Genoa: Private Royal Palace, Rolli Palaces & walking guided tour

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.

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.

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. 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.