Genoa attractions

Genoa is a fitting location for the Galata Maritime Museum (Galata Museo del Mare), as the city has been a major maritime power for centuries. The Museum of the Sea’s four floors feature numerous exhibits on sailing ships and sea explorations—including an entire room dedicated to the famous Genoese explorer Christopher Columbus and his Transatlantic voyage.

La Lanterna, Genoa’s towering stone lighthouse, has been guiding ships into port since medieval times. It stands proudly at 250 feet (76 meters) in height, making it the second-tallest masonry lighthouse in the world. After admiring the stellar views, visit the adjacent Lantern Museum, which covers the history of Genoa and its Old Port.

Set on a hilltop overlooking the Castello district, Genoa’s Basilica of Santa Maria di Castello (Basilica di Santa Maria di Castello) is one of the most important churches in this bustling port city. Part of a larger religious complex including a convent and museum, the Romanesque basilica is home to important works by many of Genoa’s best known artists.

Genoa has been known for its connection to the water for centuries, and one of the best views of the Mediterranean Sea can be found along the Corso Italia promenade. The 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) stretch of sidewalk curves around the coastline with ample space for walking, jogging, and even sunbathing on the beaches along the route.

A large square located just behind Old Port (Porto Antico), Piazza Caricamento is the entryway to Genoa’s historic city center. This waterfront plaza is generally less crowded than Porto Antico and features ample space to people-watch. The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) is the main must-see landmark in the plaza.

The Port of Savona—one of Italy's largest—is a modern cruise port located in Savona’s historic center. While there's little to do in Savona proper, the port serves as the ideal jumping-off point from which to explore the Italian Riviera’s coastal towns and Mediterranean beaches, including the nearby city of Genoa.

Nineteenth-century Italian painter Edoardo Chiossone spent more than 20 years in Japan, where he amassed a significant collection of Japanese art. Bequeathed to the Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts, his collection formed the basis of the Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone).

Genoa’s Palazzo Rosso, or Red Palace, was built in the 1670s as a private home for the wealthy Brignole-Sale family. Donated to the city 200 years later, it was turned into an art museum featuring works by Veronese, Strozzi, and van Dyck. The palace is located in the heart of Genoa’s historical center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Via San Lorenzo is a historic street that runs from the Porto Antico to the stately San Lorenzo Cathedral (Cattedrale di San Lorenzo) in Genoa’s city center. The lovely street is named for the 12th-century black-and-white striped cathedral of the same name, which is home to holy relics and a beautifully frescoed interior.

Of Italy’s many monumental cemeteries, Genoa’s grand Staglieno Cemetery just outside the center is one of the most beautiful. Opened in 1851, the cemetery is among the largest in Europe. Its wealth of exquisite statuary makes it an open-air museum as well as one of the most fascinating sights in this historic port city.

Set next to the aquarium on Genoa’s revitalized historic port, La Biosfera is a small futuristic glass-and-steel sphere that houses a tiny self-contained microclimate. Populated by a chatty parrot, fish, and reptiles, the miniature tropical botanical garden is a delightful refuge from the bustle of the crowded port.

Built in the 1530s for the Grimaldi family, Palazzo Bianco stands in the historical heart of Genoa. The mansion later came into the possession of the wealthy Brignole-Sale family, owners of nearby Palazzo Rosso. Today both homes are part of the Strada Nuova Museums, with Palazzo Bianco featuring European paintings from the 12th to 18th century.

Like many of Genoa’s important churches and palaces, the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato is rather plain on the outside. Inside, however, magnificent Baroque interiors surprise with enormous frescoes framed by sumptuous gold stucco—a dramatic testimony to the former wealth of this historic marine republic.

Challenge your senses and test your perception as you wander through a series of interactive exhibits in complete darkness. A full contrast to the kaleidoscope of colors in the nearby aquarium, Genoa’s Dialogue in the Dark Exhibition (Dialogo nel Buio) is a fascinating experience for visitors of all ages.