Genoa’s Porto Antico is where many visits begin, with the Aquarium at Ponte Spinola 16 and the Lanterna, which has its own museum and park. Start with the Aquarium and the Strada Nuova palaces, then save a day for San Fruttuoso, a bay on the Riviera di Levante that you reach by boat or on foot.
At a glance
- Top sights to see first: Aquarium, Palazzi dei Rolli, Museums of Strada Nuova, Lanterna
- Main access: Porto Antico, Aquarium at Ponte Spinola 16
- Aquarium opening: 365 days a year
- San Fruttuoso: by scheduled boat, or on foot from Portofino or San Rocco in about two hours
- Spring highs: 64°F (18°C) in April, 71°F (22°C) in May
What are the best things to do in Genoa?
The Aquarium at Porto Antico
The Acquario di Genova opened in 1992 and sits in the Porto Antico area, at Ponte Spinola 16.
It’s open 365 days a year, so it works on any day of your stay. An adult ticket starts from €26, a ticket for children aged 4 to 12 from €16, and a ticket for military, over 65 and disabled visitors from €20.
The Palazzi dei Rolli and Palazzo Spinola
The Palazzi dei Rolli are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Palazzo Spinola, at Piazza di Pellicceria 1, is a palace of historic and artistic interest in Genoa.
The Museums of Strada Nuova
Strada Nuova holds three museums: Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi. They stand along the same street, so you can see all three in one outing.
The full ticket is €9 and the reduced ticket €7.
The Lanterna
The Lanterna has a museum and a park, so you can visit the monument and then stay outdoors in the grounds.
The full ticket is €6. If you only want the park, it costs €2.
San Fruttuoso
San Fruttuoso lies in a small bay between Camogli and Portofino. A sacred building was founded there in the eighth century, and the church and monastery are now owned by the FAI. The Cristo degli Abissi statue was submerged offshore in 1954.
The village can be reached only on foot or by sea with scheduled boats. Pack swim gear: you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas, walk on the rocks, swim or snorkel.
The villa museums: GAM, Raccolte Frugone and the Chiossone
Three museums sit in parks. The GAM is in the sixteenth-century Villa Saluzzo Serra, in parks with a sea view, at Via Capolungo 3. The Raccolte Frugone are in Villa Grimaldi Fassio, immersed in the parks. The Museo d’Arte Orientale E. Chiossone is in the nineteenth-century park of Villetta Di Negro, facing Piazza Corvetto.
The Chiossone is at Piazzale Giuseppe Mazzini 4. The GAM and the Frugone collections suit a visit when you want gardens as well as galleries.
When is the best time to visit Genoa for sightseeing?
April brings 64°F (18°C) and about seven rainy days, so carry a light rain jacket. By May the high is 71°F (22°C) with about six rainy days, which suits a day at San Fruttuoso.
Beaches and outdoor things to do in Genoa
San Fruttuoso has a small beach of white pebbles, with sunbeds and umbrellas for rent, rocks to walk on and water for swimming or snorkeling. Along the coast, the Lungomare di Bogliasco, the Lungomare di Camogli and the Lungomare di Recco are each listed as a public garden and seafront.
For walking, the Portofino park has 50 miles (80 km) of trails. The Cammino dei Santuari del Mare is a 78-mile (126 km) route from Sestri Ponente to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, in 6 stages to be walked in 6 to 8 days. The first stage runs from Sestri Ponente to Monte Figogna (8 miles, 13 km). The fourth, from Tiglieto to Arenzano, covers 18 miles (29.5 km), so start it early. A Credenziale is issued to walkers, with reduced rates and space for stamps.
With children, San Fruttuoso’s pebble beach is the place for a swim. For a walk by the sea, the lungomare at Camogli, Recco or Bogliasco keeps things easy.
Day trips from Genoa
San Fruttuoso is the day trip to make from Genoa. It is usually reached by boat from nearby places or from Genoa, and on foot from San Rocco or Portofino in about two hours.
- San Fruttuoso by boat: scheduled boats from Genoa or nearby places · for a short walk-free day
- San Fruttuoso on foot: about two hours from San Rocco or Portofino · for walkers
Take the boat if you want a relaxed day with time on the beach. Choose the walk if you like trails and don’t mind the two hours each way.
What to eat in Genoa
In June, Mare&Mosto sets up a food area dedicated to Ligurian cuisine in the Loggiato Minore of Palazzo Ducale, organized with Mentelocale Eventi e Catering. The rest of the year, Porto Antico has restaurants, steakhouses, fast food restaurants, pizzerias, artisan ice cream parlors and breweries, all close to the Aquarium.
Things to do in Genoa at night
Porto Antico hosts more than 250 events a year. The UlisseFest is expected in July, and October 2026 is dedicated to Paganini with the first Ottobre Paganini Genova.
The Notte di San Giovanni falls on the evening between June 23 and 24. A free Ghost Tour starts at 8:30 p.m. on June 23 from Piazza Matteotti, where the bonfire is lit from 11:45 p.m. On June 24 a procession with the Casacce and the Arca Argentea goes to Porto Antico for the blessing of the sea.
Things to do in Genoa with kids
A ticket for ages 4 to 12 starts from €16, and the Aquarium is open every day of the year, which helps on a rainy one.
San Fruttuoso suits a day with kids who like water. The small white pebble beach has sunbeds and umbrellas to rent, and you can swim or go snorkeling. The boat ride adds to the outing.
Sources
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- smart.comune.genova.it (https://smart.comune.genova.it/comunicati-stampa-articoli/un-tour-piedi-tra-sacro-e-profano-alla-scoperta-di-genova-e-dintorni), checked 2026-10-30
- acquariodigenova.it (https://www.acquariodigenova.it/en/genova-s-aquarium-who-we-are), checked 2026-10-30
- smart.comune.genova.it (https://smart.comune.genova.it/sites/default/files/archivio/documenti/ALL%20CdS%20%20Musei%20orari%20prezzi%20contatti%20agg%20genn%202019.pdf), checked 2026-10-30
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- portoantico.it (https://portoantico.it/en/), checked 2026-10-30