Italy · City break

Genoa City Guide

Rough and honest. Genoa's caruggi, narrow lanes between tall houses, tumble down to the sea. In between stand the sumptuous Rolli palaces of the old maritime republic and a black-and-white striped cathedral, with Italy's largest aquarium at the old harbour. One ready-made day route starts at Piazza De Ferrari.

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Our walking tours of Genoa

Ready-made routes from the station guide you through Genoa, to the right spots from the very first step, with no planning needed.

Old Town, Palaces & Harbour

From the grand Piazza De Ferrari to the black-and-white striped Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the hidden Doria square of San Matteo, through the caruggi to the palace street Via Garibaldi with the Palazzo Rosso. Up by historic lift to the Castelletto viewing terrace, then down to Renzo Piano's Porto Antico with its aquarium and maritime museum, and by bus to the colourful fishing village of Boccadasse.

Piazza De Ferrari. The walk begins on Piazza De Ferrari, Genoa's stately heart. A large bronze fountain sprays in the middle, grand buildings all around, among them the Teatro Carlo Felice opera house, the Palazzo della Borsa and the façades of former banks. From here the elegant boulevards of the new town and the narrow lanes of the old town radiate out. Keep Piazza delle Erbe in mind for the evening, just two minutes into the lanes. The little square fills up with bars, and half of Genoa meets there for a drink.
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo. The Cattedrale di San Lorenzo is Genoa's main church, unmistakable for its façade of black-and-white striped marble meant to display the maritime republic's power. Two lions guard the steps. Inside, the treasury holds relics and precious objects, and in the right aisle sits a shell that the British battleship Malaya fired through two walls in February 1941 without it going off. What lies there is a replica; the original was sunk at sea.
Piazza San Matteo. Hidden in the lanes lies Piazza San Matteo, a small, almost intact medieval square that once belonged to the powerful Doria family. The black-and-white striped houses and the little church of San Matteo formed the private power centre of the seafaring dynasty that also produced the admiral Andrea Doria. An atmospheric corner away from the bustle.
Via Garibaldi (Palazzi dei Rolli). Via Garibaldi, formerly Strada Nuova, is Genoa's grandest street, a narrow lane lined with the Palazzi dei Rolli, the 16th-century noble palaces of the maritime republic, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One richly decorated façade follows the next, hiding sumptuous courtyards, frescoes and gardens. A boulevard of superlatives in the tightest space.
Palazzo Rosso. The Palazzo Rosso on Via Garibaldi, named for its red façade, is part of the Musei di Strada Nuova. Behind the sumptuous halls with ceiling frescoes hang masterpieces of the collection, among them portraits by Anthony van Dyck from his Genoa years, plus works by Veronese, Titian and Dürer. At the very top, the roof terrace rewards with a fine view over the old town's roofs.
Spianata Castelletto. From the edge of the old town, the historic Art Nouveau lift Ascensore Castelletto carries you up in seconds to the Spianata Castelletto, a balcony high above the city. From the terrace opens the walk's finest view over the jumble of old-town roofs, the church towers and domes to the harbour and the open sea. A favourite spot for Genoese at sunset.
Porto Antico. The Porto Antico, the old harbour, was redesigned by Renzo Piano in 1992 for the Columbus celebrations and reopened the city to the sea. Over the water swings the Bigo, a panoramic lift shaped like a loading crane that raises you up for a 360-degree view. Around it lie bars, the big aquarium, a tropical greenhouse and old, restored sailing ships.
Genoa Aquarium. The Acquario di Genova on the Porto Antico is Italy's largest aquarium and one of the biggest in Europe. In around 70 tanks, sharks, dolphins, seals, penguins, jellyfish and a rainforest biotope glide by, and in the glass tunnel the fish swim over your head. Allow a good two hours for the many tanks. A highlight, especially with children.
Galata Sea Museum. The Galata Museo del Mare is the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean, telling Genoa's story as a sea power, from the galleys of the maritime republic through the great emigration to America to today. The highlight floats in front, the real submarine Nazario Sauro, which you can go inside. From the roof terrace opens a wide view over the harbour.
Boccadasse. To finish, the bus takes you east to Boccadasse, a tiny fishing village that the big city simply grew around. Pastel-coloured houses crowd around a small pebble cove, colourful boats rest on the shingle, and from the gelato shops you grab a scoop and sit by the water. At sunset, when the façades glow, it's a piece of Liguria in the middle of Genoa.

Planning your visit

One day is enough. The route from Piazza De Ferrari runs 3.5 kilometres through the caruggi, the narrow lanes between tall houses, to the cathedral and Via Garibaldi with the Rolli palaces of the old maritime republic. A lift takes you up to the Spianata Castelletto with its view over the roofs, then it is on to the harbour, the aquarium and the colourful fishing village of Boccadasse. Genoa does not dress up, and that is the appeal. Seven evening tips are ready, and the Cinque Terre are an hour away by train.

Going out & nightlife

Rooftop bars

Terrazza Colombo. On the eleventh floor of a palazzo near Via XX Settembre sits the Terrazza Colombo, a rooftop bar with a wide view over the old town's roofs to the harbour and the Lanterna lighthouse. Especially lovely for an aperitivo at sunset.

Nightlife quarters

Piazza delle Erbe & caruggi. Around the Piazza delle Erbe beats the old town's nocturnal heart, a tight web of caruggi full of bars, wine spots and aperitivo tables where students and Genoese crowd until late. Loud, dense and gloriously unpolished.
Porto Antico & Corso Italia. By the water, the Porto Antico with its bars and eateries and the Corso Italia seafront promenade to the east offer the more relaxed option, with sea-view drinks, gelato in the evening and, in summer, balmy nights on the coast. Another side of the port city.

Food & restaurants

Trattoria da Maria. The Trattoria da Maria in a lane near Via Garibaldi is a Genoese institution, with simple, rustic cooking at small prices and a daily-changing board of pasta al pesto, minestrone and Ligurian classics, served at closely packed tables. Loud, genuine and always full.
Il Genovese. Il Genovese is devoted to authentic Ligurian cuisine and is reckoned one of the city's best addresses for pestle-pounded pesto alla genovese, handmade trofie and pansoti with walnut sauce. A touch more upscale, but the classics as good as almost anywhere. Booking advised.

Bars & clubs

Giardini Luzzati. The Giardini Luzzati in the heart of the old town are a revived square on Roman foundations, with bar, concerts, DJ sets and cultural programme in the open air, young and alternative. A good base for a long night in the surrounding caruggi.

Stage & concerts

Teatro Carlo Felice. Right on Piazza De Ferrari stands the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa's opera house with its Neoclassical columned portico. As one of Italy's important stages it offers opera, ballet and symphony concerts at a high level. In the very centre, a stone's throw from the walk's start.

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Practical information for Genoa

Public transport

Operator. All public transport in Genoa is run by AMT, the Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti. That includes the city bus network, the metro, the Zecca-Righi funicular, the Principe-Granarolo rack railway, the Sant'Anna funicular, 14 public lifts, the provincial intercity buses, the narrow-gauge Genova-Casella railway, and the two airport shuttles Volabus and Genova Airlink. The system doesn't use fare zones. The standard 2-euro ticket is valid across the whole AMT network of the Città Metropolitana, except for Volabus, the Ferrovia Genova Casella, and line 782 between Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino. Anyone who also wants to use Trenitalia's local trains within the city takes the integrated ticket for 2.20 euros, valid between Nervi, Voltri, and Vesima as well as between Pontedecimo and Acquasanta. AMT is in the middle of a restructuring plan that had already cut some services by 1 July 2026, including the Navebus harbor ferry.

Network. One metro line, buses and several funiculars and lifts up to the upper town.

Modes of transport. Bus · Metro · Funicular · Rack railway · Public lifts · Trenitalia local trains within the city · Genova-Casella narrow-gauge railway

Operating hours. The metro is the mode of transport that calls it a night earliest. AMT states that it closes at 9 pm on weekdays and holidays and only runs until midnight on Saturdays, with extended hours possible during major events. The departure board shows the first run at 6 am from both Brin and Brignole, every ten minutes during the day. The Zecca-Righi funicular runs daily from 6.40 am to midnight. The Principe-Granarolo rack railway runs from 6 am to midnight on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 8 am to 9 pm on Sundays and holidays. The Sant'Anna funicular is listed as running from 7 am to 12.30 am, but it's currently out of service for its five-year overhaul. The lifts each have their own schedule, ranging from 6.05 am to 12.40 am, and several close as early as the early evening. Bus service on the main routes starts between 4.10 am and 5 am, the coastal line 1 runs until just after midnight, while many other lines finish considerably earlier.

Night service. At night, two bus lines remain in service. N1 runs from Prato in Pian Martello via Brignole, De Ferrari, and Sampierdarena to Pontedecimo, N2 from Nervi via Sturla, Albaro, De Ferrari, and Sestri to Voltri. Together they cover the two major valley routes and the coast, both passing through the central hubs De Ferrari and Brignole. Frequency is thin, on the Sunday timetable checked, departures fell between 1.15 am and 4.22 am, sometimes more than an hour apart. Between the metro's closing time of 9 pm and the start of the night lines, the regular bus routes carry the traffic, with the coastal line 1 running until just after midnight. AMT only issues the free Sunday-and-Night CityPass for night trips from 10 pm onward to residents of the Città Metropolitana, visitors pay the normal fare at night.

Buying tickets. For single tickets, AMT lists six sales channels, namely its own ticket counters, the web shop, the AMT app, contracted outlets such as newsstands, tobacco shops, and supermarkets, ticket machines around the city, and purchase by SMS. The 2-euro ticket is also available at Trenitalia counters. Machines can be found in the metro stations, among other places. Paper tickets only become valid once validated on board and must be kept until after getting off and shown on inspection, they're neither transferable nor refundable. MetDaily tickets bought online arrive as a PDF by email and can be shown on a phone or printed out. Tickets bought via the app or the contactless system are valid immediately. The 22-euro weekly pass requires the CityPass chip card with personal details, making it more cumbersome for a short stay than a day ticket.

App and payment. The official app is called AMT. It sells the standard ticket, the integrated ticket that includes Trenitalia, the five-hour ticket, the 24-hour MetDaily, and the single ticket for line 782 to Portofino. Payment is by credit card or through Google Pay and Apple Pay. AMT also mentions the apps GoGoGe and DropTicket, the latter sells only the 110-minute ticket by location detection without any registration. For card payment there's ILA, short for Instant Lane Access. ILA posts stand at the network's main stops, at Ferrovia Genova Casella stations, and in Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino, with onboard readers on Volabus, Airlink, and line 782. Accepted are contactless cards from Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, and VPay, as well as cards stored on a smartphone or smartwatch. ILA automatically charges the cheapest fare. On inspection, you just give the last four digits of the card used.

Which ticket. The standard ticket costs 2 euros and is valid for 110 minutes across the entire AMT network of the Città Metropolitana. The eleven-ride carnet costs 20 euros, eleven rides for the price of ten. The integrated ticket that also covers Trenitalia trains within the city costs 2.20 euros, the matching carnet 22 euros. A five-hour ticket costs 5 euros, the equivalent of two and a half single rides. The MetDaily day pass costs 10 euros for 24 hours from validation, equal to five single rides. It's the only pass that also covers Volabus, the Ferrovia Genova Casella, and line 782 to Portofino. The four-person version costs 30 euros, or 7.50 euros per person, just under four single rides. Lifts and the Sant'Anna funicular have their own ticket for 1.20 euros, with four rides costing 4 euros. A single ride on line 782 costs 5 euros. The weekly pass costs 22 euros, the equivalent of eleven single rides, but doesn't cover Volabus or line 782 and requires the CityPass chip card. Three consecutive MetDaily days together cost 30 euros.

Fare zones. No zones. The 2-euro ticket is valid across the entire AMT network of the Città Metropolitana, meaning as far as Nervi, Voltri, and Pontedecimo. Not included are Volabus, the Ferrovia Genova Casella, and line 782 to Portofino, where a single ride costs 5 euros.

Tip. The public lifts count as ordinary rides and save steep climbs.

Getting there

Main station

Location. One of two main stations; the other is Genova Brignole. Long-distance trains usually call at both.

Long-distance trains. Genova Piazza Principe has nine platform tracks for passenger service. Long-distance trains run in three directions. To the north and south, Frecciarossa trains run via Milan to Turin and Venice, and via Rome to Naples, Salerno, Lecce, and Taranto, plus Frecce toward Modane on the French border. Along the coast, Intercity trains run west to Ventimiglia and east via Sestri Levante toward Livorno, Grosseto, and Rome. EuroCity trains serve the Milan axis with the border stations of Chiasso and Domodossola. On top of that comes very dense regional service to Savona, Ventimiglia, Sestri Levante, Turin, Pavia, Milan, Gallarate, Brescia, Verona, Parma, and Bologna. The station has ticket counters, luggage storage, waiting areas, restrooms, railway police, food outlets, and shops. The Sala Blu mobility service for travelers with disabilities operates between 7.45 am and 10.30 pm, with registration required up to an hour before departure. Step-free access exists to tracks 11 through 20, but there's no tactile guidance system.

Opening hours. The first long-distance train, a Frecciarossa to Naples, departs around 4.40 am. The last departures are regional trains around 12.15 am. According to RFI, the station opens and closes with the day's first and last train.

Airports

GOA

Into the city. Volabus takes around 30 minutes to Piazza Principe and Brignole. Alternatively, the Genova Airlink shuttle takes 5 minutes to the Genova Sestri Ponente Aeroporto station, from where regional trains run several times an hour into the center.

Frequency. Volabus runs 23 round trips a day, from Brignole 5 am to 11.40 pm, from the airport 5.30 am to 12.15 am, usually every 30 to 60 minutes. Airlink runs every 15 minutes, from the station 5.50 am to 10.10 pm, from the airport 5.45 am to 10.05 pm.

Local quirks

Europe's narrowest alleys. The caruggi are in places less than a meter wide and form the largest surviving medieval center in Europe.
Two routes to the airport, at very different prices. Since the new fare structure, Volabus requires the 10-euro MetDaily pass, a standalone Volabus ticket no longer appears on the July 2026 fare notice. The Genova Airlink shuttle, on the other hand, runs with the standard 2-euro ticket. It shuttles every 15 minutes between the arrivals hall and the Genova Sestri Ponente Aeroporto station and takes 5 minutes, with a regional train onward from there. Anyone who then takes the 2.20 am-euro integrated ticket for the train has the whole journey covered with a single fare. The MetDaily, by contrast, is valid for 24 hours across the entire network.
Every lift has its own schedule. AMT operates 14 public lifts, and each one runs on its own schedule. Castelletto Ponente and Levante run daily from 6.40 am to midnight, Magenta-Crocco even until 12.40 am, the Castello D'Albertis-Montegalletto lift already closes at 7.50 pm on weekdays, the Quezzi lift doesn't run at all on Sundays, and the lift at the Brignole metro station only operates during metro hours. There's also a separate, cheaper ticket for the lifts and the Sant'Anna funicular at 1.20 euros, with four rides costing 4 euros.

Good to know

Currency: EUR €
Emergency number: 112
Plug type: C · F · L
Time zone: Europe/Rome
Driving: right

Speed limits. built-up areas 50 km/h, outside towns 90 km/h, 110 km/h on expressways, motorway 130 km/h

In rain, the motorway limit is 110 km/h instead of 130, and 90 instead of 110 on expressways. Drivers who have held their license for less than three years may drive at most 100 km/h on the motorway and 90 km/h on expressways. Within built-up areas, 50 km/h is the rule, though signposted city roads allow up to 70 km/h.

Tipping. Not expected. Bills often carry a coperto or servizio. If you were happy, round up.

Tolls. Most motorways are tolled. Take a ticket on entry, pay on exit. No vignette.

Access restrictions. Many historic centres are closed to non-residents. Cameras read the plate and the fine arrives home months later. Hours and boundaries differ from city to city.