Churches and cathedrals
Anagni, the frescoed crypt that rivals a "Sistine Chapel"
In Anagni, the Romanesque cathedral and the crypt of San Magno hold some of the finest cycles of medieval frescoes in Italy.
Jun 21, 2026Elena Marchetti
Borghi, arte e storia minore
Si occupa di borghi, centri storici, chiese e siti archeologici: paesi sotto i mille abitanti e architetture fuori dalle guide turistiche ufficiali.
Guides by Elena Marchetti.
Archaeological sites
Egnazia, the ruins on the Adriatic between Messapians, Romans and Byzantines
Among olive trees and the Adriatic, in Apulia, the ruins of Egnazia: a silent archaeological site where you can walk among Messapians, Romans and Byzantines.
Jun 21, 2026
Churches and cathedrals
The Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages: Sant'Angelo in Formis
At the foot of Monte Tifata, the basilica of Sant'Angelo in Formis holds one of the most complete cycles of medieval frescoes in Italy.
Jun 21, 2026
City corners
Catacombs of San Gennaro: the Naples carved into the tufa of the Rione Sanità
Beneath the Rione Sanità, the Catacombs of San Gennaro reveal early Christian frescoes and tombs in the tufa: the oldest underground Naples.
Jun 21, 2026
Churches and cathedrals
San Giorgio di Valpolicella: the stone parish church that overlooks the vineyards
Set among the hills where Amarone is born, San Giorgio di Valpolicella is one of the oldest Romanesque parish churches in the Verona area, with a cloister and views over the vineyards.
Jun 21, 2026
Abbeys, hermitages and sanctuaries
San Pietro al Monte: the abbey you earn on foot
Above Civate, after a climb through the woods, the Romanesque abbey of San Pietro al Monte rewards those who reach it with frescoes and quiet.
Jun 21, 2026
Archaeological sites
Butrint, the city of stone sleeping among Albania's waters
Between a lagoon and a channel in southern Albania, the layered ruins of Butrint hold millennia of history in a rare stillness.
Jun 21, 2026
Abbeys, hermitages and sanctuaries
Vardzia, the cave monastery carved into the Georgian rock
In southern Georgia, Vardzia is a medieval monastery carved into the tufa, with hundreds of caves clinging to the mountainside.
Jun 21, 2026
Churches and cathedrals
Urnes, thousand-year-old carvings in the stave church above the Sognefjord
Overlooking a remote arm of the Sognefjord, Urnes is Norway's oldest wooden church and guards thousand-year-old carvings.
Jun 21, 2026