Genoa, the capital of the Italian Riviera is often overlooked. This industrial port city tends to get overshadowed by the small towns and villages that the Riviera is known for. Though the images of Genoa don’t appear on the covers of the top travel magazine like Cinque Terre, does not mean it should be skipped. Genoa melds together historical and modern elements. You could see almost all of Genoa in one day. To experience the ease of this city; take a couple of days to unwind, relax and enjoy the Riviera’s not so hustling capital.
Table of Contents
Day One
Spend the afternoon wandering through the historical streets of Genoa. Start the day off in Centro Storico. Most notably, Genoa is known for being the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. You can find his childhood home located outside the historical city gates. The house is so small that you could easily walk right past it if you didn’t know it was there. There aren’t big signs or hoards of tourists surrounding the house. It sits there in its quiet, quaint glory.
Head into the city center. Meander through the narrow streets and the large piazzas. Stop by San Lorenzo Cathedral and take in its unique black and white stripped marble exterior. If you would like to enter the cathedral, your shoulders and knees must be covered. (Tip: Travel with a light sweater or scarf so you can enter churches in Italy.) I never had the chance to enter San Lorenzo. Every time I went, I either wasn’t properly dressed or church was in service. While I never had the chance to go inside, I admired this mesmerizing cathedral every time I passed it.
Grab some foccacia for lunch and eat it in the Piazza De Ferrari. Foccacia is a flat style bread which Genoa is famous for. After your relaxing lunch facing the fountain, head into the Palazzo Ducale. The Palazzo Ducale has been transformed into a venue for art exhibitions. Here you can see photography displays or have the chance to listen to live music bouncing of the high walls of the courtyard.
Take a walk through the Stade Nuove or “New streets”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was built in the 16th and 17th centuries when Genoa held financial power. Explore the palazzos on Via Garibaldi. Everything is so well-preserved that not a cobblestone is out-of-place. One palazzo leads to the next and they seem to loom over you in the narrow streets. The facades are understated compared to the grandeur inside the walls and courtyards. To see more of the palazzos, take a tour inside. (Tip: Palazzos are closed on Mondays.)
Day Two
Start your day at the Porto Antico. This old port isn’t very old, it has undertaken renovations and is quite modern. Here you will find the Biosphere, Bigo and the Aquarium. While these new structures don’t have the old European charm, the modern elements have been incorporated with artistic flare. The modern port transitions with ease into the historical city center.
Now that you’ve seen the city center, hop on a bus to Boccadasse, a fishing village in the suburbs of Genoa. There is so much heart in this village. I might be a little bias, seeing as I have spent many afternoons in Boccadasse, eating gelato and lounging on the beach. But you won’t be disappointed. Make sure to get a gelato from Antica Gelataria and eat it by the rocks, like the locals do. You can spend your afternoon lounging on the pebble beach of Boccadasse, taking a dip in the Liguarian Sea or taking a walk along the pier.
Once you’re back from Boccadasse, it’s time to get a new perspective of Genoa. Take the Zecca Funicular to Righi. Righi is a town located in the hinterland above Genoa. The Funicular functions as any other public transportation in Genoa, it costs €2 for a ticket that last for 60 minutes. It was a unique ride up the mountain and the view from the top was spectacular. I ended up being more drawn by the view of the mountains behind me than the harbor below.
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Side Trip: Cinque Terre
When you’re in the Italian Riviera, you can’t miss Cinque Terre. The five seaside fishing villages that make up this UNESCO World Herritage Site can be easily reached from Genoa. You can take a train to either La Spezia or Riomaggiore to begin your day in Cinque Terre. Once you arrive at the train station, buy the Cinque Terre Card. The Cinque Terre Card cost € 16 and includes unlimited access to the trails, trains, shuttles, bathrooms and wifi within Cinque Terre. Read the full recap of my time in Cinque Terre here!
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Side Trip: Portofino Peninsula
Spend the day in the Portofino Peninsula, where you will find picturesque and affluent harbor towns. Take a train to Rapallo, where you can buy a ferry ticket that departs from Rapallo and stops in Santa Margherita, San Fruttuoso and Portofino. There’s no better way to experience the Italian Riviera than by sea. Make sure to wake up early to make the most of your time in each port. Read the full recap of my time in the Portofino Peninsula here!
Its incredible that Genoa for all its past glories as a maritime republic, not much of this city is known beyond its current status as a step off for the Cinque terre etc. Indeed this has been an eye-opener. Thanks!
It is! There is so much history yet not many tourists. And the tourists that are there are only stopping by on there way somewhere else. They don’t even realize the history of the city. Thanks for reading! I’m glad you appreciated the post.
Wow! Your photos are incredible, and it looks like a fantastic trip! What is the closest major city?
Thank you! It was amazing! I was staying in the suburbs of Genoa as an au pair so I saw a fair bit of the city. The closest major city is Milan, it’s about an hour and a half by train.
I was in Genoa for two days last year on business, so one day was working, you saw a lot I did not see, thanks. I did fall in love with the narrow streets in the old part, amazing.
That’s a nice place to go for business! Next time you’re there on business maybe you can check out some of the places that I went to.
Incredible Anna! I never knew Genoa was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. But, the regal house looks pretty much in a bad state. Isn’t the local authority taking measures to restore it? The new street looks amazing. Seems like a wonderful place for photography enthusiasts.
I didn’t know that it was the birthplace of Columbus until I traveled to Genoa. I’m not sure if there’s any restorations currently. It’s something I am interested to look into though! And it is a great place for photography!
Love the photos in this blog! Great stuff!
Thank you!
Amazing shots! Looks like an amazing trip!
— Natalie, itsnothouitsme.com
Thank you! It was a lot of fun!
Genoa sounds an incredible place! I had never thought about putting this on my list but now I definitely will.
I’m glad this encouraged you to travel to Genoa! It’s a great spot to stop en route to the Cinque Terre.
Genoa is truly lovely, I am glad you wrote about this town.
I didn´t know C. Colombus was born there! Well clearly it´s an inspiring place for travellers 🙂
It is very inspiring! It’s like a little hidden treasure that that’s where Colombus was born!
What a gem! So beautiful pictures and I really liked your itinerary. I can`t wait to go to Italy and explore all of these places 🙂
Thank you! I hope you get the chance to stop here on a trip!
I absolutely loved visiting the other towns in Liguria – there’s so much to see and explore beyond Cinque Terre. Bummed that we didn’t make it to Genoa this time around, but it’s definitely on the list for next time!
Every town in Liguria has its own charm! Hopefully next time you’ll get a chance to stop in Genoa and that you can use my itinerary for reference!
I love that you are highlighting a lesser popular destination. I’ve heard good things about Genoa and now I really want to visit. Thanks for the inspiration and gorgeous pictures.
Thanks for reading! I hope you get a chance to visit!
I love how you’ve broken up visiting Genoa into a two day visit and tell us exactly what to do for each with the addition of side trips at the end! It makes planning my own future travels so much easier and I definitely hope I can make it to Genoa one of these days 🙂
Thanks! I’m glad you liked the post. I hope you make it to Genoa too!
I lived in Genoa for four years. You really portraied the city well. Thanks for bringing back the memories 🙏😊
What a great city to have lived! I’m glad it brought back some memories for you!
What a charming city! Why is it not on everyone’s travel bucket list?!
Isn’t it? I think everyone should add it