The finest royal palaces in Italy

Italy is studded with amazing royal residences. You could easily spend an entire day in most of them but if you have not enough time just choose one could be the most all-purpose way to experience the country. That's because kings, dukes and princes have the habit of hiring the best artists and artisans, and they love to steal their defeated enemies' most interesting belongings. As a result, their homes are excellent "life museums." Visiting them your mind immediately flies to kings, queens, lords, and princes. But also knights, officials, jacks, court ladies, advisors and a whole host of figures that populated the Italian courts. More than 50 magnificent buildings across Italy from the Quirinale in Rome, Palazzo Pitti in Florence, the Royal Palace of Naples, the Reggia of Caserta - to mention but a few - narrate the tumultuous political past of Italy, that remained under the control of royal families until 1946 when, through referendum, the monarchy was abolished. They show invaluable pieces including the throne of the Kings of Italy from Palazzo del Quirinale, the cabinet for the crown of Italy from Palazzo Pitti, the crib of the Prince of Naples from the Reggia di Caserta, and the Genius of monarchy painted in 1880 by the great Brazilian painter Pedro Amerigo as a tribute to Umberto I, today at the Royal Palace of Turin.An artistic heritage that Italy conserves carefully as a testimony to an unprecedented past.