Religious tourism and spiritual travel

Passing by historic villages, cities of art, holy buildings and monuments, the Via Francigena in Emilia Romagna is a journey of culture, art and considerable beauty, enriched by deeply felt traditions going back thousands of years: 5 unmissable places of discovery.

The Piedmontese Via Francigena passes right through here, immersed in green nature full of vineyards and sunflower fields and dotted with ancient churches, lakes, villages and castles.

The Via Francigena in Tuscany takes travellers through a number of villages, towns and cities rich in art and history, often almost unchanged over time and set in extraordinary landscapes: 5 places you shouldn't miss along the way.

The Via Francigena in Liguria winds its way through the Val di Magra, in the heart of the Lunigiana area, oscillating between testimonies of ancient history and environments dominated by nature: here are 5 places for discovering all its most diverse faces.

Cathedrals, castles, bridges and triumphal arches: history dominates the Via Francigena in Campania along a route hallmarked by the precious testimony of an amazing past. Here are 5 must-see places on a journey back in time.

From natural parks to cities of art, historic towers and rice fields, from religious complexes to farmhouses, the Via Francigena in Lombardy changes its look at every corner, revealing one surprise after another: here are 5 significant steps to discover its varied landscapes and architecture.

The Basilica of the Holy House is one of the main places of veneration of Mary and among the most significant and most visited Marian shrines in the Catholic Church. It is located in Loreto in Piazza della Madonna, 127 metres above sea level, at the end of the Via Lauretana. The sanctuary has the dignity of a minor pontifical basilica. The Basilica houses the Holy House of Nazareth where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary was born, lived and received the annunciation of the miraculous birth of Jesus. Studies show that the origin of the House is Palestine, both in terms of the architectural style and the use of building materials, unknown to the territory of the Marches and yet widely used at the time in the Holy Land. Tradition has it that the Holy House, after passing through Dalmatia, remaining for about three years in Trsat (now a district of the city of Rijeka in Croatia), arrived in Loreto on the night of 9-10 December 1294. In 1469, on the initiative of the bishop of Recanati, Nicolò delle Aste, and later Pope Paul II, the first construction work on today's basilica began. Next to the white Istrian stone façade, completed in 1587, stands the elegant bell tower (1750-55), the work of Luigi Vanvitelli. Under the dome is the sacellum of the Holy House, covered in marble with statues and reliefs, a sculptural masterpiece of the 16th century. The striking interior is visited by pilgrims from all over the world to pray before the statue of the Black Madonna. The Chapel of the Annunciation was decorated with frescoes by Federico Zuccari, the sacristies of St. Mark and St. John by Melozzo da Forlì and Luca Signorelli, and the ceiling and the pavilion of the Treasury Room by Pomarancio. The Pontifical Museum of the Holy House of Loreto, housed in the Apostolic Palace, preserves paintings, sculptures, tapestries and majolica from the Sanctuary and donated to the Holy House through the ages. In the collection of paintings, the works of the late maturity of Lorenzo Lotto, who died in Loreto around 1556, stand out. The Treasure of the Holy House includes valuable works of fine jewellery. "The Holy House of Loreto is the first shrine of international significance dedicated to the Virgin and the true Marian heart of Christianity". (John Paul II)

A large modern structure in which the remains of Padre Pio rest The Church of St Pio of Pietrelcina is the reference point par excellence for devotees of Padre Pio, beatified by John Paul II in 1999 and proclaimed a saint by the same pontiff three years later. The large church, designed by architect Renzo Piano and completed in 2004 after almost ten years of work, stands in San Giovanni Rotondo, the place where the Capuchin friar died after living there for many years. The imposing building was commissioned by the Capuchin Friars Minor, to which Padre Pio belonged, with the aim of housing the saint’s relics and to be able to easily accommodate the thousands of worshippers who choose to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo as a pilgrimage destination for an almost mystical experience. What you will find in front of you is a large modern structure, surrounded by a huge churchyard, consisting of an upper church, dedicated to liturgical celebrations, a smaller lower church, and a crypt, housing the saint’s body.

In the footsteps of Magna Graecia In the extreme tip of the Boot, overlooking the Ionian coast, the Locride is an area included in the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria where 42 municipalities fall. With over 80 kilometres of coastline, wild and unspoilt, the Riviera dei Jasmini is one of the major tourist attractions. The territory is hilly, dotted with Mediterranean vegetation and strewn with ancient vestiges of Magna Graecia. We recommend you visit the Archaeological Park of Locri Epizefiri and the Museum and Archaeological Park of Monasterace Marina, in correspondence with the ancient poleis of Locri Epizefiri and Kaulon. Crossroads of Greek-Byzantine cultures, we point out the Cattolica di Stilo, a small Byzantine brick church dominated by five characteristic domes. Further south, don't miss a visit to the Cathedral of Gerace, a Norman jewel. Going down again is the famous Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi, in the heart of Aspromonte, which every year from August 31 to September 2 comes alive with the procession of the statue through the streets of the town, between songs and dances. Very fascinating are the Byzantine itineraries of Staiti, a project to enhance the ancient village in an itinerary marked by eighteen terracotta bas-reliefs, made by Studio d 'Arte Violi in 2018. If you want to go to Reggio Calabria, don't forget to visit the Bronzes of Riace.

The splendid City of Loreto, tucked inside the countryside of the Marches Region, owes its fame to the Sanctuary (or Basilica) where the Santa Casa della Vergine Maria (Shrine of the Holy House of the Virgin Mary) is preserved and venerated. It is a holy place defined by Pope John Paul II as “the true Marian heart of Christianity”. The sanctuary has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Catholic faith for centuries, having been visited by approximately 200 saints and beatified persons, as well as by numerous Popes. According to ancient tradition, and today substantiated by historical and archaeological research, the Santa Casa is the house from Nazareth where the Virgin Mary was born, educated, and where she received the Annunciation. The house was composed of one room in masonry, with three walls in stone placed so as to enclose a rock cavern. This cavern is worshipped by pilgrims who flock to Nazareth, that is to the Basilica of the Annunciation, while the three stone walls, as legend has it, were brought to Italy (first passing through Illyria) by crusaders expelled from Palestine in 1291. The walls arrived in Loreto in 1294. Not only, but documents and archaeological excavations have continued to reinforce the hypothesis that the walls of the Santa Casa were transported to Loreto by ship, an initiative undertaken by the Angeli Family, nobles who ruled over Epirus at the time.

The paradise of Italian-made bubbles We’re just a few kilometres from Brescia and Lake Iseo, in the heart of Franciacorta. A land rich in culture, history and food and wine traditions. A triumph of rows of vineyards, rolling hills and small villages. Like Monticelli Brusati, a small centre consisting of no less than 14 tiny hamlets of medieval origin. Explore them one at a time, perhaps on a relaxing day, on foot or by bike. Don’t forget to visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Rosa or the church of San Zenone, the patron saint of the town, which boast frescoes dating back to the 15th century. Or a detour to the Waterfall Trail in the nearby Gaina Valley, which winds its way along a small but impressive canyon. The Monticelli area has practically always been devoted to viticulture. And it could not be otherwise, since here we’re in the heart of an area under the protection of the Franciacorta Consortium. Dozens of historic wine cellars are waiting for you to taste the famous Made in Italy bubbles. A stop at one of the many osterias scattered around the four corners of the municipality is a must, where dishes of an almost unique gastronomy await, capable of playing on two fronts, with peasant cuisine based on meat from the hinterland and fish from nearby Lake Iseo.

The Sanctuary of the Seven Churches, or the Jubilee Sanctuary of the Seven Churches, is located in Monselice in the province of Padua. It is the most important religious monumental complex in the walled city, near Abano and Montegrotto Terme. This picturesque sacred way climbs the Colle della Rocca hill, where six tiny chapels climb one after the other up to the square in front of Villa Duodo, where the largest church, dedicated to Saint George, stands. The seven churches were commissioned by Venetian nobleman Pietro Duodo, who had already settled on the site, having built his residence there with an adjoining private chapel. In 1605 he received permission from Pope Paul V to build and name the small churches after the seven imposing basilicas in Rome, obtaining the same privilege as a plenary indulgence granted to pilgrims who would go to visit them in Rome. From the monumental entrance gate, the “Porta Romana”, surmounted by the inscription “Romanis Basilicis Pares”, begins the Jubilee Route of the Seven Churches, designed by architect Vincenzo Scamozzi between 1605 and 1615, as a miniature representation of the holy city of Rome.