Genoa in 2 days
Day one stays by the harbour and in the old town, with a lift up to a lookout towards evening. Day two goes to a lighthouse at one end of the coast and a fishing village at the other.
- How long
- 2 days
- Arrival
- Volabus (AMT)
- The cathedral
- Closed: Sunday (treasury museum)
Day one climbs from the water towards the hill. It starts at the Aquarium on Porto Antico, goes up through the lanes to the Royal Palace and the cathedral, and ends on a lift to a lookout. Day two leaves that loop and splits the coast in two, the Lanterna lighthouse at one end and the village of Boccadasse at the other.
Porto Antico and the old town
Landing and the Volabus to the centre, Volabus (AMT), airport – Brignole – Piazza Principe – city centre line, about 30 min. Bags stay where you sleep, and the first stop is straight onto the waterfront.
The Aquarium at Porto Antico, entry €26. Days closed: none, open 365 days. Booking: timed slot (mandatory on weekends, 24 h ahead).
Bigo, the panoramic lift on the same quay, €5, then lunch on a set menu, €16–20.
Uphill through the lanes to the Royal Palace. Entry €12, closed Monday.
San Lorenzo Cathedral, a few streets on. The main nave is free, and the Treasury Museum is €6 (treasury museum); cathedral free; closed: Sunday (treasury museum).
The Castelletto lift, €1.20 (or the €2/110 min AMT ticket), up to a lookout over the old town's rooftops. This stop makes most sense just before sunset.
The Lanterna and Boccadasse
The Lanterna, ticket €8. The tower is closed Mon–Thu (open Fri–Sun and holidays 10–18), so this part of the plan lands on a day it is open.
East along the coast, through the centre, to Boccadasse. Entry is free.
Lunch by the small harbour, street food: farinata, about €14/kg (a slice).
An afternoon on the beach, or back to the centre by way of the Mercato Orientale, a covered market in a former monastery. It is closed Sunday.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Can Genoa be done in a single day?
Porto Antico, the Aquarium, the cathedral and the Royal Palace fit one packed day. The Lanterna and Boccadasse, at opposite ends of the coast, need a second.
What if the visit falls on a Sunday or Monday?
The cathedral's Treasury Museum is shut on Sundays and the Royal Palace on Mondays. Swap the day with that restriction for one without it.
Ready for Genoa?
Where to next
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How well does Genoa suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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