From April 28 to May 1, it’s Rolli Days once again!
The UNESCO Site of Genoa, which includes the 42 aristocratic palaces that line the so-called “Strade Nuove,” is preparing to celebrate this year’s 15th edition of the event: for the occasion, all 12 historic palaces on Via Garibaldi will be open at the same time, a special event only for Rolli Days Spring 2023.
But the whole city will be in celebration, with side events involving every district, from Nervi to Voltri. Below you will find our tips for fully experiencing Genoa during these four days of holiday, as well as the experience of visiting the monumental streets that are the heart of the UNESCO site (and of course to eat come to us at Trattoria in Piazza Cavour 21, right?!).
- An eighteenth-century boudoir and the villas of the city’s west side
- Going up to the rooftops to discover a Genoa never seen before
- Guided tours that reveal the secrets of the Palazzo Ducale to you
- Letizia Battaglia’s photographs on exhibit at the Sottoporticato
- Man Ray’s art at the Doge’s Apartment
An eighteenth-century boudoir and the villas of the city's west side
At the Villa Duchessa di Galliera, we go back in time with a historical reconstruction featuring the furnishings of the period
The theme of the Rolli Days Spring 2023 is ‘The Sea, Genoa and its Palaces’ and tells us about the very close bond between Genoa’s noble families and their sea. So for this edition of the Rolli Days the protagonists of the event will also be the suburban villas of the city’s west side, the holiday residences of the Genoese aristocracy: for example, in Cornigliano it will be possible to take a tour of the district’s historical villas following the thread of the Spinola family and its members, in particular Ambrogio Spinola, one of the most famous 16th century commanders.
Moreover, in Voltri, the Villa Brignole Sale Duchessa di Galliera will host an exhibition recreating the Duchess’s donation to the municipality of Genoa for the construction of the city’s first civic art gallery: the exhibition includes works from the deposits of Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco and documentation from the period that testifies to the events leading up to the donation.
The Villa Brignole Sale Duchessa di Galliera is an 18th century Genoese aristocratic villa with a 32-hectare park overlooking the sea. It is located at the western end of Genoa, on the hill in the Voltri district. Inside the villa and its park we find a large Italian garden, a theatre from 1785, a forest, a neo-Romanesque castle with grottos and artificial waterfalls… but also olive trees, fallow deer, Tibetan goats and an ancient sanctuary. You can spend a whole day at the Villa Duchessa di Galliera without ever getting bored!
In addition to the exhibition “Il Magnifico Dono” (The Magnificent Gift), for the Rolli Days it will be possible for the first time ever to visit a part of the Villa Brignole Sale Duchessa di Galliera usually closed to the public: the kitchens, the Brignole Sale’s 18th-century boudoir and the bathroom with 18th-century majolica and furnishings of the period.
The main entrance Villa Brignole Sale Duchessa di Galliera is in Vico Nicolò da Corte 2 in Genova Voltri.
Bus: Stop Camozzini 1/ Villa Duchessa. AMT bus line 1. Departure from Piazza Caricamento.
Train: the journey from Genova Piazza Principe takes 25/30 minutes. Get off at Genova Voltri.
Parking: there are parking areas on the sea side of Via Camozzini.
Photo Credit: FAI
Going up to the rooftops to discover a Genoa never seen before
For one day, the terraces of five buildings in the historic centre open their doors to the city
On Saturday 29 April from 3 p.m. until sunset you can enjoy a unique experience that will change your perspective on the town: after hundreds of steps or by lift you will discover a Genoa you have never seen before!
In the Sestiere della Maddalena five terraces will be open and can be visited:
- Palazzo Gio Batta Grimaldi, vico San Luca 4
Lift + 24 steps. Total steps: 183. Difficulty of ascent: low. Large terrace. Suitable for children - Basilica di San Siro, Piazza di Santa Maria degli Angeli 3
No lift. Total steps: 67. Difficulty of ascent: medium. Large terrace. Suitable for children - Palazzo De Mari, vico Superiore del Ferro 1
No lift. Total steps: 153. Difficulty of ascent: high. Large terrace. Not suitable for children - Palazzo Ottavio Imperiale, known as Casareto De Mari “del Melograno”, piazza Campetto 2
Lift + 47 steps. Total steps: 106. Difficulty of ascent: low. Very small terrace. Not suitable for children - Agostino De Franchi Palace, Piazza Posta Vecchia 3
Lift + 24 steps. Total steps: 166. Difficulty of ascent: low. Large terrace. Suitable for children
The event is free of charge and registration is required in Piazza San Luca from 14.30.
In case of rain, the event will be postponed.
Guided tours that reveal the secrets of the Palazzo Ducale to you
An opportunity not to be missed to learn about the true history of the palace, from its foundation to the present day
For centuries the seat of power of the Republic of Genoa, the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) in contemporary times has become the most important cultural centre of the city, without ever losing its fascinating history: traces of its glorious and mysterious past when this palace was a fortress and royal palace are still visible. Discover all the secrets of the Doge’s Palace by taking a guided tour of the Salone del Maggior Consiglio, the Grimaldina Tower (with its ancient prisons) and the Doge’s Chapel.
The Doge’s Chapel itself is exceptionally hosting, until 1 May, the painting ‘Saint Ursula’ by Valerio Castello (1624-1659), one of the most representative artists of the Genoese painting scene, from a private collection. This dialogue between works allows us to recover pieces of history through the testimony of the arts: a real opportunity to deepen the city’s cultural heritage.
Access to the Doge’s Chapel: Sunday to Monday, 11am-7pm. Possible joint purchase of ticket with the Man Ray exhibition.
Guided tours of the Doge’s Palace: Saturday 29 April 2023 (11 am and 3.30 pm); Sunday 30 April 2023 (11 am – 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm); Monday 1 May 2023 (11 am and 3 pm)
Photo Credit: Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura
Letizia Battaglia's photographs on exhibit at the Sottoporticato
An institution in the world of photography and journalism. And his shots are a symbol of civil and political commitment
The exhibition ‘Letizia Battaglia sono io’ (Letizia Battaglia is me) will be inaugurated during this weekend at the end of April. The rooms of the Sottoporticato of the Palazzo Ducale from 29 April to 1 November will be the setting for the retrospective on Letizia Battaglia, a Sicilian artist who has been able to reveal the contradictions of the world with her photographs, starting with images of her Sicily. Here she began professionally in the 1970s, portraying an everyday life of women and children, traditional religious processions but also the Mafia. Letizia Battaglia’s civil commitment is conveyed to us through her eye and her lens: her images are still a precious testimony to the horrors of Cosa Nostra.
The exhibition accompanies us through Letizia Battaglia’s professional and artistic life with 100 large-format photographs: the series of photos focus on both her black and white production and her more recent colour ones; there will also be previously unpublished material, such as videos and documents by the Sicilian photographer and artist.
Exhibition hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm. The ticket office closes one hour before.
Special Opening Monday, May 1: 10 am to 7 pm.
Photo Credit: Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura
Man Ray's art at the Doge's Apartment
Irony, sensuality, experimentation, innovation. Discover all the sides of this great artist
Over 300 works retracing the entire artistic biography of Emmanuel Radnitzky, aka Man Ray. In the rooms of the Doge’s Apartment in the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) until 9 July there is “Man Ray. Opere 1912-1975” exhibition that brings together his wide expressive production ranging from photography, painting and sculpture to avant-garde cinema: it will be possible to see live screenings of his historic films such as Le Retour à la raison (1923), Emak Bakia (1926), L’Étoile de mer (1928) and Les Mystères du château du dé (1929).
The exhibition is divided into seven sections that narrate Man Ray’s work from his American debut: born in Philadelphia, it was the city of New York that hosted his first solo exhibition in 1915; in the 1920s Man Ray moved to Paris, where he was a protagonist of the city’s golden artistic season between Dadaism and Surrealism; even after his return to the United States, due to the outbreak of World War II, Man Ray continued to stimulate the art world with his works, his intelligence and irony.
Exhibition hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm. The ticket office closes one hour before.
Special Opening Monday, May 1: 10 am to 7 pm.
Guided tour: Saturday 29 April, 5.30 p.m.
Photo Credit: Palazzo Ducale Fondazione per la Cultura
