Genoa it is complex, intricate, contradictory. The decay coexists side by side with the wealth of works of art, which have survived until today. The beauty of the details looks straight in the face at the peeling walls, the revolutionary writings, the dogs that wander alone in those dark alleys, often smelly and unsafe. It is its purest and most primordial charm, a city that knows how to impress itself in the mind of those who visit it, remaining as a constant idea, a fixed thought that hardly rises from the mind, accompanied by the fresh, light air, carried by the Ligurian sea. and from that blue sky so intense that it is almost impossible not to fall madly in love with it.
One of its most elegant and particular neighborhoods is Carignan, a residential agglomeration located on the homonymous hill, from which the entire city can be observed. It is a historic district, dotted with nineteenth-century villas, tree-lined avenues that culminate with a view of the sea and steep climbs, which welcome some of the most beautiful buildings in the urban fabric. An elegant set of architectural lines and green spaces, where you can discover an ancient Genoa, but totally different from the historic center characterized by narrow alleys, which hardly let any glimmers of light pass.
Among its most prestigious ancient noble villas, there is Villa Croce, located within a wonderful public park, which in itself represents a work of art of incredible value, from which you can enjoy a panoramic view that sweeps over the maritime area below. Villa Croce is a nineteenth-century palace in neoclassical style, once belonged to the Croce family, who in 1952 decided to donate it to the Municipality of Genoa with the obligation of making it a museum. So since 1985, it hosts the Museum of Contemporary Art which gathers a permanent collection of about 5000 works, from the second half of the 900th century to today. In addition to the works exhibited throughout the year in the precious rooms of the Museum, seasonal exhibitions are obviously organized, to celebrate artists who have characterized Italian and international contemporary art.
From 12 February until 30 March it is on stage at Villa Croce "Boom! Pino Pascali and the game of weapons ", an exhibition of the works of the artist born in Bari in 1935, in which the weapon is decontextualized from its war value, to become a game tool, intended not so much as fun but rather as a moment of discovery. Many of his works were intended for advertising use, in fact Pascali he began to work as a set designer for television and later in the creation of commercials and theme songs for television programs. A journey through Italian poor art, in which a truly incredible human variety enters the scene, a series of "characters - heroes" all characterized by the possession of a weapon, without instilling a threatening and aggressive sense, but rather playful, downplayed of his fighting tendency. The Villa Croce Museum is a fundamental stop for those who go to Genoa, not only to have a splendid view of one of the most beautiful districts of the city, but above all to get closer to that type of art that in Italy, compared to other European countries , it is still little valued.
Last travel advice, if you are in Genoa, on a sunny day, do not miss the sunset seen from Spianata Castelletto (Belvedere Montaldo), which overlooks the city and the port area.
