Genoese spring dresses in novelty
The weekend of April 25-26 brings to Genoa the fragrance of mature spring, when the city definitively awakens from winter’s mild temperatures and embraces longer days. Café terraces fill up, the caruggi echo with lighter footsteps, and Genoese people return to living the city with that naturalness that only the beautiful season can offer. It is the perfect moment to discover a Genoa that knows how to surprise, between international cultural events and innovative proposals that nod to contemporary trends.
This weekend the Superba offers a mosaic of experiences ranging from author-written music to visual arts, from theater to conscious gastronomy. Programming that reflects the eclectic soul of a city that knows how to look toward the future without forgetting its own roots, where maritime tradition intertwines with the most refined cultural experimentation.
VEGenova Festival: the green revolution at Villa Bombrini
Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, Villa Durazzo Bombrini transforms into the pulsing heart of Italian vegan culture. VEGenova 2026, now in its fourth edition, is not simply a gastronomic fair, but a true laboratory of ideas for a more sustainable future. With over 60 stands of producers, artisans and plant-based brands, the festival represents a unique opportunity to discover how rich the vegan world is in flavors, creativity and innovation.
The event stands out for the quality of its offerings: from plant-based alternatives to traditional Ligurian cheeses to vegan reinterpretations of Genoese focaccia, from sweets without animal derivatives to naturally fermented beverages. But VEGenova goes beyond the purely commercial aspect, offering a program of conferences with world-renowned activists, practical workshops and debates addressing crucial issues such as environmental sustainability and food ethics. Villa Bombrini, with its historic gardens and splendid nineteenth-century architecture, provides the perfect setting for this celebration of food consciousness.
Paolo Fresu at Giardini Luzzati: jazz under the stars
Friday, April 25, the Giardini Luzzati hosts one of the most anticipated musical appointments of the season: the concert by Paolo Fresu together with bandoneon master Daniele di Bonaventura. Two virtuosos who have made sonic contamination their stylistic hallmark, in a meeting that promises to transform the small green space in the historic center into a temple of author-written music.
Fresu, considered one of the most important trumpeters in the international scene, brings with him that unique ability to fuse jazz, ethnic music and contemporary experimentation into a universal language that is deeply emotional. At his side, Daniele di Bonaventura transforms the bandoneon into an instrument of pure sonic poetry, capable of evoking atmospheres ranging from Argentine tango to the most avant-garde sonorities. The duo has already graced the most prestigious stages in the world, and seeing them perform in the intimacy of Giardini Luzzati represents a rare privilege for lovers of quality music.
The Giardini Luzzati, with its intimate atmosphere and proximity to medieval caruggi, offer natural acoustics that highlight every nuance of the instruments. It is no accident that this small green space has become one of the most beloved places for jazz concerts and author-written music in Genoa.
Mimmo Rotella: the art of décollage at Palazzo Ducale
From April 24, Palazzo Ducale inaugurates a monumental retrospective dedicated to Mimmo Rotella, one of the absolute protagonists of twentieth-century Italian art. The exhibition “Mimmo Rotella 1945-2005” traces over sixty years of creative research, from the first abstract experiments of the post-war period to the celebrated décollage works that revolutionized the very concept of contemporary painting.
Rotella, born in Calabria but cosmopolitan by vocation, managed to transform posters torn from urban walls into works of extraordinary expressive power. His décollage technique – the opposite of collage – consisted of strategically tearing advertising and film posters, revealing the underlying layers in compositions with strong visual and conceptual impact. The result was works that spoke about contemporary society through its own communicative languages, anticipating themes that today we would call urban art and street art.
The exhibition at Palazzo Ducale presents over one hundred works from the most important public and private collections, offering a complete journey through Rotella’s artistic evolution. From his first abstract canvases of the 1950s to the décollages of the 1960s, from monochromatic Blanks to the colorful Overpaintings of recent decades, each phase is documented with scientific rigor and displayed with particular attention to public accessibility.
Theater and Music: Giorgio Panariello at Carlo Felice
On Sunday, April 26, the Carlo Felice Theater welcomes Giorgio Panariello with his show “And if Tomorrow,” an ironic and biting reflection on the times we live in. Panariello, who for decades has represented one of the most authentic voices of Italian comedy, brings to the stage of Genoa’s leading theater a monologue that alternates laughter and moments of genuine emotion.
“And if Tomorrow” is not a classic comedy show made up of sketches and impressions, but a more mature and personal journey in which Panariello confronts the great themes of existence: the passage of time, changing dreams, the ability to reinvent oneself without losing one’s essence. The choice of Carlo Felice is not random: the theater, with its perfect acoustics and century-old history, offers the solemnity necessary for this type of performance, where the spoken word becomes the absolute protagonist.
The Carlo Felice Theater, completely rebuilt after the bombing of World War II and inaugurated in 1991, represents the heart of Genoa’s musical life. Its programming ranges from opera to symphonic music, from ballet to dramatic theater, confirming itself as one of the most dynamic cultural centers in northern Italy.
Musical Discoveries: From Cinema to Classical
Also on Sunday, April 26, classical music lovers are spoiled for choice. At Teatro Auditorium Eugenio Montale, “Coast to Coast” is playing, a fascinating musical journey through the most beautiful film scores from European and American cinema, performed by pianist Benedetto Spingardi Merialdi. A journey that ranges from Nino Rota to John Williams, from Michel Legrand to Ennio Morricone, in a concert that celebrates the perfect marriage between classical music and cinema.
In the meantime, the young talents of the Paganini Conservatory are performing in the “Pentagramma Ducale”, a festival that from April 26 for one week transforms the Cortile Maggiore of Palazzo Ducale into a stage for classical music’s rising stars. Now in its third edition, this initiative represents an important showcase for emerging musicians and a precious opportunity for the public to discover the talents of tomorrow in one of the city’s most evocative courtyards.
The Cortile Maggiore of Palazzo Ducale, with its sixteenth-century architecture and natural acoustics created by the overlapping loggias, offers a unique atmosphere for these concerts. The light of sunset filtering through the arches and the intimacy of the space create a musical experience of rare emotional intensity.
Contemporary art and traditions: from the Mineralshow to open museums
On Sunday, April 26, the twenty-fourth edition of the Genova Mineralshow opens at the Magazzini del Cotone. It is not just an exhibition for collectors, but a true journey into the hidden beauty of the Earth, with over eighty exhibitors presenting minerals, fossils and gemstones from around the world. The event attracts thousands of visitors each year, from children fascinated by the shapes and colors of crystals to experts seeking rare pieces for their collections.
On April 25, Liberation Day, Genoa’s museums remain open, offering the perfect opportunity for a complete cultural immersion. From the Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art with its precious Japanese collections to the Strada Nuova Museums with their UNESCO World Heritage palaces, passing through Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco, the city offers world-class artistic heritage. It is the right time to discover or rediscover treasures often overlooked by the Genoese themselves, such as the decorative art collections of Palazzo Spinola or the contemporary works hosted in the spaces of Villa Croce.
The weekend highlight: aperitivo in the caruggi
While Genoa comes alive with events and festivities, don’t forget to experience the city’s most authentic and everyday side. After an afternoon spent between exhibitions and concerts, treat yourself to an aperitivo in the caruggi of the historic center, perhaps in one of those small osterie that preserve the atmosphere of years gone by. Saturday afternoon is the best time to mingle with Genoese people shopping at the Mercato Orientale or simply strolling unhurriedly between Via Luccoli and Via di Fossatello.
It is in these moments that Genoa reveals its truest character: in the animated conversations between the market stalls, in the aromas coming from historic focaccia shops, in the ritual of aperitivo that transforms even the smallest bar into a city living room. Try stopping at one of those tiny bars where the counter is as narrow as a caruggio and where the owner will tell you the history of the neighborhood while preparing a perfect Negroni.
This late April weekend in Genoa is the perfect opportunity to discover a city that continually reinvents itself without ever losing its identity. Whether you are attracted to author’s music, contemporary art or simply the desire to experience an authentic city, Genoa will know how to surprise you with its ability to combine tradition and innovation. And if you decide to stay for more than a day, our residences in the heart of the historic center will offer you the comfort and hospitality that such a culturally rich weekend deserves.
