Must see attractions in Genoa

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

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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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Dating from the late 19th century, this neo-Gothic beauty does indeed resemble a castle, and houses an astonishing array of ethnographic artefacts from…

The best way to admire the beauty of Genoa is to head to the hills above the city centre. This leafy lookout provides some of the best views over la…

A beautiful historical space that runs a program of modern and contemporary shows along interesting curatorial themes. The focus is often on photography…

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…

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…

Genoa was rivalled only by Barcelona and Venice as a medieval and Renaissance maritime power, so its 'museum of the sea' is, not surprisingly, one of its…

One of the most famous monuments on Genoa's waterfront is this mural-covered building constructed in 1260. St George is one of Genoa's patron saints, and…

This palace, one of three that together make up the Musei di Strada Nuova, features a small but absorbing collection of legendary violinist Niccolò…

The port may have changed radically since its '90s rebirth, but its emblematic sentinel hasn't moved an inch since 1543. Genoa's lighthouse is one of the…

Built on the site of the original settlement, and sheltering under the 11th-century Embriaci Tower, this Romanesque church and convent, itself built…

This gallery's paintings are wonderfully displayed over four floors of the 16th-century Palazzo Spinola, once owned by the Spinola family, one of Genoa's…

Hidden behind Piazza de Ferrari, this former Jesuit church dating from 1597 has an intricate and lavish interior. The wonderfully frescoed walls and…

Once the seat of the independent republic, this grand palace was built in the Mannerist style in the 1590s and was largely refurbished after a fire in the…

In the sacristy of the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, the Museo del Tesoro preserves various dubious holy relics, including the medieval Sacro Catino, a glass…