Amid the sun-kissed olive groves and lush rolling meadows of Italy's boot heel, this delightful little gem of cultural history was founded after King Tancredi d'Altavilla had a vision of the Madonna.

Since then, the Abbey of Santa Maria Cerrate has been standing for almost 800 years. Once a peaceful Greek Orthodox monastery and successful agricultural center, it was ransacked by Turkish pirates in 1711.

After a long period of restoration, it's now open to the public, and this ticket will grant you access to the glorious 13th-century Byzantine frescoes and architecture within.