Rolli Palaces UNESCO Site Guided Tour Genoa

Via Garibaldi and the Rolli system

Via Garibaldi, laid out in the mid-16th century as the Strada Nuova, was the most elegant street in Genoa, lined on both sides by the palaces of the city's leading families. In 1576 the Senate of the Republic created official lists, the Rolli, of private palaces that had to host state guests. The palaces were divided into three groups by size and splendour, and lots were drawn to decide which family would welcome a cardinal, a prince or an ambassador.

This early system of public hospitality is one reason why the Strade Nuove and the Rolli Palaces were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. Your Rolli Palaces tour starts here, opposite Palazzo Tursi, the city hall, and shows how open staircases, courtyards and loggias were designed to impress visitors.

Palazzo Rosso: a museum of noble life

Palazzo Rosso, named for the red colour of its facade, was built in the 1670s for a wealthy Genoese family and later given to the city with its art collections. Today it is one of the Strada Nuova Museums, with richly frescoed rooms, period furniture and paintings by Italian and Flemish masters of the 17th century.

Walking through its halls gives you a clear picture of how the city's nobility lived during the Golden Century of Genoa, when the Republic's bankers financed kings across Europe. Entry to Palazzo Rosso is included in this guided tour in Genoa, and your guide highlights the most important rooms and works. Look up as you walk: the ceilings are some of the finest in Genoa.

Palazzo Tobia Pallavicino and its gilded gallery

Palazzo Tobia Pallavicino, one of the first palaces built on the Strada Nuova in the 1550s, has a grand entrance hall and courtyard that set the model for the street. Today it houses the Chamber of Commerce, so its interiors are not often open to the public.

Its jewel is the gilded gallery added in the 18th century, a long room covered in gold stucco, mirrors and painted panels that shimmers in the light. Seeing it with a guide who explains its symbols and its role in receiving guests is a highlight of the tour. The palace also shows how the Strada Nuova builders adapted their houses to the steep hillside, with the courtyard and garden on different levels behind the street front.

Palazzo Lomellino and its hidden fresco

Palazzo Lomellino, built in the 1560s on Via Garibaldi, is known for a surprise discovered in recent decades: a large 17th-century fresco hidden for centuries behind a false ceiling. Its themes were considered daring for their time, which may explain why it was covered over.

Your guide tells the story of the rediscovery and shows you the fresco, along with the palace's courtyard and its terraced garden with a decorated grotto. It is one of the most fascinating stops for travellers who like history with a touch of mystery. Because the palace is privately owned and opened only for visits like this, the fresco is one of the lesser-known treasures of Via Garibaldi, and many visitors to Genoa never see it.

Palazzo Imperiale and the old town

From Via Garibaldi the tour descends into the medieval lanes of Genoa's historic centre to Palazzo Imperiale, built in 1560 for a powerful merchant family on Piazza Campetto. Its facade is painted and carved, and inside a magnificent staircase rises under decorated vaults, leading to rooms with frescoes and stucco.

Walking up these stairs, you understand how the palaces of the Rolli were designed to welcome guests with drama and splendour. The tour ends here in the heart of the old town, a few minutes from San Lorenzo Cathedral and the old port, so you can continue exploring Genoa on your own. Ask your guide for tips on where to taste focaccia nearby.