4 highlights of Ligurian Music: between history, emotion and new voices
Flower Riviera, Genoa and surroundings, Gulf of Poets, Palm Riviera
Discover four highlights of Ligurian music: from the Sanremo Music Festival to Annalisa’s roots in Carcare, in the footsteps of Fabrizio De André in Genoa, and the jazz and hip hop sounds of La Spezia, all set among the sea, culture and authentic atmospheres of Liguria.
Liguria is not just crystal-clear sea, villages suspended between the sky and cliffs like the Cinque Terre and the smell of freshly baked focaccia. It is also a land that plays music, that tells stories through notes, that vibrates with timeless melodies. If you love travelling by following your emotions, here are four unmissable places for Ligurian music, including iconic festivals, sung poetry, rap and jazz atmospheres.
Travelling just a few hours by train from Milan and the Winter Olympics Milano-Cortina, you can go from the adrenaline rush of the snowy slopes to the harmony of the waves, breathing in culture, music and authentic charm. A quick trip to regenerate mind and spirit, with no hurry and no stress.
Teatro Ariston: Festival di Sanremo
Sanremo: the city of the Festival that made Italian music history
When it comes to Ligurian music, Sanremo is the first note that resonates in people's hearts. The city of flowers is famous throughout Italy and beyond for the Festival di Sanremo, the most important historic musical event in Italy, which in recent years has been able to renew itself and involve an ever wider audience, capable of combining irony, play and passion for music. Strolling around Sanremo means breathing in songs that have spanned generations, walking through the alleys of the historic centre, letting the scent of the sea guide you and arriving in front of the majestic Teatro Ariston, the symbol of Italian music in the world. And if you are lucky enough to be in town during Festival week, the atmosphere changes completely. The streets fill with voices, lights, anticipation, sudden encounters with artists, shared emotions under the same sky. Sanremo becomes a huge open-air stage, with every corner vibrating with music and dreams. Sanremo is emotions, tradition and shows, but also timeless elegance, walks by the sea in winter, golden reflections at sunset and lights that shine all year round. An unmissable stop for those who love to combine music, events and tourism in Liguria, letting themselves be guided by the notes and authentic charm of a town that continues to be the beating heart of Italian songs.
Annalisa
Carcare: the town where Annalisa’s music was born
Carcare is a small town in the Val Bormida that holds a special bond with contemporary Italian music. It was here that Annalisa, was born. She is one of the most beloved and recognisable voices of recent years, capable of bringing a mix of energy, elegance and identity to the national charts. Strolling through the quiet streets of the village, with its secluded squares and hidden corners immersed in the greenery, it is not difficult to imagine where the sensitivity that we find in her songs first came from. The intimate atmospheres of 'Una finestra tra le stelle' (A Window Among the Stars), the luminous energy of 'Dieci' (Ten) or the pop vibes of 'Mon Amour' (My Love) seem to be reflected in the slow, welcoming rhythm of the valley. Carcare is not just her birthplace, but the place from where an artistic journey has taken shape and then continues to evolve, bringing a piece of Liguria to playlists all over the world. Visiting Carcare means discovering an authentic corner of the region, one that is not as well known but is rich in history, culture and landscapes that were the backdrop to the childhood of one of its most representative artists. It is a place that combines tradition, contemporary voices and territories that continue to inspire.
Fabrizio De André
Genoa: the cradle of singer-songwriters, from tradition to new voices
Genoa isn’t just a place to visit, it needs to be listened to. It is the city of singer-songwriters, where stories and poetry intertwine with alleyways, the sea and tradition. Fabrizio De André is the eternal voice of Genoa's soul, but a veritable school of singer-songwriters, was born in Genoa, which includes, among others,Luigi Tenco, Umberto Bindi, Gian Franco Reverberi, Bruno Lauzi e Gino Paoli, nd now the new generations that are rewriting the Italian scene, such as Alfa, Bresh e Olly, who are bringing Genoa back onto playlists all over the world with their authentic, contemporary language. Alongside songwriting, there is also a prestigious classical soul, represented by the Premio Paganini, ne of the most important violin competitions in the world. Following in De André's footsteps means walking through the carruggi and the streets near the port, corners that gave a voice to the latest bunch, until we arrive at the small museum dedicated to Fabrizio De André in Via del Campo an intimate place where music and memory become a sensorial experience. Today, Genoa continues to be a unique musical journey: alleyways, sea and evening lights hold stories, choruses and emotions. It is the ideal destination for those who love cultural tourism in Liguria and want to discover the truest, deepest and most contemporary side of the region.
Dee Dee Bridgewater Festival Jazz a La Spezia
La Spezia: when jazz meets the sea
A more discreet, but surprising city, La Spezia is the Ligurian capital of jazz. Overlooking the picturesque Gulf of Poets, which has always been a place of inspiration for artists, writers and musicians, the city harbours a refined and deeply cultural soul. Every summer, La Spezia is transformed into a huge open-air stage thanks to its Summer Jazz Festival , which brings some of the best national and international jazz performers to squares, theatres and seafront settings. This is where music becomes travel, improvisation and an encounter between cultures. The sound of the sax mixes with the salty wind, the notes reflect on the water of the Gulf, while the audience listens while enveloped in the warm light of summer evenings. One of the new entries is Anna, the stage name of Anna Pepe (La Spezia, 15 August 2003), an Italian rapper who exploded in 2020 thanks to the single Bando, which made her the youngest artist ever to reach the top of the Italian singles chart compiled by FIMI.
