Stand at the top of the lift from Piazza della Nunziata and the city opens below you in layers: the rooftops of the old town, the cranes of the port, the Ligurian Sea beyond. Genoa rewards travellers who are willing to walk, look up at the facades, and accept that getting slightly lost in the caruggi is part of the experience.
The city suits curious walkers, museum-goers, and anyone who prefers a working port to a polished resort. It is a place of narrow lanes, baroque palaces, and long seafront promenades, and much of it can be covered on foot or with the city's public lifts, funiculars and trains.
This guide covers the main sights in the old city, the museums, and the coastal quarters, followed by a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Genoa
1. Spianata Castelletto
A belvedere with a wide view over the city and the seaport. It is the simplest way to understand Genoa's shape before you start walking it.
Reach it by public lift from Piazza della Nunziata, or on foot from that same square. Combine it with a wander down into the old city afterwards.
2. The Old Harbour (Porto Antico)
An entertainment area north of the Aquarium, with museums, cinemas, cafés and a promenade along the sea. It is the natural starting point for a day that mixes sightseeing with time outdoors.
Pair it with the Aquarium next door, or simply use the promenade for an evening walk when the light softens.
3. Aquarium
One of the largest aquariums in Europe, open daily with the last entrance in the early evening. Ticket prices vary by day of the week and by season, and advance online tickets are cheaper.
Because it is one of the busiest sights, buy online in advance and go early. It sits directly beside the Old Harbour, so combine the two.
4. Via Garibaldi
Also known as Via Aurea, Strada Nuova, Golden Street and New Street, this street is lined with very impressive baroque buildings. It is the heart of the UNESCO-listed Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli.
Walk it slowly and look at the facades rather than hurrying through. Similar buildings are also found in Via Balbi, so the two streets work well as one architectural walk.
5. Palazzi dei Rolli
A group of palaces, or rather fancy private homes whose owners volunteered to host foreign dignitaries during their visits to Genoa in the 16th and 17th centuries. They are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Many of them line Via Garibaldi and Via Balbi, so you can see the exteriors as part of the same walk. Note that they are private homes as well as monuments, so treat entrances accordingly.
6. Cathedral of San Lorenzo
The city's cathedral, in the centre of the old town. It is one of the anchors of the Centro Storico, close to De Ferrari square and Palazzo Ducale.
Combine it with a wander into the caruggi, the narrow lanes that give the old city its character. The area around it is a melting pot of cultures, full of bars, shops, butchers and restaurants.
7. Palazzo Ducale
Where the Dukes of Genoa used to live, standing on De Ferrari square in the heart of the city. The square is also surrounded by the Carlo Felice theatre.
Use De Ferrari as your orientation point: from here you can head towards Via San Lorenzo and into the Centro Storico, or along Via XX Settembre for shopping.
8. Christopher Columbus House (Casa di Cristoforo Colombo)
The house where Columbus lived as a child, on Piazza Dante. It is a small, quick stop rather than a full visit.
Pair it with the nearby churches and lanes of the old city, or fold it into a walk between Piazza De Ferrari and the cathedral.
9. Lanterna di Genova
The prominent Genoese symbol, a lighthouse reached through the Lanterna pedestrian promenade starting near the ferry terminal in Via Milano. Access is on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with the last access half an hour before closing, and there is an admission charge.
Allow time for the walk along the promenade to reach it. It is close to the Dinegro subway station and within walking distance of Principe train station, so it can be slotted into a port-side afternoon.
10. Castello d'Albertis (D'Albertis Castle Museum of World Cultures)
A castle museum devoted to world cultures, sitting within the fortification belt built on the hills surrounding the city from the 16th century onwards.
Because it is up on the hills, treat it as part of a half-day rather than a quick stop. Pair it with the Righi funicular if you want more views from the heights.
11. Righi
The last stop on the Zecca-Righi funicular, with a spectacular view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. From here there are pleasant walks on the surrounding hills and to the fortifications.
Go for the view and stay for the walking. It combines naturally with Castello d'Albertis if you have the legs for it.
12. Corso Italia
Genoa's promenade along the sea. On a sunny day it is the place for a long walk, and it suits runners and roller bladers too, with a skate park along the way.
Walk it in the direction of Boccadasse and finish there. It is best saved for the outdoor season.
13. Boccadasse
A picturesque fishermen's quarter at the eastern end of the seafront walk. It is the reward at the end of Corso Italia.
Combine the two on a sunny day, and go for ice cream along the beach promenade as the locals do.
14. Cimitero monumentale di Staglieno (Cemetery of Staglieno)
A huge cemetery known for its numerous elaborate statues, described as interesting, haunting and beautiful. It is unlike any other sight in the city.
Reach it by bus 34 from Darsena metro or bus 14 from Brignole metro, among others. Set aside a proper block of time rather than squeezing it in.
15. Museums of Fine Arts - Strada Nuova
See both Palazzo Bianco (White Palace) and Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace). They sit on the same stretch as Via Garibaldi, so the art and the architecture belong together.
Do them as one visit rather than separately, and break it up with a walk along the street between the two.
16. Museo di Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace Museum)
On Via Balbi, built by the Balbi family and enlarged by the Durazzo family in the 18th century. It holds frescoes, stuccos, paintings, sculptures and furnishings belonging to the noble and royal families who lived there, plus a historical picture gallery.
It is closed on Mondays, and opening hours differ between weekdays and weekends and holidays. Combine it with the rest of Via Balbi's buildings.
17. Santa Maria di Castello
The cloister of the Dominican order, with a museum and the summer cathedral. Exploring the treasures here is free during the opening hours of the church.
It sits in the old city, so fold it into a caruggi walk. Check the church opening hours before you set out.
18. Nervi's art museums
The eastern suburb of Nervi hosts four small art museums around a pleasant park overlooking the Mediterranean Sea: the Gallery of Modern Art at Villa Saluzzo Serra, the Wolfsoniana, the Luxoro Museum and the Raccolte Frugone. Combined tickets are available for two, three or four museums.
Trains leave from Genoa Piazza Principe station every 15 to 40 minutes and take about 40 minutes. Note that the Raccolte Frugone was closed for renovations as of November 2019, so check before travelling.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Spianata Castelletto, reached by public lift from Piazza della Nunziata, for the view over the city and the port. Walk down into the old city and follow Via Garibaldi, looking at the baroque buildings and the Palazzi dei Rolli. Continue to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Palazzo Ducale, using De Ferrari square as your orientation point.
Afternoon. Head to the Old Harbour (Porto Antico) and spend the early afternoon at the Aquarium, which sits directly beside it. Afterwards, walk the promenade along the sea and, if the weather is good, continue along Corso Italia towards Boccadasse for ice cream by the beach promenade.
Evening. Return to the Centro Storico and get lost in the caruggi. On Friday and Saturday nights the alleyways fill up with people, and they are excellent for bar crawling, with chupiterias for speciality shots and smaller, more rustic birrerias. Look out for live bands on the streets or in the bars, especially by Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Luzzati.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Genoa?
It is very advisable to visit in spring and summer. The outdoor pleasures here, from Corso Italia to Boccadasse to the walks around Righi, depend on decent weather.
How do I get to the Lanterna di Genova?
Access is through the Lanterna pedestrian promenade starting near the ferry terminal in Via Milano. It is about 100 m from bus stops, 400 m from the Dinegro subway station, and 1.5 km from Principe train station. Access is on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with the last access half an hour before closing.
How do I reach the museums in Nervi?
Trains leave from Genoa Piazza Principe station every 15 to 40 minutes and take about 40 minutes. A combined ticket for three or four museums is available, and a two-museum ticket costs less.
Is the old city easy to explore on foot?
Yes, but you should take a map, because you could get lost. The Centro Storico is a bustling net of alleyways that gains its character from being close to the port.
Decide which of these fits your days, check the opening hours that matter to you, and start planning your trip to Genoa.