The port that once controlled a small empire is now one of the most popular places to enjoy a passeggiata (evening stroll). Superyacht lovers are particularly well catered for and those with kids will love the aquarium, the futuristic Bigo (lookout), the small public swimming pool and the pirate ship.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Musei di Strada Nuova
0.3 MILES
Skirting the northern edge of the old city limits, pedestrianised Via Garibaldi (formerly Strada Nuova) was planned by Galeazzo Alessi in the 16th century…
Palazzo Reale
0.43 MILES
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…
Old City
0.14 MILES
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
2.66 MILES
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…
Abbazia di San Fruttuoso
13.82 MILES
The hamlet's sensitively restored Benedictine abbey was built as a final resting place for Bishop St Fructuosus of Tarragona, martyred in Spain in AD 259…
Palazzo Bianco
0.28 MILES
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…
Villa Durazzo
15.05 MILES
This exquisitely turned-out mansion and gardens, part of a 16th-century castle complex, overlooks the sea. In the lavish Italian gardens, you can take an…
Nearby Genoa attractions
1. Palazzo San Giorgio
0.06 MILES
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…
2. Biosfera
0.12 MILES
A giant glass ball housing a humid mini-ecosystem with tropical plants, butterflies and birds, the Biosphere is an innovative addition to the port,…
3. Old City
0.14 MILES
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…
4. Acquario
0.15 MILES
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…
5. Primo Piano
0.17 MILES
A beautiful historical space that runs a program of modern and contemporary shows along interesting curatorial themes. The focus is often on photography…
6. Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola
0.19 MILES
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…
7. Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
0.2 MILES
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…
8. Museo del Tesoro
0.22 MILES
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…