Palazzo Ducale

Palazzo Ducale is the former seat of the Doges of the Republic of Genoa and today the city's main cultural centre, set on Piazza Giacomo Matteotti beside Piazza De Ferrari in the historic centre of Genoa, Liguria, Italy. The complex combines medieval and later architecture around large courtyards, with a monumental facade, grand halls and the Torre Grimaldina, a tower once used as a prison. Much of the palace is given over to a rotating programme of major art exhibitions, together with conferences, events and a bookshop. The courtyards and bookshop can be entered daily without a ticket, which makes the palace an easy stop even for visitors short on time. Exhibitions have their own hours, generally Tuesday to Sunday, and their own tickets, usually about EUR 8 to 15 depending on the show; children often receive reduced or free admission. Because the programme changes throughout the year, the experience differs from visit to visit, and checking the current exhibitions on palazzoducale.genova.it before arriving is the most useful preparation. Visitors can expect to spend one to two hours, depending on how many exhibitions they see. The covered courtyards are pleasant in rain or summer heat, and the facade is best photographed from the open piazza in the morning light. Weekday mornings are generally quiet, while popular exhibitions can build queues at weekends, especially in the final weeks of a run. The palace is about two minutes on foot from De Ferrari metro station and next to the Chiesa del Gesù and a short walk from Genoa Cathedral, so it fits naturally into a walking tour of the old town. Information is available by phone on +39 010 8171600. Because the palace hosts events and conferences as well as exhibitions, some halls can be closed on particular days, and the ticket desk can advise on what is open. Visitors on a tight schedule can simply cross the courtyards, look at the facade and the grand staircases, and continue to the neighbouring sights in a few minutes.