Palazzi dei Rolli and Via Garibaldi (Strada Nuova Museums)

Via Garibaldi, laid out in the 1550s as the aristocratic 'Strada Nuova', is the heart of the Palazzi dei Rolli, the system of grand private palaces that Genoa's leading families registered to host visiting dignitaries of the Republic. The street and its palaces were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, and walking its short, traffic-free length reveals a near-continuous wall of Renaissance and Baroque facades, frescoed vestibules and columned courtyards visible through open portals. Three of the palaces form the Musei di Strada Nuova, entered on a single combined ticket. Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco hold the city's most important art collections, with works by Van Dyck, Rubens, Caravaggio, Veronese, Durer and local masters, displayed in richly decorated period rooms. Palazzo Tursi, now part of Genoa's city hall, shows Paganini's violin known as the 'Cannone', Columbus letters and a coin collection. A typical visit across all three palaces takes two to three hours, more for art lovers who linger over the picture galleries. The rooftop terrace, or mirador, of Palazzo Rosso is a highlight, giving free panoramic views across the rooftops of the centro storico. Crowds are modest compared with Italy's blockbuster museums, though tour groups cluster mid-morning; the quietest and most atmospheric time is Friday evening, when Palazzo Rosso stays open late. The frescoed first-floor salons and the courtyards make the best photographs, particularly when low sunlight rakes across the painted ceilings. Beyond the three museum palaces, several other Rolli buildings along the street open their entrance halls to the public, and many take part in the twice-yearly Rolli Days when private palaces across Genoa open their doors. The street sits in central Liguria's regional capital, a short walk from Piazza De Ferrari, and combines naturally with the nearby cathedral and old port.