What's On in Genoa: Festivals, Art & Cultural Events

We’ve put together an essential guide to the can’t-miss events in Genoa for 2026 – and you’ll want to act fast, as some are already drawing to a close. There’s never been a better time to visit this dynamic city, which is set to celebrate key anniversaries and host major happenings.

Topping the 2026 calendar are the Rolli Days, the 20th anniversary of Genoa’s UNESCO World Heritage designation, the Ottobre Paganini festival, and the major Van Dyck exhibition at Palazzo Ducale. And that’s just the beginning. Here’s what you need to know.

Festivals and major events are defining Genoa’s cultural landscape in 2026.

Taking centre stage are the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli,” marked by special openings, exhibitions, and curated cultural tours exploring the city centre’s most storied palaces.

Alongside these come the Rolli Days, an annual tradition that attracts thousands of visitors eager to step inside historic residences that are usually off-limits to the public.

Here are some of the standout cultural events in Genoa for 2026:

– Closing of the 2025/26 season at Teatro Carlo Felice (25 June 2026): Donato Renzetti conducts Mahler’s Sixth Symphony in a grand season finale.

– Ottobre Paganini (2 October – 8 November 2026): a city-wide celebration dedicated to Niccolò Paganini.

– Rolli Days 2026 (16 – 18 October): guided tours and rare openings of the Palazzi dei Rolli.

Stay updated on the program and all event details at VisitGenoa.

2026 marks the twentieth anniversary of the inclusion of the Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

To honour this milestone, the city is hosting special initiatives celebrating the historic legacy that made Genoa a benchmark for European architecture and urban planning during the 16th and 17th centuries.

The theme for the celebrations is “To Share is to Protect”: an invitation to discover and experience these unique places as the first step towards safeguarding them for future generations.

Among the highlights: special tours of Palazzo Nicolosio Lomellino and an autumn photography exhibition at Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Rosso, charting the evolution of the city’s museums through historic images.

Paganini October 2026 is the biennial festival dedicated to the legendary Genoese violinist, featuring concerts, masterclasses, workshops for children, pop-up performances and open-air events.

The programme spills beyond theatres and museums into the streets and piazzas of Genoa. Highlights include performances from the winners of the prestigious Paganini Prize, four evenings devoted to the 38 Sonatas for solo guitar, and guided experiences along the European Paganini Route – one of the official itineraries recognised by the Council of Europe. Most events are free of charge.

When: 2 October – 8 November 2026

In 2026, Genoa presents a resonant calendar of exhibitions across its historic palaces, museums and cultural venues.

The city’s leading institutions are curating journeys through European art history and Liguria's cultural identity.

For example, a major retrospective on Antoon Van Dyck is currently on at Palazzo Ducale, and the World Press Photo Exhibition 2026 is set to open in autumn.

Exhibition calendar for Genoa 2026:

– ‘800. La società delle mode (until 28 June 2026) – Musei di Strada Nuova: nineteenth-century society seen through the lens of fashion.

– Van Dyck the European (until 19 July 2026) – Palazzo Ducale: tracing the Flemish master’s journey from Antwerp to Genoa and London.

– Futurism (until 12 July 2026) – Palazzo della Meridiana: an exploration of Italy’s 20th-century avant-garde.

– La storia di Salì (until 26 July 2026) – Castello D’Albertis: a free exhibition by Carla Benvenuto that blends painting and literature.

– Mimmo Rotella 1945–2005 (until 13 September 2026) – Palazzo Ducale: a retrospective on the collage pioneer.

–  I quattro tesori e l’arte della calligrafia (until 11 October 2026) – Museo d’Arte Orientale E. Chiossone: the tradition of East Asian calligraphy.

– Giovanni Korompay (until 1 November 2026) – Palazzo Ducale: the exhibition devoted to a leading figure of Italian Second Futurism.

– Mare Nostrum. The Energy of Waves (until 5 November 2026): Andrea Roggi’s exhibition on humanity’s relationship with the Mediterranean.

– World Press Photo Exhibition 2026 (25 September – 31 December 2026) – Palazzo Ducale: the world’s best photojournalism on display.

– Le pietre parlano 2026 (until 31 December) – Depositi di Sant’Agostino: unlocking the hidden treasures of Genoa’s civic museums.

Related story – Our local guide to Genoa

Among the year’s most important exhibitions is the major retrospective devoted to Antoon Van Dyck, the Flemish master of the 17th century.

Staged at Palazzo Ducale, the show traces Van Dyck’s artistic journey across Europe and Italy, with a special spotlight on his years in Genoa, a pivotal chapter for his career and the city’s Baroque heritage.

Fifty-eight works are on display, on loan from leading European museums including the Louvre, the Prado, the Uffizi and the National Gallery.

When: until 19 July 2026

Opening hours: Monday 2pm–7pm; Tuesday–Sunday 10am–7pm; Fridays open until 8pm.

The renowned international photojournalism exhibition arrives in Genoa, bringing a selection of the year’s most powerful images to the evocative setting of the Loggia degli Abati at Palazzo Ducale.

The visual journey documents major events, crises and stories from around the globe and includes the winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2026: Carol Guzy’s “Separated by ICE” delivers a searing look at the brutality of anti-immigration crackdowns in the United States.

When: 25 September – 31 December 2026

Live encounters and performances, from cutting-edge experimentation to international showcases, light up Genoa’s stages:

– Teatrino Ottavio Cirio Zanetti Summer Season (until 14 July 2026)

– Teatro della Tosse Summer Season (until 26 July 2026)

– UlisseFest (10–12 July 2026): the ninth edition of Lonely Planet’s cultural event celebrating travel in all its forms.

– Dubbing Glamour Film Festival 2026 (10–27 September 2026): an international festival dedicated to cinema, dubbing and the performing arts, with screenings, talks and creative competitions.

– ReC 26 – Teatro della Tosse (until 25 November 2026): a multidisciplinary series weaving together dance, circus, theatre, live music, visual arts and new media.

For the first time, UlisseFest comes to Genoa, the only Italian destination featured in Lonely Planet’s prestigious Best in Travel list last year.

Writers, journalists, photographers, and creators sharing stories from around the world gather for talks, performances, and workshops. There are also concerts and DJ sets.

The 2026 edition, titled “In Praise of Escape,” explores travel as freedom, change, and discovery. More than 40 events are expected from the Porto Antico area to the Palazzi dei Rolli.

When: 10–12 July 2026

In 2026, Genoa fills with energy as contemporary festivals, music events, and sports take over the city. Streets and squares become stages, and the urban landscape turns into a place for celebration.

Some of Genoa’s most iconic events return this year, such as the fast-paced Red Bull urban downhill race and the innovative Electropark music festival.

Here is what else is coming up:

– Reggae nights at Giardini Luzzati (27 June & 18 July): DJ sets and live concerts spotlighting the reggae scene.

– Red Bull Genova Cerro Abajo (27–28 June 2026): international urban downhill race.

– Electropark Festival 2026 (until 5 July): electronic music and performance art in venues across the city.

– Porto Antico EstateSpettacolo 2026 (until 27 August): summer season of concerts, theatre and live shows on the waterfront.

– Stelle dello Sport 2026 (until 10 October): events, talks and activities dedicated to sports culture.

Related story – How to spend 4 perfect days in Genoa

One of the year’s most thrilling sporting spectacles turns Genoa’s streets into a high-octane urban downhill course.

The world’s top riders race down a dramatic 2.2 km route from Monte Peralto to the city centre, weaving through stairways, narrow alleyways and sharp technical turns.

This visually stunning event draws enormous crowds: around 40,000 spectators last year alone. All public viewing spots are open-access.

When: 27–28 June 2026

A packed programme unfolds across three venues in the Porto Antico area: Axpo Arena del Mare, Piazza delle Feste and Isola delle Chiatte.

Expect a summer-long feast of culture, music and fresh event formats, with gigs and performances right by the sea.

The line-up features the Suq Festival, Sea Stories Festival, AltraOnda Festival and Live in Genova Festival, headlined by Italy’s hottest acts. And then, DJ sets, theatre and sunrise happenings on Isola delle Chiatte.

When: until 27 August 2026