 19th century, it offered a final resting place to common citizens of Savoca. It's also known as the Chiesa di Santa Lucia, because of the silver statue of St. Lucia it houses, in addition to other sculptures and paintings from the nearby 15th-century church of St. Lucia that collapsed in a landslide in 1880. In popular culture, it's best known as the church where Michael Corleone wed Apollonia in The Godfather.

The 14th-century Gothic cathedral, with a crenellated facade and an ornate campanile, sits in the heart of the old town. The Capella di Santa Barbara, just behind the Duomo, is an octagonal church containing a 15th-century pietà.  Mass is held in German only.

This small church dedicated to St. Peter (the patron saint of Panarea) was erected in 1881 by the island's inhabitants and took 42 years to complete. Meander the narrow streets uphill to arrive at the pale yellow church, and the first thing you'll notice is the breathtaking panoramic view from the stone terrace at the sea-facing entrance. Inside, a portrait of the saint hangs above the high altar and the small wooden pews offer respite for quiet reflection—and a break from the heat. On June 28--29, they celebrate the Festival of St. Peter, marked by a processional through the town and traditional dances and songs.

Visit this 15th-century church to view the excellent stained-glass window in the apse, executed by Sebastiano Mainardi (circa 1460–1513), as well as a haunting Pietà created by local artist Zacchia Zacchi (1473–1544).

Situated next to the castle in the upper part of town, this church was completely rebuilt in the 19th century. In the small chapel to the right of the nave is an Annunciation attributed to Michele di Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio (1503–77).

Towering over La Piazzetta, with a dome that is more sculpted than constructed and with cupolettas that seem molded from frozen zabaglione, Capri's mother church is a prime example of l'architettura baroccheggiante—the term historians use to describe Capri's fanciful form of Baroque architecture. Often using vaulting and molded buttresses (because there was little wood to be found on such a scrubby island to support the ceilings), Capri's architects became sculptors when they adapted Moorish and Grecian styles into their own "homemade" architecture. Sometimes known unglamorously as the ex-cathedral, the church was built in 1685 by Marziale Desiderio of Amalfi on the site of a Benedictine convent (founded in the 6th century), whose sole relic is the clock tower campanile across the Piazzetta. As in so many churches in southern Italy, there has been a good deal of recycling of ancient building materials: the flooring of the high altar was laid with polychrome marble from Villa Jovis, while the marble in the Cappella del Sacramento was removed from the Roman villa of Tragara. Inside the sacristy are some of the church treasures, including an 18th-century large silver bust of San Costanzo, the patron saint of Capri, whose holy day is celebrated every May 14.

Founded in the 17th century by the Jesuits, Scicli's "mother church" was rebuilt following the 1693 earthquake. Housing the remains of the town's patron saint, Guglielmo the Hermit, a side chapel also hosts the life-size papier-mâché statue of the Madonna su cavallo (on a horse), also known as the Madonna delle Milizie. She is paraded through the streets on the last Saturday in May to celebrate her feast day.

Like most small towns in Sicily, Mistretta's best artwork can be found in its local churches, and the town's "Mother Church" has an array of treasures passed down through the centuries. Its facade is made from the characteristic golden limestone of Sicily with elegant Romanesque arches and columns. Inside, everything from the floor to the decorative altar is made of precious marble, which comes from the nearby town of San Marco D'Alunzio, which has supplied marble for churches all over Messina province since the Middle Ages. The rose-colored pink marble in particular was quite rare and the most expensive and luxurious decoration used in churches to show off a town's prosperity.

In the Middle Ages, Petralia Sottana was under the dominion of the Ventimiglia family, whose immense wealth left behind many stunning public works and buildings in the town. The concentration of this architecture is focused in and around the central square of Piazza Umberto I, which is dominated by this 16th-century parish church, an impressive cathedral dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption. The interior is filled with sculptures from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, including details from Antonello Gangini, a famed Sicilian sculptor who decorated many important churches with his artwork.

On the town's Piazza Duomo, you'll find the parish church of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. The church's dominating structure is in the Catalonian Gothic style, with 12 elaborate columns representing the apostles and two bell towers, one Norman and one from the 18th century. The interior is relatively simple, with notable works including an intricately carved, life-size wooden crucifix by local monk Frate Umile da Petralia (1600--1639) and and the Madonie's largest organ, which dates from 1780. Petralia Soprana's most venerated pious objects, the multicolored wooden statues of the apostles Pietro and Paolo (1767) are paraded through the streets on the saint's feast day, June 29.

Castelbuono's main cathedral, located on the central square of Piazza Margherita, was originally established in 1362; the current church is an elegant Romanesque structure dating to the 16th century that is filled with religious art and paintings. The Gothic Catalan bell tower reflects a similar Andalusian style to Palermo's Duomo and is a prominent feature of the town's landscape. A painted altarpiece, with intricate wooden carved details and portraits of various saints, dominates the church interior. The images on the polyptych are from the 1500s, created by Antonio di Saliba, the nephew of the famous early Renaissance Sicilian master Antonello da Messina.

Dedicated to Cetara's patron saint, the church of San Pietro Apostolo has its origins in 988, its vibrant majolica-tiled cupola soaring over Neoclassical exteriors visible all around Cetara. Set in the Borgo Marinaro fishing quarter and suitably dedicated to the protector of fisherman, the church's bronze doors (inaugurated in 2005) by Battisto Marello (1948–) depict the saint with keys to the Kingdom of Heaven beside brother Sant'Andrea holding fishing nets and writhing fish. See if you can spot Christ overseeing all in the background. Popping into focus among the late Baroque interiors of marble work, statuary, and painting is a wonderful stained glass window added in 1993. Center stage again are the fraternal apostles amid a Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Cetara skyline, sheep, and busy fishing folk.

This colorful, multi-onion-domed Russian Orthodox church testifies to a long Russian presence on the Italian Riviera. Russian empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Czar Alexander I, built a summerhouse here, and in winter San Remo was a popular destination for other royal Romanovs. The church was consecrated in 1913.

In the heart of Anacapri, the octagonal Baroque church of San Michele, finished in 1719, is best known for its exquisite majolica floor designed by Solimena and executed by the mastro-riggiolaro (master tiler) Chiaiese from Abruzzo. A walkway skirts the depiction of Adam and a duly contrite Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden, but you can get a fine overview from the organ loft, reached by a spiral staircase near the ticket booth.

The ivy-covered remains of this fabled medieval house—just a very small portion of it—stand in the gardens below the Porta Soprana. A small collection of objects and reproductions relating to the life and travels of Columbus are on display inside. Just outside the house, take a minute to admire the charming remains of the chiostro di Sant'Andrea, a medieval cloister dating from the 13th century.

Often overlooked, this small, peaceful 16th-century cloister was frescoed in grisaille by Andrea del Sarto (1486–1530) and Franciabigio with scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist, Florence's patron saint. Note that temporary closures are a possibility at this site, so check on accessibility before visiting.