Shipwrecks
1886
In 1886, two brigantines belonging to the Capurro family – the Rosa Capurro and the Sorelle Capurro – were shipwrecked within a few months of one another in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
It is a devastating blow for a long-established family of Ligurian sailors and shipowners, who have been operating on routes between Europe and South America.
But it was precisely that loss that gave rise to a transformation destined to change the family’s fate: the gradual move away from life at sea and the beginning of a new chapter on dry land.
A story of trade, hospitality and resourcefulness, which would go on to give rise to Capurro Ricevimenti.
The beginning
1901
In the early 20th century, in the Carignano district of Genoa, Pietro Capurro and his son Giuseppe opened a small grocery shop on Via Corsica, modelled on the South American armazém they had encountered during their years spent on ocean-going routes.
It is a simple place, yet one that is already imbued with a distinct spirit: a focus on quality, a warm welcome and a desire to innovate.
Over time, alongside the grocery shop, a patisserie, a café and the first catering services were established. This marked the beginning of Capurro Ricevimenti’s history.
The first receptions
1918
With the end of the First World War, life on Via Corsica underwent a profound transformation.
Next to the patisserie and café, a sophisticated tea room has opened, designed to host small receptions, weddings and private celebrations.
This is a decisive step: the old grocery shop is making way for a new concept of hospitality, characterised by elegance, service and attention to detail.
In the years that followed, the name Capurro became a fixture in Genoese social life.
The first major events
1924-1931
Between 1924 and 1931, Capurro made the leap into the world of grand receptions.
From the first events organised on board the ships of the Regia Marina to the institutional events organised by the City of Genoa, the company began to make a name for itself through its organisational skills, elegance and ability to create spectacular settings.
These were the years of expansion: new venues opened, the catering business grew, and the Capurro name became an increasingly familiar part of the city’s public life.
Official receptions, parties, concerts and major events mark the start of a new era that would go on to define the company’s style for decades to come.
The heart of Genoa
1936–1937
Between 1936 and 1937, Capurro opened his new, spacious premises in Piazza De Ferrari, at the heart of Genoa’s economic and social life.
Designed by the architect Luigi Carlo Daneri, the café quickly became one of the city’s most iconic venues.
Alongside the long-established patisserie and catering services, ‘La Cambusa’ has also opened – a sophisticated evening venue set to become a hub for Genoa’s cultural and social scene.
Capurro has thus secured his place in the city’s history, turning hospitality into a distinctive style.
The Skyscraper
1946
After the war, Capurro opened a panoramic restaurant on the Torre Piacentini, which was the tallest skyscraper in Europe at the time.
On the 31st floor, high above Genoa, one of the city’s iconic symbols of its rebirth is taking shape.
With its terraces overlooking the harbour, elegant receptions and grand musical evenings, the ‘Capurro al Grattacielo’ became the meeting place of post-war Genoa, heralding a new era of modernity, style and vision.
The Night in Genoa
1949
In 1949, Capurro helped to transform Genoa’s nightlife with venues that were destined to become iconic, such as the Marinella in Nervi and ‘I Pesci Vivi’.
With spectacular aquariums, live music, receptions and evenings overlooking the sea, a new concept in elegant and modern entertainment is taking shape.
It was during these years that one of Genoa’s first nightclubs opened, on the site now occupied by the Mako, and it quickly became a hub of the city’s social life and a symbol of the post-war revival.
The years of high society
1960–1970
Between the 1960s and 1970s, Capurro played a part in Genoa’s transformation into an increasingly international, elegant and dynamic city.
The venues in Piazza De Ferrari, La Cambusa, the evenings at La Marinella and the grand receptions became focal points of Genoese social life, frequented by artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and figures from the world of entertainment.
These were the years of live music, nights spent dancing and a new way of experiencing hospitality: more modern, cosmopolitan and spectacular, whilst never losing the elegance that has always been the hallmark of the Capurro name.
The arrival of Pippo Traverso
1968–1969
Between 1968 and 1969, Capurro consolidated his role in organising major events and national conferences, contributing to the economic and cultural growth of the city of Genoa.
Institutional receptions, international meetings and increasingly complex services marked a period of rapid expansion, during which the company honed the elegant and impeccable organisational style that would become its hallmark.
During this period, Giuseppe “Pippo” Traverso also joined the company; he was a figure destined to link his own career to the history of Capurro Ricevimenti right up to the present day, accompanying its evolution and helping to define its style and identity within the world of hospitality and major events.
The arrival of Paolo Capurro
1976
In 1976, Paolo Capurro officially joined the company, bringing a new generation into an entrepreneurial history that was already deeply rooted in the city of Genoa.
These are years of transformation and growth, in which the world of hospitality is rapidly evolving towards increasingly complex events, large-scale conferences and new forms of hospitality.
From this point onwards, Paolo Capurro’s career became intertwined with that of the company, accompanying its development over the following decades and helping to establish its reputation in the world of major events and Italian hospitality.
Queen Elizabeth II’s visit
1980
In 1980, Capurro Ricevimenti organised the official luncheon to mark the visit to Genoa by Queen Elizabeth II of England, one of the most important institutional events in the city’s post-war history.
The impeccable organisation of the service, the elegance of the décor and the meticulous attention to detail have firmly established the Capurro name in the world of grand Italian receptions.
These have been years of rapid growth, marked by international events, conferences, fashion shows and cultural events, which have seen the company take centre stage in public life in Genoa and beyond.
The Colombiadi
1992
In 1992, Genoa hosted the Colombiadi to mark the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas, becoming an international hub for events, official meetings and celebrations.
Capurro Ricevimenti plays a leading role in some of the most important moments of the entire event, organising receptions, official dinners and major events linked to the Colombian celebrations.
Among the guests during those years was also the President of the Republic, Francesco Cossiga, a symbol of an intense and unique period for the city.
Gorbachev in Genoa
1995
In 1995, Capurro Ricevimenti organised the welcome and receptions for Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to Genoa, which was one of the most significant international events for the city during those years.
With institutional events, public gatherings and grand gala dinners, Genoa is back in the international spotlight, and Capurro reaffirms its role in organising the city’s most important events.
These were the years in which the company further expanded its activities across the fields of conferences, fashion, culture and major events, keeping pace with the city’s evolution as it moved into the new millennium.
Villa Lo Zerbino
2014
In 2014, Capurro Ricevimenti took over the management of Villa Lo Zerbino, one of Genoa’s most charming historic residences, set amongst greenery and in the heart of the city.
With its frescoed halls, historic grounds and views over the city, Villa Lo Zerbino is rapidly becoming one of the iconic venues for major contemporary events in Genoa.
The villa’s inclusion in Capurro’s history marks a new chapter for the company, which has succeeded in combining tradition, elegance and an increasingly international approach to hospitality and event organisation.
Persevering and reinventing oneself
2020
2020 marks one of the most challenging periods in the contemporary history of the hospitality and events sectors.
At a time of sudden upheaval and profound change, Capurro Ricevimenti is rising to the challenge without breaking its ties with its clients, staff and the city.
Through new ways of providing services, reimagined events and a constant ability to adapt, the company once again reaffirms its identity: transforming every challenge into an opportunity for growth, without losing the style and focus on people that have defined its history for over a century.
Palazzo Interiano Pallavicino
2021
In 2021, Capurro Ricevimenti launched a partnership with Palazzo Interiano Pallavicino, one of the city’s most prestigious historic residences, a repository of centuries of Genoese art, architecture and aristocratic life.
With its frescoed halls, monumental staircases and timeless atmosphere, Palazzo Pallavicino has become one of the company’s iconic venues, reinforcing a commitment increasingly focused on promoting its historical heritage.
The Capurro Group is established
2025
In 2025, the Capurro Group was formed through the merger of Capurro Ricevimenti and Gemi Catering, two long-established companies in the hospitality and events sector in Liguria.
From the coming together of complementary experiences, shared visions and a long tradition in the hospitality sector, a new project is taking shape – one that looks to the future whilst remaining firmly rooted in the past.
The Capurro Group marks a new phase of growth and innovation, in which history, organisation, creativity and a culture of hospitality come together to form a single, contemporary identity.
125 years: ‘When there’s a story’
2026
In 2026, Capurro will celebrate 125 years of history with the publication of the book *Quando c’è una storia* (When There Is a Story), written by Franco Manzitti and dedicated to the history of the family and the company – a narrative that spans generations, places and events that have become part of the collective memory of the city of Genoa.
Through archive footage, personal accounts and photographs, the book traces over a century of hospitality, change and social life, recounting the evolution of a business that has been an integral part of the history of the city and its key figures.
