The restoration of ancient books is a wonderful activity: join us on our journey through religious tourism and learn about the monasteries rediscovering this art.

Restoring rare books is a way of preserving the memory of past works – pieces in the jigsaw of history – but it also enables us to save some true masterpieces from oblivion. That's why the work the monks are doing is so important.

It is a delicate business, one that the monks of the Certosa di Pavia monastery are undertaking with great success. They have even set up a bookbinding workshop. There's also a well-stocked library of theological and art texts in the Abbazia di San Nicola in Rodengo, in the province of Brescia. The library doubles up as a cultural and social hub, running courses on the restoration of old books.

The Benedictine monks of the Abbazia dei Santi Pietro e Paolo in Viboldone, near Milan, are another bunch of expert restorers, having run a book restoration workshop for over 20 years. The monks even have a press which still prints using lead. The Abbazia di San Giovanni Battista in Vertemate, in the province of Como, also allows visitors to learn the art of book restoration.

Visiting convents, churches and monasteries is a fundamental part of tourism in Lombardy – not just for their architecture and works of art, but also because they are real cultural hubs, just like they have always been.