UlisseFest - The Lonely Planet Travel Festival

A Festival Dedicated to Travel

UlisseFest is the major travel festival conceived by Lonely Planet, the world's most famous travel guide. Each year, the festival changes city and brings together writers, reporters, photographers, explorers, and musicians to reflect on the meaning of travel. In 2026, the event arrives in Genoa, a deliberate choice: a city of the sea, of the port, and of departures, located in the heart of Liguria.

Between Alleys, Port, and Palaces

The festival enlivens some of the city's symbolic locations: the Old Port, the Luzzati Gardens, and the magnificent Palazzi dei Rolli, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The programme intertwines encounters with authors, readings, performances, film screenings, concerts, and DJ sets, in a succession of events that fill three intense days.

Great Music at the Arena del Mare

The musical heart of the festival is the Arena del Mare, which hosts two major concerts with leading artists from the Italian scene. Live music thus becomes an integral part of the travel narrative, in a setting overlooking the water.

Genoa, Capital of Travel

With UlisseFest, Genoa transforms for a weekend into the Italian capital of travel. An opportunity to rediscover the city's maritime and cosmopolitan vocation, and to be captivated by the curiosity and desire for exploration that animate the traveller community.