Genoa, Italy - September 10, 2016: In this a typical corner of Genova, the square Piazza de Ferrari. Genoa is a popular seaside city for both the port and the aquarium, both for typical Caruggi, narrow alleys of the old town. The upper part of the city is finally very rich with stately palaces, great churches and stately squares. 624721102 Genoa - Italy, Co-Pilot, Ligurian Sea, Explorer, Pesto Sauce, Gamla Stan, Aquarium, Arch, History, Colors, Cultures, Narrow, North, Architecture, Urban Scene, Liguria, Italy, Bay Of Water, Mediterranean Sea, Sea, Apartment, House, Church, University, Alley, Palace, Tunnel, Harbor, City, Urban Sprawl, Caruggi

© iStock

Genoa

Italy's largest sea port is indefatigably contradictory, full at once of grandeur, squalor, sparkling light and deep shade. It's a gateway to the Riviera for many travellers today, but a weighty architectural heritage speaks of its former glory – the Most Serene Republic of Genoa ruled over the Mediterranean waves during the 12th to the 13th centuries – and history feels alive in Genoa. No more is this true than in its extensive old city, an often confronting reminder of premodern life with its twisting maze of caruggi (narrow streets), largely intact. Emerge blinking from this thrillingly dank heart to Via Garibaldi and the splendid Enlightenment-era gold-leaf halls of the Unesco-listed Palazzi dei Rolli.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • At Genoa, Italy , On april/01/2018, Courtyard of Doria Tursi Palace ; Shutterstock ID 1093671710; Your name (First / Last): Anna Tyler; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: destination-image-southern-europe

    Musei di Strada Nuova

    Genoa

    Skirting the northern edge of the old city limits, pedestrianised Via Garibaldi (formerly Strada Nuova) was planned by Galeazzo Alessi in the 16th century…

  • Roof garden of the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) (UNESCO World Heritage List, 2006), Genoa. Italy, 17th century.

    Palazzo Reale

    Genoa

    If you only get the chance to visit one of the Palazzi dei Rolli (group of palaces belonging to the city's most eminent families), make it this one. A…

  • Genoa, Italy. Porta Soprana.

    Old City

    Genoa

    The heart of medieval Genoa – bounded by ancient city gates Porta dei Vacca and Porta Soprana, and the streets of Via Cairoli, Via Garibaldi and Via XXV…

  • Boccadasse, a small sea district of Genoa, during the golden hour; Shutterstock ID 755753164; Your name (First / Last): Anna Tyler; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: destination-image-southern-europe

    Boccadasse

    Genoa

    When the sun is shining, do as the Genovese do and decamp for a passeggiata (late afternoon stroll) along the oceanside promenade, Corso Italia, which…

  • GENOA, ITALY, MARCH 13, 2016: View of a garden situated between palazzo bianco and palazzo doria tursi palace in Genoa, Italy; Shutterstock ID 483815368; Your name (First / Last): Anna Tyler; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: destination-image-southern-europe

    Palazzo Bianco

    Genoa

    Flemish, Spanish and Italian artists feature at Palazzo Bianco, the second of the triumvirate of palazzi that are together known as the Musei di Strada…

  • Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

    Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

    Genoa

    Genoa's zebra-striped Gothic–Romanesque cathedral owes its continued existence to the poor quality of a British WWII bomb that failed to ignite here in…

  • Acquario

    Acquario

    Genoa

    Genoa's much-vaunted aquarium is one of the largest in Europe, with more than 600 species of sea creatures, including sharks. Moored at the end of a…

  • Palazzo Rosso

    Palazzo Rosso

    Genoa

    Lavishly frescoed rooms in Palazzo Rosso, part of the Musei di Strada Nuova, provide the backdrop for several portraits by Van Dyck of the local Brignole…

View more attractions
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Genoa",
  "city": "Genoa",
  "region": "Northwestern-Italy",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Italy"
}

Plan with a local

Articles

Latest stories from Genoa

Couple eating a casual lunch at a bar in Genoa

Tips & Advice

Local Flavor: where to eat and drink in Genoa

Oct 11, 2024 • 9 min read

Read more articles

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Genoa

  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Genoa",
  "city": "Genoa",
  "region": "Northwestern-Italy",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "country": "Italy"
}