Untold Italy · Friday, July 17, 2026
Untold Italy host Katie Clark highlights Genoa as an emerging destination with significant cultural sites, particularly recommending the Palazzi dei Rolli UNESCO site. This collection features 42 palaces built by wealthy families between the 16th and 17th centuries. Clark notes that during special 'Rolli Days' in spring and fall, these palaces open to the public, showcasing ornate rooms, frescoes, and artwork, offering a less crowded experience compared to major tourist hubs.
“Genoa is really an up and coming destination. Well, I say that, but the city once ruled the ways and it has the palazzi to prove it, So I suggest it's visiting the palazzi de Roli Unesco site. This is an open air museum in the center of Genoa and it's a collection of forty two buildings and homes of the city's most powerful elite families, built between the sixteenth and seventeenth century.”
“On special days throughout the year, mainly spring and fall or autumn, they have these days known as Rolly Days, where the palaces are open free to the public. And what you can expect there are the ornate rooms, frescoes, sumptuous furnishing, artwork and more. It's really quite spectacular.”
“Genoa is one of those places that hides its treasures behind very robust walls and sort of like innocuous environment. You might think, oh, yeah, I don't know what's going on in this city, but it's one of those places we really need to go looking and you will definitely find a lot of things to excite you about this city, and a lot of them are in this palazzi.”