Italy

Santo Stefano is a monastic complex of four Romanesque churches (11-13C) built on the site of a pagan temple to Isis and incorporating earlier churches dating back to the 4th century. There is also a medieval cloister and small museum.

This is a small but elegant Romanesque cathedral in Puglia, southern Italy. Its facade features many interesting sculptures and a lovely rose window.

The taller of the famous due Torri (two towers) of Bologna, the Asinelli Tower was completed in 1119. Its 498 steps can be climbed for great views of the city.

This lovely 12th-century basilica stands over two previous sacred buildings: a church built in 392 and a 2nd-century Mithraic cave temple.

Housing the tomb of St. Francis and filled with spectacular medieval frescoes by Giotto, this church is Assisi's crowning glory. It is a major place of pilgrimage for St. Francis devotees and art lovers alike.

A Byzantine wonder that looks more like Istanbul than Italy, the 11th-century Basilica di San Marco is covered in domes, lined with golden mosaics, and filled with ancient art treasures.

Housed primarily in the refectory of the Santa Croce convent, this museum contains frescoes, sculptures and paintings primarily from the late Gothic and early Renaissance periods, including works by Cimabue, Gaddi, and Orcagna.

Begun in 1389 and never finished, San Petronio is the pride of Bologna and one of the largest churches in the world. It overlooks Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city and contains many notable Bolognese artworks.