It’s the height of summer, and there’s nothing better than setting off for a coastal sailing trip, arriving at the docks of Marina Porto Antico in Genoa to explore the historic villas that characterize the Ligurian capital. Once you’ve moored your boat at the Marina Porto Antico pier, a highly equipped area for safely and comfortably docking your pleasure craft, you can begin a journey that will take you through the architectural wonders of La Superba. Below, we list the first Genoese villas not to be missed. Next month, we’ll enrich the list with the second part of the article. Enjoy reading.
Villa Brignole Sale, Duchess of Galliera (Genoa Voltri).
Let’s start with the park of Villa Brignole Sale (better known as Villa Duchess of Galliera, in memory of the noblewoman who brought the Voltri property to its peak of splendor in the 19th century). This construction is close to the center of Genoa and can be reached both by sea and land. The garden of Villa Brignole Sale extends for 250,000 square meters behind Genoa Voltri and represents one of the largest green areas in the western part of the city. The villa itself is a construction of great historical and architectural value that overlooks a majestic garden created on a large terrace. Characterized by artistically significant rooms such as the Shell Room and the small theater, Villa Sale is a true jewel for the city of Genoa. Its park was created by Giuseppe Rovelli and is divided into distinct areas: the Italian garden;
the romantic wood, where every plant or architectural element appears spontaneous
and casual, and the clearings, which host animal enclosures. Thanks to the large surface area over which the park develops, it boasts numerous interesting ornamental, spontaneous, or exotic plant species, such as the plane tree, the false camphor tree, magnolia, cedar, and mimosa.
Villa Groppallo allo Zerbino (Genoa).
Even more central than Villa Brignole, we highlight Villa dello Zerbino, an enchanting building from which you can enjoy a spectacular panorama of the city of Genoa. Reachable in a few minutes starting from Marina Porto Antico, Villa dello Zerbino was built in the second half of the 16th century by the Balbi family before passing into the hands of the Durazzo family in the 18th century and subsequently to the Groppallo family. The garden surrounding the main building was created in Renaissance style and hosts a large fish pond with two splendid original statues on the sides in front of the building. The park is highly fascinating, as it develops on two levels and also features a small wood from which it is possible to take a path offering interesting views of the city and the building. At the end of this short but intense route, you arrive at the so-called “Orti Zerbiniani,” an important and complex example of an artificial grotto. Villa Zerbino, just like Villa Rosazza (another symbolic construction of ancient Genoa that we will discuss), was created by Tagliafichi, one of the most appreciated neoclassical architects of the Ligurian capital.
Villa Serra Park in Còmago (Sant’Olcese, Genoa)
Another villa not to be missed when deciding to take a tour in the Genoese area to discover the architectural wonders of past centuries is Villa Serra in Còmago. Located near Sant’Olcese, a charming village in the hills of Genoa, Villa Serra is a nineteenth-century construction that boasts a marvelous park extending in the valley floor of the Còmago stream and develops around three meadows and a lake. The park is also characterized by its large clearings interspersed with centuries-old trees that create interesting visual glimpses of the cottage, rustic buildings, and surrounding structures. Thanks to the presence of a second lake, a chain of water is gently oriented towards the cottage, forming a fascinating small stream. The greenery of Villa Serra park is enriched with sequoias, tulip trees, bald cypresses, magnolias, sweetgums, cedars, and pagoda trees, testifying to how nineteenth-century Genoese nobles were fascinated by exotic nature, importing plants from other parts of the world, as also highlighted by the various specimens of plane trees and yew trees positioned along the access avenue.
After this first part of the tour discovering the parks and historic villas of Genoa, you can easily return to your boat moored at the Marina Porto Antico dock and refresh yourself while waiting for a new excursion.
