This October’s Rolli Days 2023 will celebrate Genoa as the Italian Book Capital with an unmissable programme of themed visits and events. During the days of the event, visitors will be able to admire volumes of great cultural value immersed in the historical settings of Genoa’s palaces, villas and noble residences. The dates of the autumn Rolli Days 2023 are 13-14-15 October.
Rolli Days bookings for visits and events are already open. Read our article to organise your visit now before tickets sell out!
The palaces open during the autumn Rolli Days 2023
In 1576, the Senate of the Republic of Genoa drew up the ‘Rolli degli alloggiamenti pubblici’, lists that included the city’s sumptuous aristocratic palaces. The Palazzo Ducale, for political and logistical reasons, could not accommodate important state guests. Therefore, the owners of the palaces listed in the Lists of the Rolli were called upon to open the doors of their residences, drawn by lot from time to time, to welcome diplomats, dignitaries and aristocrats visiting the Republic. This unique model of Genoese public hospitality made the city famous throughout Europe. Its illustrious guests, including the famous Flemish painter Pieter Paul Rubens, helped spread Genoa’s fame throughout Europe.
Since 2006, these extraordinary palaces have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Twice a year, during the Rolli Days, these residences are opened to the public, who can thus admire all the hidden splendour of Genoa.
To visit the palaces and other sites during the Rolli Days, it is necessary to book in advance. Places are limited. You have the freedom to choose what to see and to create your own personalised itinerary (we advise you to take into account the time needed to move from one palace to another). Access to the sites is free unless otherwise indicated, but always refer to the booking platform for more information as data may be updated by the organisers.
Below is a list of the Rolli palaces and villas in Genoa that you can visit during the autumn Rolli Days 2023.
The Palazzi dei Rolli open - Dates and visiting hours
Antonio Doria Spinola Palace
The Prefecture. Discovering the youthful genius of Luca Cambiaso.
LARGO EROS LANFRANCO, 1
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pPalazzo Giacomo Spinola dei Marmi
Here the Middle Ages meet one of Genoa’s most prestigious noble families: the Spinola family.
PIAZZA FONTANE MAROSE, 6
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Saturday 10am-7pmPalazzo Agostino Pallavicino
The late 16th-century Semino frescoes take us back in time.
VIA GARIBALDI, 1
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 4.40 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Palazzo Pantaleo Spinola Gambaro
The magnificence of Genoese Baroque is revealed in the hall frescoed by Domenico Viola.
VIA GARIBALDI, 2
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmFranco Lercari Parodi Palace
The exploits of Megollo Lercari made immortal by Cambiaso’s brush.
VIA GARIBALDI, 3
Visit duration 30 minutes visit. Dates: Friday 5pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pTobia Pallavicino Palace
The Genoa Chamber of Commerce. Baroque at its best.
VIA GARIBALDI, 4
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmAngelo Giovanni Spinola Palace
Here the greatest interpreters of local Mannerism created a grandiose pictorial cycle.
VIA GARIBALDI, 5
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Saturday 2-7 pm; Sunday 10 am-7 pmPalazzo Gio Battista Spinola
Decorations and frescoes by Semino and Cambiaso, formerly also the palace of the Doria family
VIA GARIBALDI, 6
Duration of visit 40 minutes. Dates: Sunday 10am-7pmBaldassarre Lomellini Palace
Palace built by the banker of King Philip II of Spain.
VIA GARIBALDI, 12
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 2pm-3.30pm; Saturday 9am-10.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pmNicolosio Lomellino Palace
Gardens and Fountains in the Heart of the Strada Nuova.
VIA GARIBALDI, 7
Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm. Entrance fee.Palazzo Rosso
The home of the Brignole-Sale family and their important art collection.
VIA GARIBALDI, 18
Dates: Friday 3pm-6pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pmPalazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi
Flemish and Italian Masterpieces, from Rubens to Caravaggio.
VIA GARIBALDI, 11
Dates: Friday 3pm-6pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pmPalazzo della Meridiana
Free entrance for the atrium and colonnade, while the visit to the Salone di Cambiaso is only on Sundays and subject to payment.
SALITA SAN FRANCESCO, 4
Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmLomellini Patrone Palace
The Military Command. Carlone and Fiasella in the home of the Lomellini family.
LARGO ZECCA, 2
Visit duration 45 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-6pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-12pm and 2pm-6pmLauro Palace
Also known as Palazzo Nicolò Lomellini.
PIAZZA DELLA NUNZIATA, 5
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Palazzo Balbi Senarega
It houses the Faculty of Letters. Here we can enjoy Valerio Castello’s masterpiece.
VIA BALBI, 4
Visit lasts 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.University Palace
The former Jesuit college designed by Bartolomeo Bianco houses artistic marvels such as statues by Giambologna.
VIA BALBI, 5
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmRoyal Palace Museum
Entrance fee 2 €. Maximum capacity per round: 100 people.
VIA BALBI, 10
Dates: Friday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday 9.30 a.m. – 7 p.m.Gio Battista Centurione Pitto Palace
The Genoese Baroque is at home, with works by Bartolomeo Guidobono
VIA DEL CAMPO, 1
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmNational Gallery of Palazzo Spinola
Entrance fee 2 €. Maximum capacity per turn 50 people.
PIAZZA DI PELLICCERIA, 1
Dates: Friday 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday 9.30 a.m. – 7 p.m.Ambrogio di Negro Palace
In the home of one of the richest men in Europe.
VIA SAN LUCA, 2
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmPalazzo Lercari Spinola
The palace is the result of the 16th-century renovation of the 13th-century domus of the Spinola family.
VIA DEGLI OREFICI, 7
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday 10am-7pmPalazzo Gio Vincenzo Imperiale
Discover the home of one of the most cultured Genoese nobles of his time.
PIAZZA CAMPETTO, 8
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm. Entrance feeCattaneo Della Volta Palace
Admire the beauty of the frescoes from the Genoese Baroque school.
PIAZZA CATTANEO, 26
Visit lasts 40 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmPalazzo Sinibaldo Fieschi
The ‘neighbour’ of the city Cathedral of San Lorenzo.
VIA SAN LORENZO, 17
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmPalazzo Franzone Spinola
Domenico Parodi’s Allegories in the noble palace of the Spinola di Luccoli.
VIA LUCCOLI, 23
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm
Genoese villas and other sites to visit
Villa Spinola di San Pietro
Baroque aristocratic villa in the west of Genoa, in Sampierdarena.
VIA SAN PIETRO, 2
Visit duration 45 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmVilla Centurione del Monastero
A 16th-century patrician villa in the Sampierdarena district.
PIAZZA DEL MONASTERO
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmVilla Pallavicino delle Peschiere
Once a suburban villa, now conveniently located in the city centre. It shines with the art of Luca Cambiaso and the Bergamasco.
Visit duration 40 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmVilla del Principe
The residence built by Admiral Andrea Doria
PIAZZA DEL PRINCIPE, 4
Visit duration 50 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 10am-7pm. Entrance fee.Villa Imperiale Scassi
Bernardo Castello’s Jerusalem Delivered in the 16th century patrician villa in Sampierdarena
LARGO PIETRO GOZZANO, 3
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmAlbergo dei Poveri
The interior of the largest building in the city with one of the most beautiful Puget statues.
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm. Entrance fee.Archive Magistrate of Misericordia
Free visit accompanied by the Archivist. VIA DEI GIUSTINIANI, 25
To visit the Archives freely, just turn up at any time. Friday, Saturday and Sunday 2-5 p.m.State Archives
VIA SANTA CHIARA, 28R
Visit duration 1 hour. Dates: Friday 6pm-10pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-6pmCarlo Felice Theatre
The city’s most important theatre opens its doors to introduce you to its treasures.
PASSO EUGENIO MONTALE, 4
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 3-6 pm; Saturday 3-6 pm; Sunday 12-2 pmPalazzo Doria Carcassi
Carige Foundation. The offices of the Paganini Prize will be open for the first time.
VIA DAVID CHIOSSONE, 10
Visit duration 50 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pmBPER Palace
Discovering ancient coins in the fascinating Cassa di Risparmio vault.
VIA CASSA DI RISPARMIO, 15
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.Archbishop’s Palace
PIAZZA MATTEOTTI, 4
Visit duration 30 minutes. Dates: Friday 3pm-7pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm
Rolli Days events for Genoa Italian Book Capital 2023
The Rolli Days celebrate Genoa, Italian Book Capital 2023, in an extraordinary encounter between prestigious places and precious volumes.
- Durazzo Book of Hours or Offiziolo Durazzo
Location: Berio Library
Friday 13 October: 15.00 – 18.00
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The Berio Library hosts an exceptional exhibition dedicated to the Offiziolo Durazzo, a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance illumination. This rare manuscript will exceptionally be on public display with guided tours. Created in Parma in the early 16th century, this ‘handbook’ is a unique example of luxury, with its purple parchment and gold lettering. An extraordinary work by miniaturist Francesco Marmitta and calligrapher Pietro Antonio Sallando, whose patron remains a mystery. This treasure will be revealed through information panels and themed reading suggestions in the entrance tunnel and in the BerioIdea space on the ground floor of the library. - Pietro Paolo Rubens, Palaces of Genoa, 1622 and 1652 editions
Location: Strada Nuova Museums – Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Tursi
Friday: 15.00 – 18.00
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The two editions of the book that Pieter Paul Rubens dedicated to the Palaces of Genoa are an extraordinary journey into the magnificence of Genoa. The first includes 72 prints of plans, sections and elevations of buildings, and the second volume contains 67 prints of buildings including 9 plates dedicated to cultic buildings. The exhibition allows visitors to browse through the history of these ‘Special Gentlemen’ and their residences, offering a unique opportunity to experience Rubens’ awe.
- Martin Pierre Gauthier, Les plus beaux édifices de la ville de Gênes et de ses environs
Location: Strada Nuova Museums – Palazzo Bianco
Friday: 15.00 – 18.00
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
This 1818 volume presents drawings of the most beautiful palaces in Genoa, including the monumental Palazzi dei Rolli. These pages are an essential reference point for appreciating the now lost magnificence of these buildings, symbols of Genoese power. - Robert Reinhardt, Palaces of Genoa from the 15th to the 17th century
Location: Palazzo Balbi Senarega
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Another 19th-century volume testifying to the grandeur of the Palazzi dei Rolli and their symbolic impact on Genoa. Reinhardt also shows the exceptional nature of the grottoes in the Genoese gardens, an integral part of these noble residences. - Diderot and D’Alembert, Encyclopédie, 1774 edition
Location: Palazzo Baldassarre Lomellini (Via Garibaldi 12)
Friday: 14:00 – 15:30
Saturday: 9:00 – 10:30 and 13:30 – 15:30
Two copies of this fundamental encyclopaedic treatise will be on display, with a special focus on the illustration of the Salone del Sole, an example of great modern architecture that has now disappeared.
Guided tours in foreign languages Rolli Days 2023
Discovering three of the most beautiful Palazzi dei Rolli through the historical and artistic explanations in the english language.
Saturday at 11.20 am and 3 pm, Palazzo Bianco (via Garibaldi, 11)
Saturday at 12.20 am and 4.20 pm, Palazzo Agostino Pallavicini (via Garibaldi, 1)
Sunday at 10.20 am and 2.20 pm Palazzo Spinola Franzone (via Luccoli, 23)
Sunday at 11.20 am and 4.20 pm Palazzo Lercari Parodi (via Garibaldi, 3)
30-minute visit. Book here.
Discover two of the most beautiful buildings on the Strada Nuova with historical and artistic explanations in French.
Saturday at 2.00 pm and 6.00 pm, Palazzo Lercari Spinola (via degli Orefici, 7)
Sunday at 11.20h and 15.00h, Villa Imperiale Scassi (largo Pietro Gozzano, 3 – Genova Sampierdarena).
30-minute visit. Book here.
Rolli Days 2023: Tickets and booking
Are you ready for a unique journey into the heart of Renaissance and Baroque Genoa during the Rolli Days 2023? Here’s everything you need to know to participate.
Are the Rolli Days free?
Unless otherwise stated, visits and events during the Rolli Days are free of charge but places are subject to availability. You can book up to 4 places per booking.
How to book for the Rolli Days
To immerse yourself in the art and history of the Palazzi dei Rolli, you must book your place in advance. When booking, you will have the opportunity to select your preferred visit time slot, if available. For more information go to the booking platform.
Customise your visit
You have the freedom to explore all the sites open during the Rolli Days. On the platform you can choose the palaces you wish to visit and build your personalised itinerary. Remember to consider transfer times from one palace to another when planning your day.
