Genoa was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, who embodied the active maritime tradition of the city. Its ancient heart, Europe’s biggest historic medieval centre is crisscrossed by a tight weave of alleys that capture the multicultural soul that has always characterised the city’s history. Here, among workshops, eateries, and beautiful shops, you can find a glimpse of Genoa’s noble past consisting of sixteenth-century villas and prestigious churches facing small squares nestled between the buildings.

The Ducal Palace, San Lorenzo Cathedral, Church of San Matteo, and Palazzo San Giorgio are some of the most important historical monuments. 

The Palazzo Bianco and the Palazzo Rosso are the two largest art galleries; the Museum of Oriental Art and the Cathedral Treasury have extensive medieval collections. The Strade Nuove, now Via Garibaldi, and the Palazzi dei Rolli, the first European examples of an urban development project, were proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006.