In May 1998, the governments of the European Union designated Genoa a European Capital of Culture of 2004. This important recognition for the city means Genoa is proudly rediscovering its history and identity. Today there is a radical transformation underway in the city that goes well beyond the economic and industrial sectors, with changes in the society and culture as well. Heavy industry is being substituted by high tech and related industries; the port, whose preeminence in the Mediterranean is without question, has registered incredible results lately; tourism, both for conventions, meetings and culture, has become an important resource for the city.

Genoa is a place with many vocations, capable of bringing together history and contemporary life, monumental heritage and traditional forms of artistic expression with experimentation in science and solidarity, tourism and multiethnicity. Genoa, gateway to the Mediterranean, is a city whose cultural richness is hidden behind the thick walls of patrician palaces and ancient churches in the largest medieval quarter in Europe. Little by little Genoa unveils its cultural heritage to the visitor. Genoa tells the story of its great past through the magnificent villas and prestigious collections of its museums. It tells of its history as a city of the sea, a melting pot of people and goods through the large medieval quarter with a labyrinth of "caruggi" and old alleyways, where the scent of the past mixes with the aromas of spices and the more prosaic smells that come from the typical shops. Genoa enters your heart through its dramatic views of the sea, when you spy a bit of blue among its palaces; for its dramatic landscapes, for the precious vision gathered from a rapid glance upwards, when you discover friezes, bas-reliefs, frescoes or simply a little patch of blue sky among the slate roofs.
Genoa has all this and more to offer.