Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate

Amid the sun-kissed olive groves and lush rolling meadows of Italy's boot heel, this delightful little gem of cultural history has been standing proud for almost 800 years. Once a peaceful Greek Orthodox monastery and successful agricultural hub, it was ransacked by Turkish pirates in 1711. * After a long period of restoration works, it's now open to the public, and this ticket will grant you access to the glorious 13th-century Byzantine frescoes and architecture within.