Chiesa di San Pietro looks like something straight out of a dramatic fantasy movie --…read moreblack-and-white stripes, jagged cliffs, and the sea exploding around it. It's tiny, ancient, and perched in the most unreal spot imaginable. Step inside for two minutes, soak in the stone arches and quiet, then walk out to the terrace for that jaw-drop view where the ocean basically slaps the rocks below. It's quick, it's iconic, and it's honestly one of the coolest little churches you'll ever stumble into.

The Church of San Pietro (St. Peter) sits on the tip of Portovenere's promontory. Near the Church…read moreis Byron's Cove, a rocky area that is a cool looking swimming area that Gayle and I explored on the land side. Gayle and I first gazed upon it's striking beauty from the boat as we came into Town. We also walked over to admire it from within and said goodbye as we hopped on the boat and headed back to Monterosso. The interior is small, but very peaceful. You can also climb some stairs for a series of stunning panoramic views. I also enjoyed the wide plaza coming up to the Church from Portovenere proper. This is one of those scenic vacation memories that you don't forget.

This almost 800 years old church of Saint John the Baptist in a small alley on the bottom of…read moreMonterosso Al Mare village in UNESCO protected Cinque Terre, Italy was such a treat. The combination of black and white stone looks very dramatic, almost hypnotic, it absolutely captures your attention. Life and death, good and evil, it makes you wonder is it for pure decorative purpose or is it a hint on duality of life. Entrance:free and open to public Time spent:5-10 minutes

The parish church of San Giovanni Battista is located in a small Piazza don Giovanni Minzoni, right…read morenext to Piazza Garibaldi. The church was built between the 13th and 14th century, completed in 1307, and later renovated in Baroque era. The facade features the signature two-tone white and dark serpentine facing, a large rose window of white marble under which is the main portal. An English language brochure explains further details. They also sell a Church calendar inside for those who would like an interesting souvenir and a way to keep up with all the Holy Days. The associated bell tower was originally a watchtower, part of the fortification built by the Republic of Genova in the 13th century. In the 15th century the tower was raised, and partially rebuilt in the 18th after an earthquake. The Church also sustained extensive damage during the 2011 mudslides and I wouldn't have known that by just my brief visit here. It's a testament to the Community regarding their hard working and successful efforts bring their Village back to full strength.

A beautiful church that one must not miss if one is touring Lucca. Lot of painting from the 1400…read moreand 1500. The interior architecture is heavenly. The cost is $3 for adult with no strict dress code. $0.50 to light an electric candle.

This church is found in one of the highest parts of Riomaggiore. Outside of the church is a lovely…read moresquare offering beautiful views of the town and the sea. Gayle and I landed in Riomaggiore by boat and walked up. It you happen to come to this Cinque Terre Village, it's worth your Journey.

The Abbey and the Church of St Francis are found on the hill of San Cristoforo next to the ruins of…read morethe Castle of Monterosso. Gayle and I walked up here from our Hotel on the morning of our last day here. We were immediately put into the right spiritual mood walking into a small and peaceful sanctuary and the sound of piped in Gregorian-like chants.

This is a cool sight to see! I wandered down a path and followed a sign while walking around on my…read moreown. There are a lot of steps but it is worth it! If you take the route from the seaside, the first thing you will come across is a giant statue of st Francis asisi feeding a dog/wolf, which is pretty cool. And has some great views. Then you will come across a small church, which is cute but nothing too special. There are little information brochures that you can buy in there, by where you light the candles. Attached to the church is where the real monks still live, from what I gathered. You can't go in there. If you keep climbing upwards, you will reach a cemetery. This was my favourite part. You might think it's creepy, but it's so beautiful! On almost every gravestone, there's a photo of the person who is buried there, which is neat. In the corners, there are some family crypts. I found this interesting, there's a lot of people who died in the 1940s, particularly 1942. If you keep going up wherever you can, you will eventually reach the top. In this section, the priests are buried and there are a few more traditional style graves. The whole thing is very well tended to and the gardens around it are lovely. Once you are here you can see an absolutely magnificent view of the ocean and the coast on one side and the towns on the other. It is panoramic and incredible.

This church is HUGE!…read more It is beautiful...beyond beautiful inside. The ornate details and architecture is outstanding. I sat in here for a while pondering life...

I know that when many people hear of the town of Pisa, they think of the famous Leaning Tower, but…read morethere is so much more to see there than just that - such as the Pisa Cathedral. Pisa is very easy to visit from Rome or Florence via train for a day trip (or for several days, if you're wanting to stay longer!) We visited as a stopover on our Trenitalia trip back to Rome from Cinque Terre's Manarola. We only had about 4 hours in Pisa before we had to head back to our train, so we made our way directly toward the Piazza dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower, but the Pisa Cathedral was surprisingly just as beautiful and impressive! You cannot see the Cathedral or any other of the Piazza dei Miracoli buildings by driving by or standing outside on the street. You have to go through a small marketplace of vendors to get to the archway entry. Once inside the entryway, that is where you will see the buildings you are looking for in the Piazza dei Miracoli. The Il Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta (Pisa Cathedral) holds so much beauty and history. The art inside, including the architecture, woodworking, paintings, and sculptures, will have you just walking around in awe for quite a while. One piece of extreme interest to view is Galileo's Lamp. It is a replica of the lamp that hung in the exact same spot in the Cathedral when Galileo visited as a young man in the 1600s. Galileo saw the lamp swinging like a pendulum, giving him the impetus to investigate and discover the principle of isochronism and leading him on the path to become the famed historical scientist we study today. With all of its beauty, history, and things to learn and see, definitely stop in Pisa if you're in Italy. And don't only stop at the Leaning Tower, because missing the beautiful Cathedral would be a huge mistake!

900 year old church nNamed after the bishop of Luca. Freudian I was a saint, died and was buried…read morehere in 588. There is a mummified interesting corpse encased inside.

This attractive Oratory is found next to the Riomaggiore Castle, on Cerricò hill. It was built in…read more1480 after a plague and there is a carving of Saint Rocco which shows him having the disease. Inside the Oratory there is a triptych representing the Madonna with the Child and Saints. Gayle and I climbed up here during our short hike around Riomaggiore. I'm a sucker for expansive hill top views and pretty churches. We go both here.