Atop an idyllic hill in the Italian Riviera sits a tiny village with a big dream: becoming an independent nation. The Principality of Seborga already has its own flag, national anthem, passports, stamps, currency and, of course, a monarch. It hopes to one day back them up with legal recognition of its sovereignty, which it has been seeking since the 1960s.

For now, however, Seborga is simply a picturesque hamlet in the northern Italian province of Imperia, close to France, with just over 300 residents and covering about five square miles of land. The road that leads up to town has an unofficial border crossing, complete with a sentry box painted in the colors of Seborga's flag, which on occasion is manned by self-proclaimed border guards.