Monterosso
One of the oldest churches in Cinque Terre, San Giovanni Battista has a striped facade dating back to 1307. The Ligurian-Gothic design features white and…
Must-see attractions in Northwestern Italy
Corniglia
Near the entrance to the village, the small Gothic church dedicated to St Peter has stood here since at least the 14th century (and was likely built on…
Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio
Turin
A grand backdrop across the Po from Piazza Vittorio Veneto, this church was built in the style of a mini-Pantheon from 1818 to 1831 to commemorate the…
Riviera di Ponente
Brave Imperia's traffic for this museum where a history of Italy's favourite oil is on display, including some ancient amphora and repro oil mills. There…
Manarola
Built in 1338 in Ligurian-Gothic style, the small stone church of San Lorenzo is notable for several finely made triptychs, including a 14th-century…
Monterosso
This was the seat for one of two confraternities (secular associations dedicated to doing charitable works) in Monterosso which was active from the 15th…
Genoa
In the sacristy of the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, the Museo del Tesoro preserves various dubious holy relics, including the medieval Sacro Catino, a glass…
Oratorio di Santa Maria Assunta
Riomaggiore
Built by a Christian brotherhood in the 16th century, this simple stone church is home to the unusual 14th-century wooden statue Madonna delle catene …
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
Dating back to the early 1700s, La Morra's stolid bell tower soars 31m above Piazza Castello. Make your way up the narrow staircases for fine 360-degree…
Golfo dei Poeti
Strategic fortifications date back at least to the 12th century on this hilltop perch overlooking the bay. As part of La Spezia's coastal defense system…
Genoa
A giant glass ball housing a humid mini-ecosystem with tropical plants, butterflies and birds, the Biosphere is an innovative addition to the port,…
La Spezia
If you have limited time in La Spezia, make sure you prioritise a stroll along this picturesque pedestrian lane that winds through the historic centre…
Piedmont
This 6800-hectare park spreads across two valleys – the Valle Pesio and Valle Tanaro – located in an area south and east of Cuneo. It's a great place for…
Genoa
The reconstruction here is not the only house claiming to be the birthplace of the navigator Christopher Columbus (Calvi in Corsica is another contender),…
Genoa
Genoa's fountain-embellished main piazza is ringed by magnificent buildings that include the art nouveau Palazzo della Borsa, which was once the country's…
Rapallo
Rapallo's scenic seafront promenade hosts a daily parade of locals and visitors. This is also the setting for the Mercato del Giovedì (Thursday market).
Basilica Paleocristiana di San Lorenzo
Aosta
Beneath the old parish church of the village, you can glimpse the dusty layers of early Christian history. Excavations have revealed a small cruciform…
La Spezia
It's worth taking a stroll down to the waterfront and across the scenic Ponte Thaon di Revel for a look at La Spezia's modern, expansive port. You'll see…
Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi
Turin
You can take in the hunting-themed decor at this grand Savoy lodge, some 11km southwest of Turi. It also has English-style gardens and grounds, a lovely…
Genoa
The port that once controlled a small empire is now one of the most popular places to enjoy a passeggiata (evening stroll). Superyacht lovers are…
Tigullio & Baia del Levante
The 19th- and early-20th-century Italian collection here includes Edoardo Rubino's sensual marble nude Il Risveglio (the Awakening) is displayed in the…
Genoa
Three monumental gates were built in Genoa from 1155 as part of a defensive wall system. Porta Soprana is one of two that survived, Porta dei Vacca is the…
Genoa
Just east of Via Garibaldi, a path from Piazza Corvetto twists through terraced gardens to one of Europe's largest collections of Japanese art, bringing…
Turin
A sumptuous 17th-century Savoy refit of an 11th-century castle; the 19th-century gardens with lakes, caves and follies are great for rambling. It's…
La Spezia
Opened to much fanfare in 2013, this photogenic cable-stayed pedestrian bridge connects the city with the port. Vaguely resembling a large double-masted…
Ventimiglia
Sandwiched between the road and the railway line on the eastern edge of town, these Roman ruins bear testimony to Ventimiglia's Roman romance and include…
Valle d'Aosta
East from Aosta is the magnificently restored Castello di Fénis. Formerly owned by the Challant family, it features rich frescoes. Despite its…
Valle d'Aosta
Around 1km southwest of the Dora Baltea river, below the town of Verrès, is the 15th-century Castello d’Issogne. This building was a castle, although you…
Alba
There's been a cathedral here since the 12th century, though the current terracotta-brick affair is mostly the result of an almost complete neo-Gothic…
Genoa
This monumental gate was one of three built from 1155 as part of a defensive wall system. It's characteristic circular towers are shared by the other…
Piedmont
Saluzzo's medieval rulers meted out justice from the 13th-century Castello dei Marchesi – aka the Castiglia – atop Saluzzo's old town. There are guided…
Piedmont
Worth a brief stop is the forbidding Forte di Exilles, overlooking the quiet village of Exilles, 15km west of Susa. Its military role only ended in 1943…
Aosta
What remains of the city's Augustan forum mostly lies beneath the 'modern' piazza, although you can visit its colonnaded underground walkway (known as a…
Cuneo
Cuneo has some wonderfully dark and mysterious churches. The oldest is the deconsecrated San Francisco convent and church, which today hosts this museum…
Piedmont
In addition to the unmissable Arco d'Augusto, you can see the remains of a Roman aqueduct and a still-used amphitheatre here, along with a druid well that…
Cattedrale di Nostra Signora Assunta
Savona
Among Savona's treasures to survive destruction by Genoese forces in the 16th century is the Cattedrale di Nostra Signora Assunta. It's worth a look for…
Aosta
This arched, cobbled Roman bridge, also know as the Pont de Pierre, crossed the River Buthier in the first century AD, but today it's high and dry (though…
Turin
One of the twin churches on Piazza San Carlo, this Baroque beauty was dedicated to San Carlo Borromeo by Carlo Emanuele I in 1619, although the facade…
Museo Alpino Duca degli Abruzzi
Courmayeur
Courmayeur guiding association's dramatic history unfolds in this small but inspiring museum that tracks the heroic deeds of erstwhile alpinists.
Genoa
A Genovese looker that dominates Piazza de Ferrari, the former stock exchange building is testament to Genoa's shipping boom in the early 1900s.
