One palace, two palaces, three palaces... the list goes on. Genoa owes much of its aristocratic heritage to its former role as a maritime superpower, especially during the 16th and 17th centuries. This was the Republic of Genoa's golden age, a time when the city welcomed many wealthy foreign visitors. To accommodate these high-ranking guests, the city implemented the Palazzi dei Rolli system, an official register of "public lodging residences" that obliged noble families to offer their homes to them. Initially, 150 palaces made the list, but only 42 remain today. Among them stands Palazzo Spinola, right before you. Built in 1593, the residence belonged to the Grimaldi family until 1641, the same Grimaldis who still rule over Monaco. Afterwards, it passed through several noble hands, eventually arriving at the Spinola family, who gave the palace its current name. In 1958, the last Marquis Spinola donated the palace to the Italian state, and it was soon transformed into a museum focused on 17th-century painting. Inside, you’ll find masterpieces by Rubens, Van Dyck, Giordano, Van Cleve, and other great names of European art. Palazzo Spinola also features original period furnishings and a dazzling Hall of Mirrors on the second floor.