The Severe Renaissance of Faenza Cathedral

Built in the second half of the 15th century to a design by Giuliano da Maiano but left unfinished with its toothed-brick façade soaring up a high flight of steps; many masterpieces inside.

The Pilotta, the dream of the Farnese family

Home to museums, a beautiful contemporary garden and the magnificent Farnese Theater

Madonna della Steccata in Parma, between renaissance and baroque

A large church of late Renaissance forms holds a masterpiece by Parmigianino

The Chamber of St. Paul in Parma

In the former Monastery of St. Paul discover the art of Correggio and the story of Abbess Giovanna Piacenza

The Baptistery of Parma

Benedetto Antelami's masterpiece straddling the Romanesque and Gothic periods

Diocesan Museum of Parma

The original golden angel crowning the cathedral, statues by Benedetto Antelami and his followers, a beautiful floor mosaic and the capitals of the early medieval cathedral are preserved here.

Parma Cathedral, a triumph of frescoes

Parma Cathedral, a masterpiece of Po Valley Romanesque architecture, inside tells four centuries of history

Vigoleno, a plunge into the Middle Ages

On the slopes of Colle Santo Stefano is the fortified complex of Vigoleno, one of the most fascinating medieval villages in Italy

The castle of Torrechiara, among the most beautiful in Italy

Set on a hill, by vineyards and rich in frescoes, the castle of Torrechiara dominates the Parma valley

The Sanvitale fortress of Fontanellato and its treasures

Beautiful castle with splendid frescoes and many cuiosities, in a delightful medieval village

The palace of Colorno, a small Italian Versailles

Visiting the Ducal Palace of Parma and its beautiful Italian garden

Fontevivo Abbey, a precious Romanesque building in the Parma area

A small country hamlet preserves a splendid abbey, Romanesque the church, with a powerful Madonna by Antelami, neoclassical the cloister, transformed into relais

Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Collegiate Church of San Fiorenzo

Fiorenzuola is not only a tollbooth on the A1 but also a charming town with a splendid Gothic collegiate church full of late 15th-century frescoes, an important stop on the Via Francigena.

Modena Cathedral, poetry carved in stone

A fantastic bestiary, legends and fairy tales are accompanied by stories from the Bible and Gospels

The Abbey of Chiaravalle della Colomba

Beautiful red-brick Cistercian abbey that stands out in the green countryside of Piacenza

In Vigolo Marchese, a Romanesque complex suspended in time

A fascinating ensemble consisting of the church of St. John the Baptist and a three-lobed building that was first a pagan temple and then a baptistery.

The Romanesque complex of Galliano in Cantù

A splendid example of early Romanesque in Lombardy with ancient frescoes

The pontoon bridge over the Ticino River, in Bereguardo

Bereguardo's is one of the few remaining barge bridges in Italy. It has been in existence since 1374, although the wooden boats were replaced in the early 1900s with concrete boats.

The Visconti castle of Bereguardo

A large plain Visconti castle with a square plan, surrounded by a lower wall, intended as a winter residence and hunting lodge. Beautiful entrance from the drawbridge.

The stories of stone, San Donnino in Fidenza

The cathedral of San Donnino, a masterpiece of Benedetto Antelami and a marvel of Romanesque architecture in northern Italy

Brivio, a castle on the river

Fine castle of very ancient origin, remodeled but legible, in a strategic position on the Adda, protecting the crossing. Converted into a spinning mill in the 1800s, today it is used for housing.

The Visconti Castle of Carimate

A romantic Gothic castle dating back to the Visconti family towers in Carimate. Opposite are the finely restored stable buildings. A little further on is the small church of Madonna dell'Albero.

The Visconti Castle of Abbiategrasso

Beautiful exposed brick castle surrounded by trees; it was first owned by the Visconti and then by the Sforza who gave it to their brides. In fact, some of the lords of Milan were born there.

Endine a small lake nature reserve

Small lake in Val Cavallina, with a characteristic emerald color. It has preserved its natural environment almost intact. 14 km of green walk among willows, reeds and small beaches.

Santa Maria Nuova, the Renaissance in Abbiategrasso.

Grandiose and elegant Renaissance basilica, built on an earlier Gothic church and preceded by a beautiful quadriporticus and a very tall pronaos. Rococo interior.

Abbey of Sant'Egidio, Fontanella

The fascinating Romanesque abbey on Mount Canto that was Father Turoldo's final resting place

Gandino, beautiful village in the Orobie

It is nice to get lost in the streets of a compact center, looking for historic palaces, medieval towers and walls, narrow streets, verdant courtyards, and glimpses of the hills that offer beautiful walks.

San Sisto, beautiful Renaissance church in Piacenza

The 18th-century façade conceals a bright early Renaissance interior with beautiful panelled barrel ceiling and frescoed dome. The inlaid chancel is splendid.

Piacenza, the Gothic Palace

Piacenza sports the most beautiful town hall in the Po Valley. It dates from the late 13th century and stands out in the midst of the bustling square with its mighty pillars, Gothic arches and snow-white marble.

The Basilica of Sant'Antonino in Piacenza

The great basilica with the most beautiful bell tower in the city, and the atrium of Paradise

The Basilica of San Savino in Piacenza and its treasures

Discovering a beautiful Romanesque church with beautiful mosaics and a striking crypt

The Romanesque Basilica of St. Euphemia, in Piacenza

Beautiful Romanesque church with spectacular three-arched entrance and extraordinary capitals; on the left, evil, with monstrous beings; on the right, good, with heavenly vegetation. Solemn interior.

The cathedral of Piacenza, from the dome to the crypt

One of the most beautiful medieval buildings in the Po Valley, rich in frescoes and curiosities

Church of St. Mary of the Miracles

In Brescia, a triumph of marble embroidered with dazzling whiteness.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul and Baptistery, in Agliate

Extraordinary complex, among the earliest evidence of Romanesque in Italy

Borghetto sul Mincio, among the most beautiful villages in Italy

Known to all as a romantic hamlet, it recounts a "embattled" past

The Sacred Well of St. Christina

One of the most mysterious and fascinating archaeological sites in Sardinia

Church of San Colombano in Vaprio d'Adda

A forest of stone symbols that seems to leap out of a medieval bestiary

Marne, hamlet of Filago

A small medieval village in the province of Bergamo rises where the Dordo River flows into the Brembo River

Cavernago Castle

Imposing palace on the plains of Bergamo, a short distance from that of Malpaga

Oratory of Saints Nazario and Celso in Garbagnate Monastero

Small but striking Romanesque church built on a Lombard oratory, in sandstone ashlars, with a gabled facade and semicircular apse. Stark and collected interior.

Church of St. Euphemia in Oggiono

Beautiful church in a splendid location on Lake Oggiono, rich in works of art; it has an important 11th-century Romanesque baptistery next to it.

Abbey of Morimondo

Imposing monastery and a delightful hamlet of farmsteads in the Ticino valley

The Town Hall of Clusone

The center of town life, the medieval palace invites a stop to admire its frescoes

Villa Barni, in Roncadello di Dovera

Beautiful and elegant villa of delight, built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, surrounded by a romantic English-style park in which to get lost in search of hidden corners.

Villa Olmo in Como

Beautiful neoclassical villa with monumental fountain in front, overlooking the lake and surrounded by a beautiful garden sloping into woods on back. An oasis of peace.

Parish church of San Martino in Palazzo Pignano

In the beautiful Romanesque parish church surrounded by cultivated fields, history is told by terracotta bricks and archaeological remains

The Abbey of Chiaravalle on the outskirts of Milan

A beautiful Cistercian monastery in a stretch of irrigated countryside that survived the onslaught of the city

The small church of San Defendente in Clusone

Beautiful little church built in 1470 to implore an end to the plague, entirely covered with votive frescoes accumulated over three centuries. Almost a treatise on anthropology in pictures.

The Church of Paradise in Clusone Small church

Small stone church from the late 15th century; the austere exterior does not hint at the rich interior. It preserves a miraculous image, a beautiful Pieta.

The little church of Sant'Anna in Clusone

Small and delightful 15th-century church with a St. Christopher painted on the facade to protect pilgrims who found hospitality in the adjoining convent and beautiful votive frescoes inside.

The macabre dance of Clusone

On the walls of Clusone oratory, death queen invites men to dance with her

Fogaccia Palace, Clusone

Beautiful palace at the turn of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with a severe appearance due to rustic masonry, belonging to a powerful family of Clusone; unfortunately it is rarely visited.

Crema, cloisters with surprise

A beautiful, intimate place in downtown Crema, with a surprise you don't expect

The castle of Malpaga, buen ritiro of Bartolomeo Colleoni

A castle surrounded by a moat, around it the houses of soldiers and servants: this is the last home of the leader who wanted to make himself a prince

The Garden Palace of Sabbioneta

The Villa di delizia of Vespasiano Gonzaga is a hymn to classical antiquity.

The Shrine of Santa Maria della Croce in Crema

Imposing sanctuary, fascinating for its refined geometric decoration, perfect symmetry, and the contrast between the red of the terracotta and the green of the domes.

The Ducal Palace of Sabbioneta

Sumptuous palace of representation, emblem of ducal power

Crema's square, one of the most beautiful in Italy

An elegant, harmonious and lively square with the Cathedral in the center, surrounded by beautiful buildings

The Cathedral of Crema

Absolute protagonist of the city's main square

Holy Trinity, the church with two facades

Space for an imposing Baroque church was limited, so architect Andrea Nono chose this original solution to give it visibility.

Palazzo Terni, among the most beautiful baroque buildings in Lombardy

Splendid early 18th-century palace, though never finished; has a rich array of terracotta decorations, statues, balconies, bronze railings, and a magnificent courtyard.

Church of San Bernardino, a rediscovered masterpiece

Gothic and austere the exterior, splendid and Renaissance the interior

Calepio, a beautiful village

An ancient village, high above the Oglio Valley, is home to stone houses, beautiful stately buildings and a large castle

The Old-Fashioned Theater of Sabbioneta

Worthy rival of Palladio's Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza

Church of St. Anthony Abbot, Bibbiena's masterpiece

Extraordinary Baroque church with double domes. The second, pierced, hints at the angels on blue sky of the first, lit by hidden windows. Ė like peeking into heaven.

The majestic Castle of Vigevano

In the shoe capital, one of the largest fortified complexes in Europe.

The Gallery of the Ancients of Sabbioneta

Built by Duke Vespasian to house his art collection, it is a very long gallery, now empty but offering an extraordinary perspective, concluded by a tromp l'oeil of faux architecture.

Sabbioneta, the ideal city

Jewel of the Renaissance, an outstanding urban planning and artistic testimony to the Italian 500s

The red walls of Sabbioneta

The city is surrounded by impressive brick walls dating back to the founding in the 1500s; they are interspersed with six mighty bastions, with two openings, Imperial Gate and Victory Gate.

The castle of Volta Mantovana

Panoramic castle dating from the 11th century, still surrounded by walls, with beautiful Gothic gateway. On the same square are Palazzo Gonzaga and its stables, often the site of exhibitions.

Pozzolengo Castle

High above the village, surrounded by walls that also embrace the ricetto, stands a 13th-century castle. Of its many towers, one gives access to the ricetto, another, cylindrical, serves as a bell tower.

Gonzaga-Guerrieri Palace, Gonzaga's villa of delight

It has a special grace because of its beautiful garden sloping into four terraces and its location, at the top of the village.

The charm of Piazza Ducale in Vigevano

One of the most beautiful Renaissance squares in Italy, enclosed on the east by the cathedral, on the south by the Sforza Ducal Palace, surrounded by arcades and dominated by Bramante's tower.

Palazzina Pusterla, Cascina Ca' Granda, Zibido San Giacomo

The Palazzina Pusterla is a rare and delightful example of a late 14th-century hunting lodge. It is leaning against an irrigation ditch in which the mill wheel fishes. Around it is a beautiful park, well and bakery.

The Olivetan Abbey of Rodengo Saiano

In Franciacorta, elegant monastery of Cluniac origin holds fine works of art

La Santissima of Gussago

Atop a hill of vineyards is an abandoned Dominican convent that gives itself airs of a castle. The walk to it and the views of Franciacorta are beautiful.

The scenic monastery of St. Peter in Lamosa

An ancient monastery, a treasure trove of frescoes, and unparalleled views of the Sebino peat bogs

The Gothic frescoes of Viboldone Abbey

In a remnant of irrigated countryside in the Milanese hinterland, a 14th-century abbey holds splendid frescoes

Robecco sul Naviglio and its villas of delight

Along the Naviglio Grande for vacationing, in the footsteps of Milanese nobility

Mirasole Abbey, an oasis of peace and silence

A fortified complex in the Milanese countryside chronicles the spirituality experienced by the monastic order of the Humiliati

The beautiful Terzi Palace, a hidden corner of upper Bergamo

A baroque palace in upper Bergamo, with fine frescoes, original furnishings and spectacular views of the city

The frescoes of Santa Maria Assunta in Borgo in Nembro

It is almost hidden from view in the gathered little square, but those who enter find a treasure trove of frescoes

Palazzo Moroni, the secret park in the heart of Bergamo Alta

A palace rich in art, beauty and nature hides behind a small doorway in Bergamo Alta

Inverigo, a corner of Tuscany in Lombardy

Inverigo is a town that has beautiful historic buildings, but above all it preserves a wonderful corner of the countryside in the Pomelasca Estate, reminiscent of the sweetness of the Tuscan Apennines. In the middle of Lombardy.

The ancient village of Erba

The village of Villincino is a delightful neighborhood of Erba that has remained from the Middle Ages. You enter through a fortified gate and stroll along the cobblestones, past stone buildings and rustic courtyards.

Caravaggio, the Gothic church of Saints Fermo and Rustico

Imposing Lombard Gothic church with a tall 16th-century bell tower and a soaring facade culminating in five pinnacles, decorated with hanging arches and a fine banded portal.

The small church of San Sebastiano, in Nembro

Beautiful Gothic, herringbone stone church from the early 1400s, with precious frescoes alternating with more naive and naive ones, and a fine altarpiece by Antonio Marinoni.

Borromeo Castle of Camairago, a country castle

Large 15th-century castle built on an escarpment to defend the Adda River. Retains intact walls, towers and ravelin with double entrance, driveway and pedestrian. Fascinating view of the river.

The shelter of San Colombano al Lambro

In St. Columba there is still a rare example of a 13th-century shelter, a place intended to protect the inhabitants and food supplies from outside threats.

In Solza on the trail of Colleoni

In the castle of Solza, Bartolomeo Colleoni, captain of fortune, was born in 1395. A curious place, to which the stratifications of history have given an appearance somewhere between castle and farmstead.

Gorlago, a hidden jewel in the province of Bergamo

It's nice to get lost in the alleys of the village, at the mouth of Val Cavallina, which preserves intact its medieval core of narrow streets, stone houses and refined villas between the 16th and 17th centuries.

Basilica of San Bassiano

A majestic building in the Lodi countryside, it is a hymn to Lombard Romanesque-Gothic

Trebecco Castle, a plunge into the Middle Ages

Small medieval village overlooking the Oglio Valley from its rocky outcrop

Santa Maria in Bressanoro, between Gothic and Renaissance

In the green Cremasque countryside, a terracotta church hides a wonderful cycle of frescoes.

The village of Grumello del Monte, Bergamo

Grumello is a delightful hamlet of narrow streets and local stone houses at the foot of the Valcalepio hills. Dominating it is a 14th-century castle a mighty ivy-covered tower.

Corneliano Bertario and the Borromeo Castle

An ancient Lombard village with courtyards, irrigation ditches and a castle

Barbò Castle of Pumenengo

Stern-looking castle, guarding the Oglio River, encroaching on rural dwellings and overlooking the Naviglio Grande Pallavicino Canal. It has a trapezoidal shape to fit the terrain.

The historical center of Orzinuovi

The small town of Orzinuovi with its large porticoed square, overlooked by beautiful historic buildings such as the Gothic Palazzo podestarile, and enclosed at the end by the castle, is well worth a stop.

Martinengo Castle of Villachiara, Brescia

Plain castle, surrounded by a moat turned into a meadow, in the center of the village. Built in the late 1300s, it has a square shape with beautiful cylindrical towers at the corners.

Basilica of Santa Giulia

A fascinating Romanesque church with no ceiling and no floor, and with the walls halfway up

Parish Church of St. Mary

A small village on the edge of Erbusco holds a beautiful medieval parish church

Rocca Brivio Sforza, San Giuliano Milanese

Fascinating 17th-century brick villa of sober Baroque style, rising on a slight isolated rise in the countryside. From the monumental gate there is a glimpse of the garden with an elegant loggia.

The park of Villa Mazzotti Biancinelli

In Chiari there is a beautiful Art Nouveau villa from the early 1900s; the building is rarely visited but can be admired from the outside because it is surrounded by a large scenic park.

Pieve di santa Maria in Carpino, Carpenedolo, Bs.

Small but charming Romanesque church, lost in the Brescian countryside among oleander and corn, in the shade of a large tree.

Villa Monastero and historic garden on the lake

Historic villa with spectacular garden on Lake Lecco

Visconti Castle of Trezzo sull'Adda

Fascinating ruins of the castle built in 1300 by Barnabò as a military fortress but also used as a summer residence for lords. The tower, dungeons and dungeons remain.

Hermitage of St. Albert of Butrio

A peaceful place to step into medieval spirituality

Fortress of Romano di Lombardia

Fortress of a defensive character, used as housing for troops. Bartolomeo Colleoni also resided there for some time. It dates back to the 12th century.

Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Grace

A shrine from the late 14th century, rich in votive offerings, located in a park overlooking the Mincio River

Abbey of San Paolo d'Argon

It was founded as a Benedictine monastery in the town of the same name, San Paolo d'Argon. Renovated in 1500, it retains two cloisters from that period. From the 1600s are the Chapter House, Refectory and church.

Astino Monastery

Set in a beautiful natural setting on the slopes of the city. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher has frescoes from various periods, among them a Baschenis. The 16th-century cloister is beautiful.

Parish church of San Giorgio in Lemine

It is a Romanesque parish church surrounded by greenery. It dates back to the 11th-12th centuries. The interior, with three naves, is covered with fine frescoes. Recently restored and kept open by volunteers.

Shrine of St. Patrick

Shrine erected between the 16th and 17th centuries atop a rocky outcrop at 660 meters, consisting of two frescoed churches and a vast panoramic loggia overlooking the Seriana Valley.

Villa La Favorita

Villa between Mannerism and Baroque, from the early 17th century. Commissioned by Duke Ferdinando Gonzaga and designed by architect Nicolò Sebregondi. It was to house the court but was never finished.

Church of San Bernardino in Lallio

There is a rare Lombard Mannerist church in the province of Bergamo that is entirely frescoed. Splendid frescoes tell of Mary, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Bernardine and the Passion.