The province of Genoa is officially called Città Metropolitana di Genova. The provincial capital of Genoa is also the capital of the entire Liguria region. The capital, like most of the province, is sandwiched between the sea and several over 1,000 meters high mountains. Almost 70% of the province’s inhabitants live in the capital. In addition to the provincial capital, Rapallo, Portofino and Chiavari are also well-known tourist destinations. The territory consists of 80% mountains.
All about the province of Genoa
Territory
Genoa is the largest of the four provinces in the region. The province consists of 67 municipalities. To the south, it is bordered by the Gulf of Genoa. The coastal strip west of Genoa is called Riviera di Ponente. The Riviera di Levante is located on the other side of the city.
The territory of the province includes part of the Apennines. The Maggiorasca, at 1803 meters, is the highest mountain. Another mountain range runs along the coast. In several sites, towns have been built on picturesque cliffs along the water. Multiple rivers wind their way between the mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. Others flow into the River Po. In many places there are narrow pebble beaches. Chiavari is one of the few cities with a wider beach.
Capital city
Genoa (Genova in Italian) is the capital of the province. It is the sixth largest city in Italy in terms of population and has a densely populated center. It is the main port of the region and the old lighthouse called Lanterna is therefore considered a symbol of the city. Genoa has nearly 600,000 inhabitants.
Public transportation
The province’s airport is located on an artificial island off Sestri Levante and is called, not unexpectedly, Aeroporto Internazionale Cristoforo Colombo. The province’s major cities can all be reached by train. The port of Genoa is the most important in northern Italy.
By Car
The province is very easy to drive through. Four different highways provide connections to Milan (A7), Livorno (A12), and other main cities. The old consular road Via Aurelia begins in Rome and travela all the way through the province to the French border.