Genoa (Genova in Italian) is both the capital of the province of the same name and of the region of Liguria. 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 the symbol of the city. Genoa has almost 600 thousand inhabitants.
Genoa travel guide
Useful information
Tourist office: The tourist information office is called IAT (tel. +39 0105572903) and is located in Via Garibaldi, 12. It is open every day from 09:00 to 18:20. In total there are four tourist information offices in Genoa. There is one at the airport (tel. +39 010 5572903; hours 09:00 till 22:20), one at the old port (Via al Porto Antico 2; tel. +39 010 5572903; hours 09:00 till 18:20) and one at the Stazione Marittima cruise harbor (address: Ponte dei Mille; hours 08:30 till 14:30).
Town hall: Palazzo Tursi in via Garibaldi 9 (tel. 010 557111).
Region: Liguria. Province: Genova. ZIP code: 16121 to 16167. Area code: (+39) 010.
By car/public transport
By car: The A7 freeway leads from Milan south to Genoa. From Alessandria follow the E25 to Voltri and then the E80 or the SS1 (the old Roman Via Aurelia) to the east. From Rome, Pisa and Livorno follow the E80 or SS1 north. From Ventimiglia, San Remo and Savona also take the E80 or SS1. The SS45 leads to Piacenza.
Public transportation: The nearest airport is the one at Sestri Ponente and is called Aeroporto Cristoforo Colombo. There are good train connections to the other major cities and to many smaller municipalities in the area. The two major stations are called Genova Piazza Principe and Genova Brignole. The city’s port is the most important in the area. Local public transport is provided by the AMT company except for regional trains and some ferries. There is a metro and bus system as well as funiculars and even public elevators.
What to see in Genoa
Most of Genoa’s attractions are located in the historic center, which is built against the hills surrounding the harbor. This center is bordered by the Via Garibaldi, the Piazza De Ferrari and the harbor itself. It consists of a maze of (sometimes extremely) narrow streets and alleys called carugi.
In the 16th century, a number of streets were constructed in Genoa with the intention of housing the city’s influential (and wealthy) families. In the absence of a Royal Palace, these families were expected to accommodate royal visitors in exchange. The palaces that these families built along these streets are therefore, without exception, of great architectural splendor. The main streets were called the Strade Nuove. The palaces were given the title Palazzi dei Rolli. A good example is the Palazzo Clemente della Rovere.
Contrary to what one might expect from a street built especially for the rich, the Via Garibaldi is not very wide. The main buildings along the street are the Palazzo Rosso, the Palazzo Bianco and the Palazzo Tursi. With a combination ticket it is possible to visit the art collections of these palaces.
The Galleria Nazionale has its seat in the Palazzo Spinola (Piazza di Pellicceria, 1) in the city’s harbor district. In addition to the museum’s collection, which consists of Flemish painters and Italian artists of the Renaissance period, the interior of the palace itself is also worth seeing. The original painted ceilings, mosaic floors and richly decorated furniture can still be seen in the palace.
The Palazzo Doria, the Palazzo Ducale, the Palazzo Reale, the Palazzo Grimaldi-Doria-Tursi and the Palazzo San Giorgio are the most important historical buildings. Marco Polo was once held prisoner in this last palace.
The Via Balbi was constructed in the early 17th century. The street begins more or less at the Santissima Annunziata Church. This street is also framed by historic buildings, although they are interspersed with ordinary stores. The most beautiful buildings are the Palazzo Balbi-Serenaga, the Palazzo dell’Università and especially the Palazzo Reale, which boasts a magnificent art collection. The latter is characterized by a garden terrace with a panorama over the harbor.
The Cathedral of Genoa is dedicated to San Lorenzo andis among the city’s most famous landmarks. Although the church was consecrated as early as 1118, it took several more centuries for the construction to be completely finished. After the First Crusade, the remains of John the Baptist were brought to the cathedral to be reburied in a sarcophagus in the San Giovanni Battista Chapel. Also on display is a shell that struck the church in World War II but did not explode.
Other beautiful churches include the Santi Cosma and Damiano Church, the San Donato Church, the Santa Maria di Castello Monastery, the Church of San Luca and the Sant’Andrea Monastery. The Chiesa del Gesù e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea is a Jesuit church and has a facade based on a design by Rubens. The church of San Bartolomeo della Certosa is located outside the city center.
The Santa Maria di Castello Church is located in one of the oldest inhabited parts of the city. Between the 12th and 16th centuries, several churches and monasteries were built here. This 12th century church is the most impressive one, especially due to the beautiful frescoed cloister overlooking the sea.
Piazza Sarzano and Piazza de Ferrari are the main squares. It is in the latter that the old and the modern city meet. The Via XX Settembre, which runs east from the square, is the artery of the new part of the city. The square is surrounded by a number of monumental, historic buildings. The most notable ones are the Palazzo Ducale, the Teatro Carlo Felice and the back of the Sant’Ambrogio Church.
Piazza Matteotti is located immediately southwest of Piazza de Ferrari. Here one can admire another facade of the Palazzo Ducale, as well as the Santi Ambrogio and Andrea Church, which was built between 1588 and 1637. The later-built facade is based on drawings by Rubens, two of whose paintings are also on display in the church. Via Via Tommaso Regio one arrives at the Sant’Andrea Church, with a crypt containing the tomb of Andrea Doria.
The house of Christopher Columbus is located near the old Porta Soprana and the central square Piazza Dante. Columbus was the son of Domenico and Susanna Fontanarossa, who moved in here when the son was four years old. There is a combo ticket for the house itself, the towers of the Porta Soprana and the Sant’Agostino Museum.
Genoa’s port area is no less than 22 kilometers long. When the Porto Vecchio became too small, the port had to be enlarged and facilities were built for trading as well as cruise ships. Darsena is the name of the old shipyard that can still be visited. A great way to see it all is from one of the tour boats that sail along the coast. The Aquarium is located in the Porto Vecchio. It is the largest in Italy and was opened in 1992, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. The four-story Galata Maritime Museum stands on the site of the former shipyard and shows the development of maritime navigation from the time of the voyages of discovery to the present.
The Via Antonio Gramsci is the street separating the first row of houses from the harbor.
The Lanterna is a lighthouse in Genoa and is considered a symbol of the city. The building is 76 meters high, making it the second tallest lighthouse in Europe. The current structure was built in 1543. At the base of the tower is the Museo della Lanterna. Those willing to climb 172 steps are rewarded with a magnificent view of the city.
The Castello D’Albertis towers over the harbor. It was built between 1886 and 1892 by Captain Enrico Alberto D’Albertis on the ruins of late medieval fortifications. Upon his death in 1932, the captain left both the castle itself and his collection of exotic objects, which led to the founding of the Museum of the Cultures of the World.
The Museo d’Arte Orientale is located in the Villetta di Negro Park. The nucleus of the collection consists of the collection of Edoardo Chiossone. The collection of Japanese art is particularly impressive, but there are also sculptures from China and Thailand, some dating back to far before the beginning of our era.
A brief history of Genoa
The originally Ligurian city of Genoa was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. In the 8th century the city became a powerful Maritime Republic. After initial victories against Pisa and Venice, the city was defeated by the latter and a period of decline began. From then on, several periods of oppression by the French followed.
Genoa Events and festivals
The main festival of the city is the Palio Remiero dei Rioni, held every year on June 29. This is a rowing competition between the different districts of the city. The Regata Storica delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare is held alternately in Venice, Pisa, Amalfi and Genoa. This boat race between the four former maritime republics is preceded by a parade in historic costumes. In 2018 it was Genoa‘s turn again to organize this rowing competition.