• Casertavecchia Cathedral: This medieval church is one of the most beautiful extant examples of Arabo-Norman architecture, built with two colors of tufa stone and white marble, and dotted with strange human and animal figures.
  • Naples's Duomo: The most splendid of Naples's churches, and home to some superb artwork, the Duomo is three churches in one. The Cappella di San Gennaro is really a church in its own right, with a fantastic treasure on display in the attached museum. Santa Restituta, the original 6th-century church, contains a magnificent 4th-century baptistery decorated with Byzantine mosaics.
  • Complesso Monumentale di Santa Chiara: Another star among Naples's many great monuments, this splendid church and monastery complex holds splendid examples of 14th-century sculpture that escaped the tragic bombing of World War II. (Other parts of the massive structure were not so lucky but have since been restored.) The celebrated cloister, decorated with 18th century majolica tiles depicting a plethora of mythological, pastoral, and whimsical scenes, is one of the most enchanting corners of the city.
  • San Lorenzo Maggiore: Originally built in the 6th century, this Neapolitan church is famous for its literary guests: from Boccaccio, who met his darling Fiammetta here, to Francesco Petrarca and others. It houses some splendid Renaissance sculpture and a multilayered archaeological site, where you can descend through layers of buildings all the way down to a paleochristian basilica and the 1st-century Roman market.
  • Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata: This church is located in Minuto, one of the medieval hamlets of the township of Scala, which stretches along the cliffs above Ravello and the Amalfi Coast. The church offers not only some of the region's best examples of Romanesque architecture and beautiful 12th-century frescoes, but also a superb panorama.
  • Duomo di Santa Maria Capua Vetere: Dating originally from the 5th century, this beautiful paleochristian church has been redecorated in later centuries, but it contains columns and capitals that reach back to Roman times, as well as examples of Renaissance frescoes and carvings.
  • Sant'Angelo in Formis: This is one of the most important Romanesque churches in the country, and its interior is entirely decorated with beautiful frescoes.
  • Santa Sofia: Dating back to the early Longobard kingdom in Benevento, this small medieval church is famous for its unique star-shaped floor plan and the integration of Longobard and Catholic symbols.
  • Certosa di San Lorenzo (Carthusian Monastery of San Lorenzo): Begun in the 14th century, this magnificent monastery -- one of the largest in the world -- is a baroque masterpiece, chock-full of art and architectural details. Off the beaten path, but only a short distance from Salerno, it should not be missed.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.