The best things to do in Genoa consistently surprise visitors who arrive with low expectations — and Genoa is perhaps the most dramatically underrated city in Italy. Most tourists pass through Genoa without stopping, which means those who do stop discover a city that feels genuinely undiscovered. Genoa was once one of the most powerful cities in the medieval world — a maritime republic whose ships and merchants dominated Mediterranean trade for centuries — and the wealth accumulated during that extraordinary era created a city of stunning palaces, magnificent art collections and one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe.
The best things to do in Genoa span world-class museums and the finest aquarium in Italy to completely free wandering through extraordinary medieval alleyways.
This guide covers all the best things to do in Genoa in 2026.
1. Visit the Aquarium of Genoa
The Aquarium of Genoa is one of the best things to do in Genoa and the most visited paid attraction in Italy outside Rome, Florence and Venice. The largest aquarium in Italy and one of the finest in Europe, it houses over 600 species including sharks, rays, seals, dolphins, penguins and a spectacular coral reef section. The building itself — designed to look like a ship moored in the old harbour — is architecturally extraordinary.
Allow 2-3 hours minimum. The aquarium is particularly excellent for families.
Book tickets from ourGenoa attractions pagefrom €28. Combined tickets with the City of Children and the Biosphere are available.
2. Explore the Caruggi — Genoa’s Medieval Alleyways
Exploring the Caruggi — Genoa’s extraordinary medieval alleyway district — is one of the best free things to do in Genoa and one of the most atmospheric neighbourhood walks in Italy. The Caruggi (from the Genovese word for narrow alley) is the largest medieval city centre in Europe — a labyrinthine network of narrow alleyways lined with ancient palaces, small churches, neighbourhood bars, market stalls and the daily life of one of Italy’s most authentic cities.
Getting lost in the Caruggi is genuinely disorienting and genuinely wonderful. Go in the morning when the market stalls are open and the neighbourhood feels most alive.
Free — no ticket needed. ✅
3. Visit the Strada Nuova — UNESCO World Heritage Palaces
The Strada Nuova — now called Via Garibaldi — is one of the best things to do in Genoa for art and hThe combined Musei di Strada Nuova ticket covers all three palaces and is exceptional value. The street itself — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is free to walk and admire.Museum tickets from €9. Free to walk the street. ✅
The combined Musei di Strada Nuova ticket covers all three palaces and is exceptional value. The street itself — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is free to walk and admire.
Museum tickets from €9. Free to walk the street. ✅
4. Visit the Porto Antico
The Porto Antico — Genoa’s regenerated old harbour — is one of the best free things to do in Genoa. Designed by Renzo Piano for Genoa’s 1992 Expo, the Porto Antico is a spectacular waterfront area combining the Aquarium, the Biosphere, the Galata Maritime Museum, restaurants and a wide promenade with views over the Ligurian Sea.
Walking the Porto Antico, sitting by the water and watching the boats is one of the finest free experiences Genoa offers. The surrounding area has excellent and affordable seafood restaurants — much cheaper than comparable waterfront dining in other Italian cities.
Free to walk. ✅ Book paid attractions on ourGenoa attractions page.
5. Visit the Galata Maritime Museum
The Galata Maritime Museum is one of the best things to do in Genoa for history lovers. The largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean, it traces Genoa’s extraordinary history as a maritime power through four floors of exhibits including a full-size reconstruction of a 17th-century Genovese galleon, exhibits on Columbus (who was born in Genoa) and the complete submarine Nazario Sauro.
The museum gives an extraordinary insight into why Genoa was once one of the most powerful cities in the world.
Book tickets from ourGenoa attractions pagefrom €12.
6. Ride the Bigo Panoramic Lift
Riding the Bigo — the extraordinary panoramic lift beside the Porto Antico — is one of the best things to do in Genoa for views. This cable-suspended lift rises above Renzo Piano’s famous crane structure to give a 360-degree panoramic view of the Porto Antico, the city and the Ligurian Sea.
The structure itself is an extraordinary piece of industrial design and the view from the top is one of the finest in Genoa.
Book tickets from ourGenoa attractions pagefrom €5.
7. Visit Christopher Columbus’s House
Visiting Christopher Columbus’s house is one of the most historically significant best things to do in Genoa. The reconstructed medieval house where Columbus was born in 1451 — beside the Porta Soprana gateway — gives a fascinating insight into the early life of history’s most famous explorer, who grew up in this city before sailing west in 1492 and changing the world.
The Porta Soprana itself — one of the finest surviving medieval city gates in Italy — is free to view from outside.
Book tickets from ourGenoa attractions pagefrom €4.
8. Eat Focaccia and Pesto
Eating Genoa’s extraordinary focaccia and pesto is one of the best things to do in Genoa on any food lover’s list. Ligurian focaccia — soft, olive-oil-drenched, sometimes topped with cheese or olives — is categorically different from and superior to focaccia found elsewhere in Italy. Every neighbourhood bakery produces it fresh throughout the day for just €1-2 per piece.
Pesto Genovese — made with fresh Ligurian basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and Ligurian olive oil — originated in Genoa and the local version bears no comparison to the industrially produced pesto found elsewhere. Try it on trofie pasta (twisted egg-free pasta) for the authentic combination.
Budget: €5-8 for excellent focaccia and pesto lunch. ✅
9. Take the Elevator to Castelletto
Taking the elevator to the Castelletto terrace is one of the best free things to do in Genoa for panoramic views. A historic public elevator rises from Via Bensa to the Spianata Castelletto — a panoramic terrace offering magnificent views over Genoa’s extraordinary rooftop landscape, the port and the Ligurian Sea.
The elevator costs just €0.70 each way — extraordinary value for one of the finest city views in Liguria.
Cost: €0.70 ✅
10. Buy a Genoa City Card
The Genoa City Card is one of the best things to do in Genoa for value — giving unlimited access to the city’s major attractions including the Aquarium, the Strada Nuova museums, the Galata Maritime Museum and public transport for a fixed price.
The City Card pays for itself easily if you’re planning to visit multiple attractions.
Book the Genoa City Card from ourGenoa attractions pagefrom €15.
Practical Tips for Genoa
- Visit in shoulder season.Genoa in April, May, September and October is magnificent — warm, uncrowded and significantly cheaper than summer.
- Explore the Caruggi at night.The medieval alleyways at night, lit by warm lamplight with residents going about their business, are extraordinarily atmospheric.
- Eat at the market.The Mercato Orientale — Genoa’s covered food market — is one of the finest in northern Italy. Eat at the stalls inside for excellent and affordable Genovese food.
- Book Aquarium tickets in advance.The Aquarium is enormously popular — book online to avoid queuing, especially in summer.
For official travel information visit theItalian Tourism Board.
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