Visit the wonderful Genoese residences of the XVI century and join this guided tour of the Rolli Palaces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A guided tour of some of the most sumptuous residences built by the aristocratic Genoese families during the so-called “ Secolo d’Oro“ (“The Golden Century”), between the 16th and 17th century. The System of the "Palazzi dei Rolli" includes splendid palaces with open staircases, courtyards and loggias overlooking gardens. The palaces, positioned at different levels, were part of a network of public hospitality houses for state visits, as decreed by the Senate of the Republic of Genoa in 1576. The “Rolli” (named from the parchment rolls in which the palaces were inscribed) were subdivided into three “bussoli”, balloting lists, where the palaces were registered according to their richness and dimension. Lots were drawn to decide which palace would have the privilege - and the duty - of playing host to visiting state dignitaries. The first “bussolo” was for cardinals, princes and viceroys, the second for large scale landowners and third for princes of lesser standing and ambassadors: the first example of hôtellerie in Europe. The “Rolli” were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. These exclusive and elegantly decorated residences did not escape the eye of a fine artist as the great Flemish painter Rubens, who at the beginning of the 17th century published a book collecting the drawings of these buildings as a residential model for the Antwerp nobility. Experience a piece of Italy's extravagant Golden Century in Genoa.

The tour allows you to discover the historical center of Genoa and the wonderful Palazzi dei Rolli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These elegant residences belonged to the aristocracy and date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. You will be guided through the narrow alleys (Caruggi) of the widest historical center in Europe, to discover its many curiosities and secrets. The tour starts from the Old Port area and guides you through the highlights of the city, including the San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Doge Palace, the Opera House, and the wonderful Strada Nuova Museums. In the museums – the galleries of Pallazo Rosso, the Palazzo Bianco, and Palazzo Tursi – you can admire the antique furniture and important masterpieces of Italian and foreign artists. The museum exhibits works by Veronese, Procaccini, Rubens, Van Dyck, and many more.

With this welcoming tour, transform traveling philosophy: make it as much about the people you meet as the places you see. Explore the city with a friendly local who is passionate about his or her city and eager to share all the tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your trip. Meet wherever you're staying to get familiar with the neighborhood, find out about the best places to eat and buy groceries, discover the easiest ways to get around and learn about the top things to see and do. By the end of the tour, you'll feel more comfortable navigating the city and confident that you have all the information needed to make the most of your stay.

Immerse yourself in a private dining experience at a local's home, enjoying an exclusive show cooking and tasting authentic recipes treasured in family cookbooks passed down by real Italian "Mammas". This experience will allow you to feel the warmth of Italian hospitality as you connect with local people. You will enjoy a 4-course menu including a starter, pasta, a main course with a side dish, and dessert, with drinks included (water, selection of red and white wines from regional cellars and coffee).

Explore Genoa's downtown alleys with a local foodie, sitting in typical restaurants, tasting some of the best traditional dishes carefully chosen on a daily basis. You will be surrounded by a genuine and unique environment, a memorable way of tasting the city's traditional specialties and of visiting Genoa. Your guide will choose the best dishes for you, aiming to introduce you to the city's traditions. He will suggest to you the best restaurants and make this culinary experience delightful. You will taste some of the following specialties on this food tour (depending on availability): Pasta with pesto, savory pastries, focaccia with cheese, fried calamari, stockfish, anchovies, frisceu, coffee and dessert.

Explore the picturesque medieval district of Carmine where you'll listen to a song about the lively atmosphere of the past and then you'll admire the beautiful Renaissance noble palaces in Via Lomellini. Pass by Sottoripa, a historical street where trade began to flourish since the Middle Ages. Stop by the Embriaci Tower, the tallest in Genoa, and visit the colorful square of Campopisano where you'll listen to other songs about legends and important historical facts. Walk along the legendary Redbeard walls and learn about history through music and finally get to Porta Soprana, one of the gates of the old town, very close to Christopher Colombus house.

Explore an enchanted place suspended between the past and present which mirrors modern Genoese society. Venture on this journey through time and art ranging from classicism and realism to the lightness and mystery of Art Deco. Meet well known and proud Genoese entrepreneurs in Staglieno, as well as famous people from history like Giuseppe Mazzini and Nino Bixio. Encounter art jewels like the Oneto Tomb by Giulio Monteverde with the impressive and mysterious angel and Caterina Campodonico tomb, the well-known nut seller. Embrace your punk side and see the tombs that appeared on the Joy Division album 'Closer' and the 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' sleeve. Additionally, this site is also the final resting place of Constance Lloyd, who was the wife of Oscar Wilde. Lastly, respectfully engage in a special visit that is dedicated to the old Jewish Section, a very small but significant area of he Cemetery that is full of remembrance and greenery.

Set out from the meeting point at the Old Port and immerse yourself in the city center while discovering the most picturesque spots in town. Feel the charm and beauty of one of the largest medieval city centers of Europe by strolling between the historic and traditional alleyways. Admire the beautiful facades, courtyards, several palaces like Palazzo san Giorgio, the old Genoese bank, Palazzo Ducale, the seat of the Doge, the Cathedral, and much more. Photograph the Piazza De Ferrari with elegant twentieth-century architecture and the main meeting and shopping area in town. Marvel at Via Garibaldi, the heart of the Unesco site with its "Palazzi", frescoes, and decorations.

Ticket: Escorted tour of Casa di Colombo Not far from Porta Soprana, just outside the ancient medieval walls, is the Casa di Colombo, where the discoverer of the Americas lived in his youth. According to archival documents, Domenico Colombo, father of the great navigator, moved here in 1455, when Christopher was four years old. The ground floor of the house was used as a workshop; an attic with wooden beams divides it from the upper floor, where the rooms for private use were located. Ticket: Escorted tour of Casa di Colombo Not far from Porta Soprana, just outside the ancient medieval walls, is the Casa di Colombo, where the discoverer of the Americas lived in his youth. According to archival documents, Domenico Colombo, father of the great navigator, moved here in 1455, when Christopher was four years old. The ground floor of the house was used as a workshop; an attic with wooden beams divides it from the upper floor, where the rooms for private use were located.

See some of the most sumptuous residences built by the aristocratic Genoese families on guided tour of the Palazzi dei Roll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built during the Golden Century, the grounds include splendid open staircases, courtyards, and loggias overlooking gardens. The Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa’s historic center date from the late 16th and early 17th centuries when the Republic of Genoa was at the height of its financial and seafaring power. Discover the palaces positioned on different levels that were part of a network of public hospitality houses for state visits, as decreed by the Senate of the Republic of Genoa in 1576.    Explore the Palazzo Reale, built in the 17th century by the Balbi family, based on the designs of Pier Francesco Cantone. One of the largest architectural complexes in Genoa, its reception halls are decorated with frescoes, stuccos, paintings, sculptures, furniture, and fittings belonging to the noble and royal families who lived there. Some of the most important names in Baroque and Rococo decorative art frescoed the vaulted ceiling of the living rooms and galleries. Among the more than 100 paintings on display are works by the greatest 17th-century Genoese artists. Other works on display are masterpieces by Anton Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Guercino, Luca Giordano, Ferdinand Voet, and Bassano.