Palazzo Ducale, Mantua

The Palazzo Ducale in Mantua is one of the largest palace complexes in Europe, a small city in itself built up over centuries by the Gonzaga, who ruled this Lombard city on its three lakes from the 14th to the 18th century. Behind a sprawling brick exterior on Piazza Sordello lie reputedly some 500 rooms, courtyards, gardens, a basilica and a castle, linked by corridors and galleries hung with tapestries, frescoes and the family's once-vast art collection. The undisputed highlight is the Camera degli Sposi in the Castello di San Giorgio, frescoed by Andrea Mantegna between 1465 and 1474, where the Gonzaga court is portrayed across the walls and an illusionistic oculus opens to a painted sky — a foundational work of Renaissance perspective. Other marvels include the Sala dello Specchio, the Appartamento dei Nani with its miniature rooms, the hanging gardens and the Pisanello frescoes of Arthurian battle. A visit takes two to three hours, longer for those lingering over the frescoes. Access to the Camera degli Sposi is timed and capacity-controlled, so booking ahead is wise, especially at weekends and in summer when the palace is busiest; weekday mornings are calmest. The complex is reached on foot from Mantua's centre and pairs naturally with the Gonzaga's other masterpiece, Palazzo Te, on the same day. Photography without flash is generally allowed, and the painted ceiling of the bridal chamber and the courtyards make rewarding subjects. With its scale, its Mantegna frescoes and its layered history, the Palazzo Ducale is the heart of UNESCO-listed Mantua and one of the great princely residences of Renaissance Italy.