Genoa Travel Guide

A long, narrow port city on the Ligurian Sea, Genoa has the Apennine hills rising straight behind the old harbour. The centre holds the UNESCO-listed Strade Nuove and Palazzi dei Rolli, the Aquarium on the Porto Antico and the Lanterna lighthouse. A short boat ride east, the Portofino coast begins.

First Visit Sights Tours Day Trips Where To Stay

One Day In Genoa: Piazza De Ferrari To Castelletto

The centre runs long rather than wide. Still, the sights from Piazza De Ferrari to the old port sit within a short walk of each other. This route starts at the fountain square, crosses the old town to the cathedral, drops to the Galata museum on the waterfront and ends on the Castelletto terrace at sunset.

Genoa in one day
1Morning
A large oval city square of pale paving around a wide round fountain, ringed by grand stone and cream stucco palaces with arched ground floors

Piazza De Ferrari

A wide oval square set around a round fountain forms the centre of the city, with Palazzo Ducale on one side. It costs nothing and can serve as a starting point at any hour.

2Late Morning
A medieval cathedral with a front of alternating bands of pale and dark stone, three deep carved portals and a broad flight of steps on a narrow square

Genoa Cathedral

Beside the cathedral, the Museo del Tesoro di San Lorenzo is open Monday to Saturday, from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00. It closes on Sunday.

3Afternoon
A long modern museum building of glass, pale stone and steel on a dock edge with calm harbour water beside it and pastel houses on the hill behind

Galata Museo Del Mare

The maritime museum on the waterfront covers 12,000 square metres over five levels and 31 rooms. When last checked, it was open from 10:00 to 19:00.

4Evening
A small hillside terrace with a stone balustrade looking out over a dense sea of terracotta and slate roofs, church domes and a hazy sea beyond

Spianata Castelletto

For the terrace above the old-town roofs, take the Castelletto Levante lift from Piazza Portello. The lift climbs 57 metres and runs daily from 06:40 to 24:00.

A small walking group passing through a medieval gate of two round stone towers behind a guide, Porta Soprana, Genoa
Must-See Attractions Walk, 2 Hours 4.6 from 319 reviews · from $39
Check availability

Things To Do In Genoa: The Short List

A first visit to Genoa can be built around eight places, from the Aquarium on the old port to the palaces of the Strade Nuove and the Lanterna at the harbour mouth. Prices are given where the operator publishes them.

All Genoa attractions
A long low modern waterfront building of white and blue-grey panels and glass beside a quay, calm harbour water and a moored old wooden sailing ship Adult From 26 EUR Aquarium Of GenoaThe aquarium sits on the waterfront of the Porto Antico and opens 365 days a year. A grand sixteenth-century palace with a deep rose and ochre stucco front, white-framed windows and a heavy carved stone portal on a narrow pedestrian street UNESCO Site Via Garibaldi And The Strada Nuova MuseumsPalazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Doria-Tursi stand along the UNESCO-listed Strade Nuove. A vast neoclassical palace facing a square, a pale stone and cream stucco front with tall regular windows and a broad arched central portal Palazzo DucaleFormerly the palace of the Doges, the building is now used for large exhibitions. A very tall square stone lighthouse tower in two stacked stages on a rock headland at a harbour mouth with dark sea beyond 172 Steps To The Terrace Lanterna LighthouseThe tower is 77 m tall and stands on a 40 m rock, putting it 117 m above the sea. A vast neoclassical cemetery with long covered arcades and a columned portico of pale marble, a stepped hillside of cypress trees, empty and quiet Staglieno CemeteryThis monumental cemetery opened to the public on 1 January 1851. A small old cable railway car climbing a steep cutting between stone retaining walls and trees on a narrow track Daily 06:40 To 24:00 Zecca-Righi FunicularThe funicular climbs the Righi hill and runs daily from 06:40 to 24:00. A large covered food market hall with a high iron and glass roof and rows of stalls piled with fruit, vegetables, fish and cheese under plain awnings Mercato OrientaleA covered food market on Via XX Settembre. A large landscaped seaside park of lawns, tall umbrella pines and gravel paths with a pale villa and the blue sea visible between the trees Parchi Di NerviThe seaside parks cover 9.2 hectares between the Via Aurelia and the sea.

Genoa Neighbourhoods At A Glance

The old town of narrow caruggi runs from Piazza De Ferrari to the old port, and its 113 hectares make it one of the largest medieval historic centres in Europe. Principe and Via Balbi sit to the west, around the main station. Foce and Albaro line the coast to the east, and Corso Italia, a seaside promenade of about 2.5 km, leads on to Boccadasse, the old fishermen's village. Nervi lies at the eastern end of the city and Pegli at the western end.

Old Town Caruggi · Principe And Via Balbi · Foce And Albaro · Boccadasse · Nervi · Pegli

27,702 traveller reviewsacross 44 checked tours
From $7cheapest paid tour today
Prices checkedagainst the booking page, refreshed monthly

Genoa Tours Worth Booking

Forty-four tours and tickets span Genoa, the Portofino coast and the Cinque Terre. Three questions cut them down to a shortlist.

1. What kind of experience are you after?
2. What is your budget per person?
3. How much time do you have?

Below is a starting shortlist of the best-reviewed tours, not the full list. Answer one question to rebuild it.

  1. Aquarium Entry Ticket from $37 ★ 4.5 (10,906 reviews) Check availability
  2. Full-Day Camogli to Portofino Boat 1 day from $24 ★ 4.4 (4,559 reviews) Check availability
  3. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Pass from $28 ★ 4.1 (1,862 reviews) Check availability
  4. Half-Day Portofino Boat, 4.5 Hours 4.5 hours from $29 ★ 4.3 (1,315 reviews) Check availability
  5. Whale Watching Cruise, 3 Hours 3 hours from $42 ★ 4.3 (1,080 reviews) Check availability
  6. Portofino Boat, 5 Hours, Free Time 5 hours from $33 ★ 4.5 (941 reviews) Check availability
  7. Historical Center Walk, 2 Hours 2 hours from $16 ★ 4.2 (646 reviews) Check availability
  8. Rolli Palaces, 4 UNESCO Sites 2.5 hours from $16 ★ 4.4 (634 reviews) Check availability
  9. Full Meal, Small Group 3 hours 30 minutes from $76 ★ 4.9 (571 reviews) Check availability
  10. Rooftop Pesto and Pasta Class from $97 ★ 5 (367 reviews) Check availability
  11. UNESCO Segway, 1 to 2.5 Hours 1 - 2.5 hours from $34 ★ 4.9 (337 reviews) Check availability
  12. Must-See Attractions Walk, 2 Hours 2 hours from $39 ★ 4.6 (319 reviews) Check availability
  13. Food and Wine Tasting Walk 2 hours from $66 ★ 4.8 (306 reviews) Check availability
  14. Rooftop Pesto Class, 3 Hours 3 hours from $100 ★ 5 (298 reviews) Check availability
  15. Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, 1 Hour 1 hour from $29 ★ 3.2 (292 reviews) Check availability
  16. Wine Tasting, 2-Hour Walk 2 hours from $68 ★ 4.9 (280 reviews) Check availability
  17. Private Rickshaw, 2 Hours 2 hours from $109 ★ 4.8 (267 reviews) Check availability
  18. Lighthouse Entry Ticket from $10 ★ 4.2 (267 reviews) Check availability
  19. Private Local Guide City Tour 2 - 8 hours from $51 ★ 4.8 (226 reviews) Check availability
  20. Private Garden Lesson, Lunch 3 hours 15 minutes from $79 ★ 4.9 (205 reviews) Check availability
  21. Full Meal Food Tour, 3 Hours 3 hours from $61 ★ 4.9 (194 reviews) Check availability
  22. Handmade Pasta and Dessert, 2.5 Hours 2.5 hours from $67 ★ 4.9 (183 reviews) Check availability
  23. Top Sights Walk, 2 Hours 2 hours from $39 ★ 4.1 (183 reviews) Check availability
  24. Half-Day San Fruttuoso Boat, 4.5 Hours 4.5 hours from $27 ★ 4.4 (124 reviews) Check availability
  25. Rickshaw Tour, 1 Hour 1 hour from $62 ★ 4.8 (121 reviews) Check availability
  26. Segway Caruggi Tour, 2.5 Hours 2 hours 30 minutes from $69 ★ 4.9 (114 reviews) Check availability
  27. Half-Day Camogli Ferry from $24 ★ 4.6 (109 reviews) Check availability
  28. Private Boat to Portofino 5 hours 30 minutes from $102 ★ 4.7 (96 reviews) Check availability
  29. Cesarine Pasta and Tiramisu 3 hours from $125 ★ 4.9 (87 reviews) Check availability
  30. Street Food Urban Trek, 6 Hours 6 hours from $205 ★ 4.9 (84 reviews) Check availability
  31. Intro Walk, 3,000 Years 2 hours from $45 ★ 4.7 (81 reviews) Check availability
  32. Storyteller Walk, 3 Hours 3 hours from $50 ★ 4.9 (72 reviews) Check availability
  33. World Champion Pesto Lesson, 1.5 Hours 1.5 hours from $78 ★ 5 (67 reviews) Check availability
  34. Private Walk, 2 to 8 Hours 2 to 8 hours from $52 ★ 4.7 (65 reviews) Check availability
  35. Snorkeling Trip, 1 Hour 1 hour from $47 ★ 4.8 (63 reviews) Check availability
  36. Hands-On Culinary Masterclass 3 hours from $111 ★ 4.9 (60 reviews) Check availability
  37. Storyteller Secrets Walk, 3 Hours 3 hours from $51 ★ 4.9 (55 reviews) Check availability
  38. Panoramic Creuze Walk, 3 Hours 3 hours from $50 ★ 4.9 (47 reviews) Check availability
  39. E-Bike Tour, 2 Hours 30 Minutes 2 hours 30 minutes from $86 ★ 4.8 (47 reviews) Check availability
  40. Audio Guide Walk, Budget Fare 3 to 4 hours from $7 ★ 4.7 (44 reviews) Check availability
  41. Pesto Mortar Lesson, Local Wine 2 hours 30 minutes from $89 ★ 4.9 (41 reviews) Check availability
  42. Guided Food Tour, Wine Tastings 2 hours from $72 ★ 4.3 (41 reviews) Check availability
  43. Panoramic Tour with Funicular 3 hours from $49 ★ 4.7 (26 reviews) Check availability
  44. Private Day Trip, 8 Hours 8 hours from $744 ★ 5 (20 reviews) Check availability

Genoa With Kids

Children aged 4 to 12 pay a reduced fixed-date ticket from 16 EUR at the Aquarium, which opens 365 days a year. On the old port, the Galata maritime museum and the Bigo lift add two more family stops.

A western seaside district with a long promenade beside a pebble beach, tall faded pastel apartment blocks and calm seaGenoa With KidsA family itinerary built around the old port and the seafront. A slender crane-like panoramic lift structure rising over the old harbour of GenoaBigo Panoramic LiftA lift on the Porto Antico that rises for a view over the harbour. The submarine moored at the pier beside the maritime museum in evening lightGalata Museo Del MareShips and sea history across five levels, right on the waterfront.
Visitors tiny and distant on a quay outside a long modern waterfront building of white and blue-grey panels, an old wooden sailing ship moored nearby, Aquarium of Genoa, GenoaAquarium TicketsAquarium Entry Ticket4.5 from 10,906 reviews · from $37Check availability

Genoa In The Rain

October brings the heaviest rain on the coast, around 171 mm. The Strade Nuove palaces, the Aquarium and the museums give a wet day somewhere indoors.

A rocky coast with a cliff-top promenade under fast-moving cloud and patches of bright sun, the sea a dark blueGenoa In The RainIndoor stops that hold up when it pours. A grand Renaissance palace facade with striped marble and arched windows on a narrow Genoa streetPalazzi Dei RolliInside the palaces of the UNESCO-listed Strade Nuove. An ornate ceremonial hall with frescoed ceilings inside Palazzo Ducale in GenoaGenoa MuseumsWhere to spend the hours indoors.
A small group climbing a wide marble staircase of a grand palace behind a guide, seen from behind, painted vaulted ceiling above, Palazzi dei Rolli, GenoaRolli PalacesRolli Palaces, 4 UNESCO Sites4.4 from 634 reviews · from $16Check availability

Genoa At Night

Evenings centre on the lit caruggi of the old town and the Porto Antico. The Castelletto lift and the Zecca-Righi funicular both run until midnight.

A narrow lane of faded plaster houses lit by warm wall lanterns after dark with a few distant figures and an arched passage aheadGenoa NightlifeBars, aperitivo and streets that run late. Outdoor tables with plain chairs and glasses under umbrellas on a small old-town square in the early evening, nobody seatedBest Restaurants In GenoaThe tables worth booking. A rectangular golden flatbread glistening with olive oil on a worn wooden counter beside a small bowl of green basil sauce in soft window lightGenoa Street FoodFocaccia, farinata and cones of fried seafood. A hillside terrace with a stone balustrade overlooking terracotta rooftops, harbour cranes and a hazy seaGenoa ViewpointsTerraces looking out over the rooftops and the port.

Genoa By The Sea: Boccadasse, Nervi And The Beaches

Boccadasse is the old fishermen's village, with a small pebble beach. Nervi has a cliff-top promenade of about 2 km. For 2026, the regional agency grades the bathing water at Nervi as Buona and at Boccadasse as Scarsa.

A tiny former fishing village on a small pebble cove, wooden fishing boats pulled up on the stones and tall pastel houses climbing the rock above a short sea wallBoccadasseAn old fishermen's village of gozzi boats and pastel houses. A seaside suburb on a rocky coast with a cliff-top promenade, tall pastel villas among umbrella pines and clear blue water breaking on rocks belowNerviNervi's Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi and its Parchi di Nervi. A long pebble beach with calm sea, a promenade of tall pastel buildings and a small marina in the distanceGenoa BeachesWhere to swim, and how to read the bathing-water grades.
A lone swimmer's snorkel and fins left on warm rocks beside clear shallow sea at a small harbour with pastel houses behind, Vernazzola, GenoaSnorkelling TripSnorkeling Trip, 1 Hour4.8 from 63 reviews · from $47Check availability
People at a stone railing of a panoramic terrace looking over a port city A very narrow deep alley between tall medieval buildings in faded ochre, rose and grey stucco, a worn slate-paved lane and a sliver of sky overhead

Free Things To Do In Genoa

Entry to the squares, the terraces over the roofs and the seafront promenades costs nothing, and no ticket is needed to cross the old town on foot.

Piazza De Ferrari Spianata Castelletto Boccadasse Old Town Caruggi All Free Things

What To Eat And Drink In Genoa

Three tastes to know in Genoa: pesto genovese, focaccia and farinata. The basil behind the pesto carries a protected designation of origin.

What to eat in Genoa
Trofie pasta tossed with bright green pesto in a shallow ceramic bowl Pesto Genovese The sauce built on Basilico Genovese PDO. Freshly baked focaccia flatbread with olive oil and coarse salt on a bakery counter Focaccia Genovese The oiled flatbread eaten for breakfast. A glass of chilled white Vermentino wine on a stone wall with terraced Ligurian vineyards and the sea behind Ligurian Wine The white wines and terraced vineyards of the coast.

Genoa On The Map

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Click the map to zoom with the scroll wheel. Numbers match the list.

  1. Piazza De FerrariPiazza De Ferrari, where most first days start
  2. Palazzo DucaleLandmark · 50 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  3. Genoa Cathedral (San Lorenzo)Landmark · 200 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  4. Via Garibaldi And The Musei Di Strada NuovaMuseum · 480 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  5. Palazzi Dei RolliLandmark · 350 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  6. Palazzo RealeMuseum · 1 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  7. Aquarium Of GenoaLandmark · 680 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  8. Porto AnticoLandmark · 490 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  9. Bigo Panoramic LiftLandmark · 610 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  10. Galata Museo Del MareMuseum · 1.1 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  11. Palazzo San GiorgioLandmark · 450 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  12. Lanterna LighthouseLandmark · 2.3 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  13. Spianata CastellettoLandmark · 680 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  14. Zecca-Righi FunicularLandmark · 1.9 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  15. Staglieno Monumental CemeteryLandmark · 3 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  16. Via XX SettembreLandmark · 100 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  17. Mercato OrientaleLandmark · 660 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  18. Corso ItaliaLandmark · 3.5 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  19. Columbus House And Porta SopranaLandmark · 210 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  20. Castello D'AlbertisMuseum · 1.4 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  21. Museo Di Sant'AgostinoMuseum · 370 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  22. Villa Del PrincipeMuseum · 1.6 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  23. Parchi Di NerviPark or garden · 9.3 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  24. Parco Delle Mura And FortsPark or garden · 3.7 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  25. Old Town And The CaruggiNeighbourhood · 380 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  26. Foce And AlbaroNeighbourhood · 2.7 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  27. BoccadasseNeighbourhood · 3.8 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  28. NerviNeighbourhood · 8.8 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  29. PegliNeighbourhood · 9.7 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  30. Principe And Via BalbiNeighbourhood · 860 m from Piazza De Ferrari
  31. Genova Piazza Principe StationTransport · 1.4 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  32. Genova Brignole StationTransport · 1 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  33. Genova Cristoforo Colombo AirportTransport · 6.7 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  34. Genoa Ferry TerminalTransport · 2 km from Piazza De Ferrari
  35. Genoa Cruise Terminal (Stazione Marittima)Transport · 1.4 km from Piazza De Ferrari

Day Trips From Genoa: Portofino, The Cinque Terre, Camogli

Portofino and Camogli sit east along the coast, with Portofino 35.6 km from the centre by road. The Cinque Terre are about 100 km away by road. Boats and trains cover most of the Riviera di Levante.

A tiny horseshoe harbour packed with small boats, tall pastel houses with green shutters and a pine-covered headland behindBoat Trip

Portofino

A horseshoe harbour on the Portofino promontory, reached by boat from Genoa.

5-hour tour · 4.5 from 941 reviews · from $33Check availability
A fishing village of very tall slender houses in ochre, red and yellow stacked above a pebble beach with fishing boats pulled up on the stonesFishing Village

Camogli

A village of tall painted houses above a pebble beach. Boats run on to San Fruttuoso all year.

4.6 from 109 reviews · from $24Check availability
A tiny cove with a medieval abbey of pale stone beside a small shingle beach and steep forested slopes dropping to turquoise waterAbbey

San Fruttuoso

A medieval abbey in a cove with no road. Boats from Camogli serve it year round.

4.4 from 124 reviews · from $27Check availability
A steep fishing village of pastel houses stacked down a cliff to a tiny harbour with terraced vines high on the slopes above a dark blue seaUNESCO Coast

The Cinque Terre

Five cliff villages about 100 km east by road, reached by train from Genoa.

By TrainRead the day trip
A tall wall of narrow pastel houses along a small harbour with a church of black and white striped stone on a rocky headland at the pointHarbour Town

Portovenere

A harbour town beyond La Spezia, marked by the black and white striped church on the point.

By Train And BoatRead the day trip

All day trips

Genoa Right Now: Weather And Golden Hour

At the last check, on 17 October, the forecast for Genoa was 18°C and clear. Sunset was at 18:36, so golden hour over the port began at about 17:36.

Forecast, Genoa centre
18°C
clear, cloud 6%
Sunrise and sunset
07:41 / 18:36
17 October, local time
Golden hour
from 17:36
about an hour before sunset

Weather data from MET Norway (Locationforecast 2.0 and Sunrise 3.0, Norwegian Meteorological Institute), under NLOD 2.0 / CC BY 4.0. A forecast-model value for the grid point at Piazza De Ferrari, not a thermometer reading.

When To Visit Genoa, Month By Month

Tap a month. Temperature and rainfall figures are the official Aeronautica Militare station normals for Genova Sestri, covering 1971 to 2000.

October is the wettest month in Genoa at 171.3 mm, with September (136.4 mm) and November (108.8 mm) behind it, while July, the driest, averages 24.2 mm. The wettest month gets about 7.1 times the rain of the driest.

Jan: 8.5℃Feb: 9.1℃Mar: 11.4℃Apr: 13.6℃May: 17.4℃Jun: 20.8℃Jul: 24.1℃Aug: 24.4℃Sep: 21.2℃Oct: 16.9℃Nov: 12.1℃Dec: 9.5℃ 095190 0°15°30° JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Rain mm Temp ℃
  • Monthly rainfall (mm)
  • Mean temperature (°C)
Official Aeronautica Militare station normals for Genova Sestri, 1971-2000 (the airport, about 7 km west of the centre; the latest period published for this station): August is warmest at 24.4°C average, January coldest at 8.5°C, October wettest at 171.3 mm and July driest at 24.2 mm, about 1,079 mm across the year. The Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis ranks July as the sunniest month and December as the dullest.
MonthMean tempMean highMean lowRainfall
January8.5°C11.5°C5.5°C101.8 mm
February9.1°C12.2°C6°C74 mm
March11.4°C14.6°C8.2°C81.7 mm
April13.6°C16.8°C10.5°C88 mm
May17.4°C20.5°C14.2°C72.4 mm
June20.8°C23.9°C17.6°C58.2 mm
July24.1°C27.3°C20.9°C24.2 mm
August24.4°C27.7°C21°C69.3 mm
September21.2°C24.4°C17.9°C136.4 mm
October16.9°C20°C13.8°C171.3 mm
November12.1°C15.1°C9.2°C108.8 mm
December9.5°C12.5°C6.5°C93.1 mm

Data: Aeronautica Militare, Atlante Climatico d'Italia, 1971-2000, Genova Sestri (official station normals, about 7 km west of Piazza De Ferrari; 1971-2000 is the latest period published for this station; the sunshine ranking comes from Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis 1991-2020 via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0)).

Where To Stay In Genoa

Start by picking an area. The Porto Antico and old town work for the sights, Via XX Settembre for the shops and Brignole station, or the seaside of Nervi and Albaro for quiet and the sea.

Full where-to-stay guide
Visitors walking along the Porto Antico promenade in Genoa with the glass Biosfera sphere in the background

Porto Antico And The Old Town

Best For Walking Everywhere

Around the old port, close to the Aquarium and the caruggi, with the cathedral and the palaces within walking distance.

Old Town Area Guide
An arcaded shopping street in Genoa with tall buildings on both sides and people walking along the pavements

Via XX Settembre

Best For Brignole Station

The shopping street linking Piazza De Ferrari to Genova Brignole, with the metro on the doorstep.

Where To Stay Guide
A residential seaside district of early twentieth-century villas in cream and pale yellow stucco with shuttered windows and tree-lined avenues

Nervi And Albaro

Best For The Seaside

Villa districts along the coast east of the centre, close to Boccadasse and the Nervi promenade.

Foce And Albaro Area Guide

Getting To Genoa From The Airport, Stations And Cruise Port

The Volabus runs from Cristoforo Colombo airport to Principe, De Ferrari and Brignole in about 30 minutes and needs the 10 EUR Met Daily ticket, while a taxi from the airport to the centre has a fixed fare of 25 EUR per car. Trains reach Genova Piazza Principe and Genova Brignole from Milan in about 1h30 to 2h. Cruise ships dock at Ponte dei Mille and Andrea Doria, and ferries use Calata Chiappella, Ponte Caracciolo and Ponte Colombo.

Genoa airport · Genoa train stations · Genoa cruise port · How to get to Genoa

What Is Genoa Famous For?

1

The Strade Nuove

Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli are on the UNESCO list. The area contains the 42 palaces named on the Rolli lists.

2

The Lanterna

Built in 1128 and rebuilt in 1543, the lighthouse stands 117 metres above sea level, making it the tallest in the Mediterranean.

3

Pesto Genovese

Made with Basilico Genovese PDO, the protected basil of the Ligurian coast.

4

Christopher Columbus

The explorer lived in the house beside the Porta Soprana gate between 1455 and 1470.

5

A Medieval Old Town

The historic centre covers 113 hectares. That makes it one of the largest medieval historic centres in Europe.

6

Paganini's Violin

Il Cannone, the violin Guarneri built in Cremona in 1743, is kept at Palazzo Doria-Tursi.

Is It Rude To Not Finish Your Plate In Italy?

Leaving food on the plate in Italy is read differently than in some other countries, and in Genoa the portions make the question practical as well as polite.

Read the full answer

What Not To Do In Italy As An American?

The mistakes Americans make in Italy are the same everywhere, but in Genoa they collide with a working port city where ticket rules, museum calendars and the airport transfer all have exact, published figures.

Read the full answer

What Movie Was Filmed In Portofino?

Portofino sits about 25 km from Genoa on the Ligurian coast, and its harbour, piazzetta and headland have served as a screen backdrop for decades. Here is what makes the village work on camera, and how to reach it from Genoa.

Read the full answer

Where Is Genoa?

Genoa sits on the Ligurian Sea in north-west Italy, a narrow coastal strip between the water and the Apennine hills, with a working port and a UNESCO-listed historic centre.

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Which Village To Skip In Cinque Terre?

On a one-day visit from Genoa, four villages is the realistic count, and the middle one, Corniglia, is the one a tight itinerary can drop. Here is the arithmetic behind that answer.

Read the full answer

What To Avoid In Genoa?

Genoa rewards planning more than improvisation, and the avoidable mistakes are all practical: the wrong ticket, the wrong museum day, the wrong month for rain and the wrong boat booking.

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Is Genoa Worth Visiting?

Genoa is a coastal port city in Liguria with a UNESCO-listed palace system, one of Europe's largest medieval old towns and a working food culture. Here is what the sources say it offers, what it costs and who it suits.

Read the full answer

Is It Better To Stay In Santa Margherita Or Portofino?

Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino sit about 25 km from Genoa on the Ligurian coast, and the choice between them comes down to access, transport links and the rules each town imposes on visitors.

Read the full answer

Genoa Trip Planning Guides

All guides and answers
How To Get To Genoa Genoa Public Transport Best Time To Visit Genoa Where To Stay In Genoa Genoa Museum Card Genoa In Winter
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