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An entire town planned between 1556 and 1591 to Renaissance ideals, Sabbioneta is the legacy of Vespasiano Gonzaga Borromeo, who, bereft of heirs, put his energies into a complex of palaces and a theatre.

Though originally a fiercely loyal satellite of Milan, Crema’s formative period was under the Venetians (1454–1797). It’s a tidy town of white and pink marble façades, a delightful Duomo and a civic museum that includes scores by composer Francesco Cavalli.

Built in 1158 after Barbarossa (see 1176: Lombard League Defeats Barbarossa) razed the original town 5 km (3 miles) to the west, Lodi is celebrated for its Duomo and octagonal church of the Incoronata. The latter is slathered with frescoes, gilded stuccoes and fine paintings by Il Bergognone.

The capital of northern Italy during the Dark Ages is now lost in Milan’s suburban sprawl but retains its historic centre. In addition to the glorious Certosa (see Certosa di Pavia), other important churches include San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro and San Michele, both full of Romanesque carvings, and the Duomo, whose architects included Bramante and Leonardo. Pavia also boasts a Renaissance bridge and 14th-century castle with paintings by Antonella da Messina, Correggio, Bellini, Luini and Tiepolo.

Lodovico “Il Moro” Sforza (1452–1508) was born in the castle that dominates this town of silk and shoe factories. The arcaded Piazza Ducale was designed by Bramante; the Baroque Duomo was built in 1680.

In the 14th century Cardinal Branda Castiglione fell in love with the new Gothic painting style he saw in Florence and was determined to import it to his hometown. The aging painter Masolino did some of his best works in the cardinal’s palace and the Chiesa della Collegiata. The Chiesa della Villa nearby is a Brunelleschian church with colossal saints flanking the entrance.

The main town on little Lake Annone was a medieval stop for pilgrims visiting its 8th-century abbey, which was said to house a set of Saint Peter’s Keys to Heaven (long-vanished). In the hills above town is the stunning Romanesque retreat of San Pietro al Monte.

The chief town of the Alpine valley is littered with crotti – caverns used to cure meats and cheeses – many of which have been converted into osterie . An old stone quarry above town is now home to a botanical park; the Parco Marmitte dei Giganti contains glacial potholes and prehistoric carvings.

The villages of Capo di Ponte and Nadro di Ceto are the best access points for the prehistoric rock carvings found in the valley north of Lake Iseo. The images are at least 3,000 years old and include hunting scenes.

This year-round skiing village high in the Valtellina is equal parts high-class resort and medieval village. It’s also a gateway to a park of glaciers, peaks, trails and gorgeous Alpine vistas.