MAXXI, Rome (Zaha Hadid)
EraHadid's flowing concrete museum — the building is as much an artwork as the collection. The swooping galleries and intersecting volumes are breathtaking. Excellent contemporary exhibitions.
Fondazione Prada, Milan (OMA/Koolhaas)
EraA distillery transformed into an art complex — gold-leafed "Haunted House" tower, mirrored cinema bar, and world-class exhibitions. The Bar Luce designed by Wes Anderson is a must-visit.
Renzo Piano's Works (Genoa, Rome, Turin)
EraItaly's greatest living architect. The Genoa Aquarium, Rome Auditorium, and the rebuilt Ponte Morandi (San Giorgio bridge) in Genoa are all Piano works.
Bosco Verticale, Milan (Boeri)
EraThe "Vertical Forest" — two residential towers covered in 900 trees and 20,000 plants. Now an icon of sustainable architecture. Best viewed from Porta Nuova district.
Nuvola Convention Center, Rome (Fuksas)
EraA cloud-like structure suspended inside a glass box — Massimiliano Fuksas's controversial masterpiece in EUR. Extraordinary engineering.
Where to start
Milan for contemporary architecture (Fondazione Prada + Bosco Verticale + Porta Nuova). Rome for MAXXI. Genoa for Renzo Piano.