Basilica di Santa Chiara

Lonely Planet review

Simple, vast and severe, the bare Gothic interior you see today is not the genuine 14th-century article, but a brilliant recreation. Commissioned by Robert of Anjou, this hulking complex was built to house 200 monks and the Angevin royal family's tombs. Adhering to Gothic principles of the day, which equated height with vicinity to God, the original design met with a mixed reaction. Four centuries later, it was given a luscious baroque makeover.

It all went up in flames on 4 August 1943 when the church took a hit during an Allied air raid. However, thanks to the skill and dedication of a small army of experts it has been largely restored to its original simplicity. Features that survived the fire include part of a 14th-century fresco to the left of the main door and a chapel containing the tombs of the Bourbon kings from Ferdinand I to Francesco II.

To the left of the church, the famous tiled cloisters are a soothing getaway from the chaos outside. While the Angevin porticoes date back 14th century, the cloisters took on their current look in the 18th century thanks to the landscaping work of Domenico Antonio Vaccaro. The walkways dividing the central garden are lined with 72 ceramic-tiled octagonal columns connected by benches. The four internal walls are covered with softly coloured 17th-century frescoes of Franciscan tales.