Genoa is a harbor city of palaces and museums, with an airport in Sestri Ponente, a few kilometers from the center. It suits travelers who want an aquarium, a UNESCO-listed row of palaces and a bay on the Riviera di Levante in the same trip. June brings the Mare&Mosto festival and the Notte di San Giovanni bonfire.
Driving in the old town takes planning, because Genoa has restricted traffic zones (ZTL) in the Centro Storico, Boccadasse, Nervi and several other areas. Public transport and walking make the most sense there.
At a glance
- Airport: Cristoforo Colombo, in Sestri Ponente, a few kilometers from the center
- Airport to the stations: Volabus to Brignole and Piazza Principe, about 30 minutes, every day
- Warmest sea: August, 77°F
- Main sights: Aquarium, Palazzi dei Rolli, Lanterna, San Fruttuoso Bay
- June events: Mare&Mosto on June 7 and 8, Notte di San Giovanni on June 23 and 24
- Tourist tax: €2 to €5 per person per night
Where is Genoa and what is it like?
Genoa has its airport, Cristoforo Colombo, in the Sestri Ponente district, a few kilometers from the center. East of the city, San Fruttuoso Bay lies between Camogli and Portofino on the Riviera di Levante. AMT line 782 runs to Portofino.
The city is a set of distinct districts. The Historic Centre takes in the Molo and Maddalena neighborhoods, and Porto Antico is the old harbor area with restaurants and pizzerias. Castelletto is another central district. Boccadasse and Nervi are former fishing villages, Marassi is a working-class neighborhood, and Sturla, Quarto and Quinto are residential.
The Acquario di Genova opened in 1992 in Porto Antico. The Palazzi dei Rolli are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Across the bay, a sacred building was founded at San Fruttuoso in the eighth century, and the Cristo degli Abissi statue was submerged there in 1954.
What is there to do in Genoa?
The Aquarium and Porto Antico
The Aquarium is at Ponte Spinola 16, in the Porto Antico area.
Porto Antico has restaurants, steakhouses, fast food restaurants, pizzerias, artisan ice cream parlors and breweries, so lunch is easy to arrange around a visit. The area hosts more than 250 events a year, so it’s worth checking what’s on during your dates.
The Aquarium suits families and anyone who wants a dry plan in a rainy month.
Palazzi dei Rolli, Strada Nuova and Palazzo Ducale
The museums of Strada Nuova are Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi, three palaces in one street.
Palazzo Ducale hosts exhibitions, meetings and events. The Lanterna has a museum and a park.
This block suits travelers who like art, architecture and indoor visits. It’s a good choice for a gray November day.
San Fruttuoso Bay and the Portofino park
San Fruttuoso is in the Portofino Regional Nature Park, in a marine protected area. It has a small beach of white pebbles, where you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas, walk on the rocks, swim or go snorkeling. The church and monastery are now owned by the FAI.
The park has 50 miles (80 km) of trails for trekking. Sea temperatures reach 71°F in June and 77°F in August, so swimming fits those months best.
The bay suits walkers and swimmers. Visitors who want only the city can skip it.
June festivals: Mare&Mosto and the Notte di San Giovanni
Mare&Mosto 2026 takes place on Sunday, June 7 and Monday, June 8 at Palazzo Ducale in Piazza De Ferrari. It’s the 11th edition and the first held in Genoa. A food area dedicated to Ligurian cuisine is set up in the Loggiato Minore.
On the evening of June 23, a free Ghost Tour starts at 8:30 p.m. from Piazza Matteotti. The San Giovanni bonfire is lit in the same square from 11:45 p.m. and attracts hundreds of citizens and tourists. On June 24, a procession goes to Porto Antico for the blessing of the sea.
Food lovers should plan around Mare&Mosto. Night owls and families with older children can take the free tour and the bonfire. Anyone who wants a quiet trip may prefer another month.
Where to stay in Genoa
The Historic Centre, with the Molo and Maddalena neighborhoods, puts you among the sights, and Porto Antico sits by the Aquarium. Castelletto is another central base. Boccadasse and Nervi are former fishing villages for a calmer stay. Marassi is working-class, and Sturla, Quarto and Quinto are residential.
The city charges a tourist tax per person per night, and it depends on the lodging. Hostels and agriturismo pay €2. Holiday homes, guest houses and bed & breakfasts pay €4. Furnished tourist apartments pay €5, or €4 in municipi IV, V and VI.
Hotels pay by star rating: €2 for 1 star, €2.50 for 2 stars, €3 for 3 stars, €4 for 4 stars and €5 for 5 stars and 5-star luxury. For a stay of several nights, add the tax to the room price.
How do you get to Genoa and get around?
The Cristoforo Colombo airport is in Genoa Sestri Ponente, a few kilometers from the center. Taxis, trains and the Airlink shuttle link it to the city. Airlink runs every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Volabus runs every day between the airport and the Genova Brignole and Genova Piazza Principe stations, in about 30 minutes. The Volabus stop towards the center is at Via Milano / Terminal Traghetti. A pedestrian walkway over the railway links Genova Sestri Ponente station to the AMT shuttle bus stop for the airport.
In town, the ordinary 110-minute ticket costs € 2,00 and the 5-hour ticket costs € 5,00. One ride on the lifts or the Sant’Anna funicular costs € 1,20.
A car adds little in the center. The ZTL areas are Centro Storico, Boccadasse, Bolzaneto, Molo, Nervi (Gazzolo), Nervi (Oberdan), Rivarolo, Vernazzola and Caracciolo. Check the map with your hotel before driving in.
When should you go to Genoa?
June is a strong window. Highs reach 77°F (25°C), the sea is at 71°F, and the month carries Mare&Mosto and the Notte di San Giovanni. July and August are warmer and drier, with the sea at 76°F and 77°F. They suit beach days and the bay of San Fruttuoso.
November is the wettest month, with 8 inches of rain over 9 rainy days. Highs reach 61°F (16°C). Travelers who want sunshine or the Riviera coast should look at other months. Museum and palace visits still work.
What to know before visiting Genoa
According to the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov), U.S. citizens can stay in Italy for 90 days without a tourist or business visa.
- Passports must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area. A 6-month validity is recommended, with 2 blank pages for the entry stamp.
- You will need proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket.
- Italy has a 10,000 euro currency limit on entry and on exit, or equivalent.
- The travel advisory for Italy is Level 2, Exercise increased caution, due to terrorism, issued September 10, 2026.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Travel insurance is also highly recommended before you travel.
Booking Genoa: what to know about the tourist tax
Airbnb collects the tourist tax at the time of new bookings. Tourists can pay it directly when they book, so it’s settled with the reservation.
Sources
- open-meteo.com (https://open-meteo.com/en/docs/historical-weather-api), checked 2026-10-30
- travel.state.gov (https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/italy.html), checked 2026-10-30
- comune.genova.it (https://www.comune.genova.it/servizi/tributi-finanze-e-contravvenzioni/imposta-di-soggiorno-ids?page=1), checked 2026-10-30
- italia.it (https://www.italia.it/it/liguria/genova/baia-san-fruttuoso), checked 2026-10-30
- amt.genova.it (https://www.amt.genova.it/amt/biglietti-e-abbonamenti-2/Biglietti%20e%20carnet/), checked 2026-10-30
- liguria.info (https://www.liguria.info/en/genoa/where-to-stay-genoa/), checked 2026-10-30
- conssanfrancisco.esteri.it (https://conssanfrancisco.esteri.it/en/servizi-consolari-e-visti/servizi-per-il-cittadino-straniero/visti/instructions-for-visas/), checked 2026-10-25
- amt.genova.it (https://www.amt.genova.it/amt/trasporto-multimodale/volabus-2/), checked 2026-10-30