8Vittoriano

Nicknamed the ‘wedding cake’, the imposing white marble Altare della Patria in Piazza Venezia sticks out like a glorious sore thumb. The unmissable monument is just up the street from the Colosseum and Forum but proved quite controversial when it was first erected on the side of Capitoline Hill. The Altar to the Fatherland was built in homage to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of a unified Italy.

The royal connection gives the commanding white building its more common nickname—Il Vittoriano. The complex is home to the tomb of Italy’s unknown soldier and a museum dedicated to the story of unification. But the prettiest spot is at the top of the terrace, offering views across the city and its ruins.

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