By
Alex Smith |
Costa Cruises will host a programme of events from 19 to 27 October 2023 to celebrate its 75th anniversary in Genoa, Italy, where the cruise line’s maiden voyage onboard its first ship, Anna C, began in 1948.
The programme will begin with a lunch for the Community of Sant’Egidio, a Catholic charitable association, at the cloister of the Basillica of Santissima Annunziata on 19 October. The lunch will be prepared by Costa Cruises’ chefs and Italian celebrity chef Bruno Barbieri for around 150 guests of the Community, which the Costa Crociere Foundation has supported since 2015.
On the evening of 20 October, Costa will host the Monumental Tour, in partnership with the Municipality of Genoa and the Region of Liguria. The event, open to the public, will take place at 8:45 pm local time in Piazza Matteotti, and will feature a show intertwining electronic music and digital art created by French DJ and producer Michael Canitrot. A show of images and lights themed around Genoa, its history and the sea will be projected onto the main façade of Palazzo Ducale, while spectators can dance below to music. This will be the first time the Monument Tour has taken place in Italy, after previous shows at the Palais-Royal, Mont Saint-Michel, Laon Cathedral and Chantilly Castle in France and at Lisbon City Hall in Portugal.
A cocktail will also be held onboard Costa Toscana on 20 October, in collaboration with Vanity Fair Italia. The menu will be curated by Bruno Barbieri and will be accompanied by Ferrari Trento wines, with a special label created for the occasion. There will be a red carpet onboard, allowing guests to walk the runway and take part in an exclusive photo shoot. Closing the evening will be a performance by Italian pop singer, Malika Ayane.
On Monday 23 October, Italian comedian Angelo Pintus will perform at the Politeama Genovese theatre, starting at 9 pm. Proceeds of the evening will be donated to the Gasilini Paediatric Hospital in Genoa, with Costa committing to double the total amount with a donation equal to the show’s takings.
A second event dedicated to the Gaslini Hospital will be held on 27 Ocotber, as a group of young patients and their families come onboard Costa Toscana for a day. Special entertainment activities and a lunch designed for the patients will be provided, and they will be joined by Mattia Villardita, an entertainer who dresses as Marvel superhero Spiderman for children in healthcare facilities across the Liguria region of Italy.
Costa will also be the brand sponsor of the 40th annual assembly of ANCI, the National Association of Italian Municipalities, which will take place at the Blue Pavilion of the Genoa Fair from 24 to 26 October. As part of the event, Costa will host a workshop on 25 October dedicated to ‘Guardiani della Costa’ the national environmental education and citizen science project for Italian students promoted by the Costa Crociere Foundation.
“Throughout all these years, day after day, Costa has been taking millions of guests on cruises around the world, sharing the happy and unforgettable moments of their holidays,” said Mario Zanetti, president of Costa Cruises. “On this special anniversary, our desire is to share equally unique emotions with the city of Genoa, through a magnificent show in one of the city's most iconic squares. However, Costa also aims to maintain its role as a responsible member of the Genoese community, where our company originated, by bringing smiles and tangible assistance to those who are most in need.”