Palazzo Reale, Genoa

This baroque palace on the grand Via Balbi was built by a wealthy Genoese family in the 17th century and later acquired by the royal house of Savoy, whose name it now bears. Its opulent state apartments preserve frescoed ceilings, gilded stucco and a celebrated hall of mirrors that recalls grander royal residences. A collection of paintings, sculpture and furnishings fills the piano nobile, and terraced gardens step down toward the harbour, offering sweeping views over the port.