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Via Garibaldi is an elegant cobbled street located in Genoa's historic center, a stone's throw from the famous alleys and not far from Via Balbi. It is home to the city's Town Hall, a number of museums, clubs and historic stores, all housed in ancient noble palaces that are part of the Palazzi dei Rolli list.
The street was built around the second half of the 16th century by some noble families who, in order to assert their wealth, built sumptuous palaces in an area known for its scarcity of building space. This scarcity of land led architects of the time to find imaginative solutions to carve out loggias and gardens, shaping the street that came to be known as Strada Nuova.
Via Garibaldi is today a pedestrian street that is easy to reach both on foot and by public transportation. Starting from the Hotel Astoria it is possible to take a walk of only 15 minutes, or take the subway, making one stop and getting off at Corvetto station.
What are the Palazzi dei Rolli?
The Rolli were originally a list of the city's most beautiful and elegant aristocratic palaces, deemed worthy of hosting prominent personalities visiting Genoa. Now proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palazzi dei Rolli today are partly open to the public and house museums and exhibitions. Others, which can only be visited during the Rolli Days held about twice a year, house offices and banks.
What to see in Via Garibaldi in Genoa
Strada Nuova Museums
The Strada Nuova Museums are a museum complex located in three different buildings facing Via Garibaldi: Palazzo Doria-Tursi, Palazzo Bianco, and Palazzo Rosso.
Externally they display a typical Baroque style, and were originally the homes of some of the city's most influential aristocratic families.
Palazzo Tursi today is home to the city's City Hall, and its interior houses priceless works of art. It also houses the famous Cannone, Paganini's favorite violin, located inside the Sale Paganiniane.
Palazzo Bianco houses the most important picture gallery in Liguria, dedicated to Italian painting created from the 16th to the 18th century. It is also possible to admire important works by Flemish and Spanish painters, and Ecce Homo, one of Caravaggio's best works.
Finally, Palazzo Rosso presents itself as a house-museum in typical 17th-century taste, where it is still possible to admire precious stuccoes and the original furnishings of the period. You can also admire all the paintings that once belonged to the Brignole-Sala families, which also include works by Guercino and Van Dyck.
Palace of the Sundial
Palazzo della Meridiana, restored in recent years, is one of the most beautiful palaces overlooking Via Garibaldi. It was built between 1536 and 1544 by Genoese banker Gerolamo Grimaldi Oliva and is known for its precious frescoes and decorations.
Exhibitions and events are held inside, while the palace can currently be visited once a month by taking part in a thematic guided tour.