Chiesa di San Francesco

Gracing the apse of this 14th-century church is one of the greatest works of Italian art, Piero della Francesca’s fresco cycle of the Legend of the True Cross (1452–66). This masterpiece relates in 10 episodes a highly coloured subsequent history of the cross on which Christ was crucified.

You can get some sense of the frescoes from beyond the cordon in front of the altar, but to really appreciate them up close, plan ahead for a visit with audioguide. As only 25 people are allowed in every half-hour, it’s essential to prebook by phone or at any of the sites that participate in the combined ticket scheme. The ticket office is at Piazza San Francesco 4, to the right of the church’s main entrance.