Casa del Mantegna is a small but rewarding stop for anyone following Mantua's Renaissance thread. Traditionally linked to the painter Andrea Mantegna, the house is most memorable for its geometry: a severe exterior giving way to a circular courtyard that feels like an architectural sketch made real.
It sits close enough to Palazzo Te to combine the two, and it works best as a short visit rather than a destination in itself. Temporary exhibitions often occupy the rooms, but the building is the reason to come.