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Religious tourism is in fact growing, and we are witnessing ever more pilgrims (or the just curious!) making their way to the most important shrines. Aimed at believers or historical enthusiasts, itineraries marked by faith and culture through churches and shrines are the most important ways to discover that part of Italian history which is ineluctably tied from antiquity to the history of the Catholic Church.
Religious tourism possesses strong regional roots and has developed a widespread network of hosting structures, accounting in fact for 12 percent of the national total. Destinations like Rome and San Giovanni Rotondo are subject to a noteable growth in pilgrimages, while Lazio, Veneto e Lombardy are the most favoured regions in the scale of “itineraries of faith and culture”. Reached via the ancient Roman roads Via Francigena (in the south) and Via Longobardorum, Rome has pride of place as the destination par excellence for religious pilgrimages; in second place is the Sanctuary of San Giovanni Rotondo in Puglia, the destination of the more than 6 million pilgrims who wend their way to the shrine of Saint (Padre) Pio.
Four interconnected Marian shrines in Piemonte allow one to embark on a sacred itinerary of various kinds. » Visit
Situated on a mountain dominating the Val di Susa, imposing and suggestive, rich in gothic and romanesque art, the Abbey of St. Michael is a place of rich spiritual and cultural interest. » Visit
Following on from the exhibition of the landscapes of Giorgio Morandi, the next retrospective promoted by the Ferrero foundation in Alba will be dedicated to the Piedmontese artist, Carlo Carrà.