Venice Square (Piazza Venezia)

Piazza Venezia is the best place to visit when visiting the Colosseum and Roman Forum, as it is right around the corner at the end of Via dei Fori Imperiali, and the first impression is quite distinctive.

The National Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II (often shortened to Altare della Patria) is directly to your left as you enter the square. The white marble memorial honors the man credited with the unification of Italy in the mid-19th century. The monument's vast, ostentatious design required the entire area of Medieval Rome to be destroyed. demolished to make room for it. Many Romans disliked the memorial, but it's hard to ignore the outstanding work of the Italian sculptors commissioned to create the memorial, including Leonardo Bistolfi and Angelo Zanelli.

Behind the colossal equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel lies the always-attractive Centrale del Risorgimento Italiano, which sheds light on the unification of Italy, along with defining moments in history. A glass elevator takes visitors to the viewing platform, offering breathtaking views of the ancient ruins to the southeast. Admission to the museum is free on the first Tuesday of the month.

From the moment you arrive at the Altare della Patria, try to break away from the noise of traffic and admire the square. Piazza Venezia occupies most of the left side of the square and was erected in the mid-15th century by Cardinal Pietro Barbo, who later became pope. A few centuries later, Mussolini took over the palace as his headquarters and used the balcony for public speaking. But today it's dedicated to the Museo del Palazzo di Venezia, which has a series of exhibits including beautiful 14th-century religious paintings, a collection of ancient German wooden statues and a oil galleries, including Wedding at Cana by Francesco Solimena and Dance of the Nymphs by Donato Creti.

There are also two smaller palaces - Palazzo Generali and Palazzo Bonaparte (named after the mother of the French emperor) - so you may want to enjoy an espresso on the go.

Venice Square in the center of Rome. The bus stop and the Colosseo metro station are both nearby.