🗺️ What to see in Genoa in one day: order of visiting 15 places

Genoa is two-tiered: the old center climbs the hills, while the port stays below. In one day you can see both levels if you plan the order of stops in advance. From Genova Piazza Principe station to the Old Port is about a ten-minute walk, and from there the city stretches east along the sea.

We put together a route of fifteen stops: from the Aquarium and the Lanterna lighthouse to the palaces of Strada Nuova and the Staglieno cemetery. You walk the first half of the day, and take the bus to the farther points.

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Genoa in one day: plan and order of stops

💡 In short:

Give the morning to the Old Port: the Aquarium, Biosphere, and Galata museum are right next to each other.
In the afternoon, head up to the upper city and the palaces of Strada Nuova; in the evening, go to Corso Italia.
Prices and hours: 09/2026, verified on the official Aquarium website.

Everything in the first half of the route is connected by walking distances: you don't need taxis or complicated transfers. The second half is best split into two climbs. The Il Bigo lift and the Sant'Anna funicular save time and energy.

Genoa Aquarium

The Aquarium stands in the Old Port, on the Ponte Spinola pier. From Genova Piazza Principe station you can walk here in about ten minutes, past the port cranes and the old customs house. The building opened in 1992 for the anniversary of the discovery of America, and from the outside it looks like a ship being launched.

By area it is the largest oceanarium in Europe: about 3,100 sq m and seventy separate tanks. Inside you walk past sharks, caimans, piranhas, dolphins, seals, and rays. In summer there are dolphin shows, and you can feed and pet the rays. At a relaxed pace, the visit takes two to three hours.

An adult ticket costs from 26 €, a child ticket for ages 4-12 from 16 € (as of: 09/2026, tickets and prices). A combined ticket with the museums works out cheaper than separate tickets. Buy your time slot online in advance: in summer there is a line at the ticket office, and you lose an hour.

skip-the-line Aquarium tickets

Indoor aquarium pool with artificial rocks and murals

Biosphere botanical garden

From the Aquarium you walk out onto Ponte Spinola and about two hundred meters later you see a glass sphere right on the water. This is the Biosphere garden, tied to the same Columbus name. Inside, a South American tropical climate is maintained year-round.

The climate is controlled by a computer. Palms, vines, and ferns line the path, with parrots, turtles, and butterflies living among them. Tickets are sold on the Aquarium website, and entry is included in the combined ticket.

Glass sphere of the Biosphere in the port of Genoa

Galata maritime museum

The Galata maritime museum (Galata Museo del Mare) stands two hundred meters from the Aquarium, on the Galata waterfront. The glass building opened in 2004, and today it is the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean. The exhibition tells how Genoa traded, built ships, and sent people across the ocean.

On the ground floor you see fragments of ships from different eras, rigging, maps, portholes, and figureheads. Further on there is a hall about Italian emigration to America: at the entrance you are given an emigrant's passport, and you go through a quest on board a large liner. Kids enjoy it just as much as adults.

A separate exhibit is the submarine S518 Nazario Sauro, which you can view from the inside. You can also practice on a yacht steering simulator. For tickets and opening hours, see the museum page.

tickets to Galata Museo del Mare

Facade of the Galata Maritime Museum in Genoa

La Lanterna lighthouse

La Lanterna stands about 1.5-2 km west of the Galata museum and is considered the symbol of the city. The lighthouse was built in 1128, and its official page is literally called: Faro di Genova dal 1128. For several centuries, a fee for its upkeep was collected from arriving ships, and for a time the walls housed a prison.

The Columbus family also appears in its history: the navigator's uncle served here as keeper in 1449 (as of 09/2026, lighthouse information). The old lanterns were replaced with Fresnel lenses in 1874, and after the bombings of 1945 the lighthouse was rebuilt.

You can only get inside on a shuttle from Piazzale San Benigno, which runs about every twenty minutes (as of 09/2026, tickets and shuttle). The lighthouse is open only on weekends. Hours depend on the season and the shuttle schedule, so check the website in advance. Wear closed-toe shoes: the climb involves steep staircases.

Night port of Genoa with the illuminated Lanterna lighthouse

Il Bigo panoramic lift

From the Old Port you go up in the glass cabin of Il Bigo. The lift hangs from an arm that resembles a port crane and raises you about forty meters above the bay. The cabin holds up to thirty people, so it gets crowded in the middle of the day.

Timing helps beat the queue: there are fewer people in the morning and after lunch. With a combined ticket you get through faster. Lift tickets are sold together with Aquarium tickets on the official website.

The catch of this outing is the crowding at the glass on the upper platform: the panorama is great, but you have to share it with dozens of people. On the plus side, you see the port, the old core of the city, and the sea in one sweep. After the descent, the Old Port restaurants are right there: seafood on the ground floor of Eataly, pizzerias, and cafes.

White structure of the Bigo elevator in the port of Genoa

Palazzo San Giorgio

A five-minute walk from the lift brings you to Piazza Caricamento. Here stands Palazzo San Giorgio, a 13th-century building with frescoes on the facade. Its lines are simple, but the decoration and painting make the facade distinctive and slightly fairy-tale-like.

The palace's history is tied to major Genoese families. Building material was brought from Constantinople, taken from the embassy of Venice. At first the building served as an administrative center, and in the 14th century it was turned into a prison.

Marco Polo was held in this prison, where he dictated stories about his travels. Later the palace was occupied by the bank of the same name, whose client was Columbus. Today it houses the port administration, so only employees go inside, not tourists. But you can take your time admiring the facade.

Palazzo San Giorgio with frescoes and tower

San Lorenzo Cathedral

Keep walking along the waterfront into the old town quarters and keep your map handy: you need via di Scurreria, a street that leads to San Lorenzo square. You will recognize Genoa's main cathedral from afar by its stripes of marble in different colors. Construction stretched over three centuries, so the building blends Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles.

The facade impresses with its massive staircase, lions at the entrance, and columns. Admission inside is free, and you walk in without a ticket. According to tradition, the relics of John the Baptist and a copy of the Holy Grail are kept here, but tourists rarely get to see them.

The catch: the cathedral's interior is less impressive than its exterior decoration. If you have already seen Roman churches, the inner halls will not surprise you. Take a look at the decor and continue on to the Porta Soprana towers.

Dome and baroque interior of San Lorenzo Cathedral in Genoa

Porta Soprana gates

From the cathedral, you walk straight ahead for about five minutes and find yourself in front of the Porta Soprana towers. These are the remains of the second city wall from the 12th century: the wall was built to defend against Germanic conquerors. The towers are flat on the inside and rounded on the outside, and you pass through the arch as if through a gate in time.

The city wall was dismantled when the city was densely built up, and a house appeared right on the arch itself. For several years it was home to the Parisian executioner who put to death Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the leaders of the French Revolution. Later the towers served as a prison.

The name of the gate comes from the word sopra, meaning "above": they stand at the top of a hill. The surviving part was restored in the 19th century, when a new Medieval revival came into fashion. From here you get a view over the rooftops of the old town, and you take your first panoramic shots.

Stone gates of Porta Soprana with two towers in Genoa

Christopher Columbus House

Almost in the shadow of the Porta Soprana towers you will see a modest house covered in ivy. The authentic look is deceptive: the original building where Columbus lived was destroyed by artillery fire. The current house was rebuilt from scratch, with an effort to preserve its former appearance.

There is no reliable evidence that this is actually Columbus's house. Genoese locals and tourists still consider it the home of the explorer. You can get inside by prior arrangement or on Columbus Day.

The surrounding area is framed by a colonnade and trees, and a small trattoria nearby serves lunch with a first course and appetizers. That is enough for one day.

Facade of an old house with a plaque and flags

Piazza De Ferrari

Next you come out onto Piazza De Ferrari, the financial heart of Genoa. It lies on the border between the old center and the business district, and the main feature here is the large fountain. The square was formerly called San Domenico after a church that was demolished in the 19th century, and it was later named after Duke Ferrari.

The Teatro Carlo Felice opera house was built on the site of the church. You will recognize it by the colonnade on the facade and the equestrian monument to Garibaldi. The building was restored after the 1945 bombings, and the theater reopened only in the early nineties.

Palaces line the perimeter of the square. The Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) stands out with its yellow and pink color and its status as a city symbol. Nearby you will see Palazzo Doria-Ferrari, a complex of three buildings, and the Palace of Liguria with a clock tower on the roof. After restoration, the Doge's Palace opened a museum and cultural center, and the lower halls house cafes and burger spots where you can grab a bite.

Palazzi dei Rolli

After Piazza De Ferrari, the route leads to Via Garibaldi, formerly Strada Nuova. About a dozen palaces from the Rolli list stand here. In total, forty-two such palaces are included in the UNESCO list. Wealthy families built them in a race to outdo their neighbors. At the start of the street there is a tourist office that sells a combined ticket to three museums.

Three palaces in a row are worth seeing. Palazzo Bianco houses an art gallery, Palazzo Rosso holds furniture, tapestries, and vases, and Palazzo Tursi contains Paganini's violin and Columbus's letters. Between them you pass through inner courtyards with gardens and fountains.

Opening hours are easy to remember: from 10:00 to 19:00, last entry at 18:00 (as of 09/2026, museum schedule). The catch on Monday: only Palazzo Rosso is open, and the ticket is cheaper that day. If your day in Genoa falls on a Monday, plan accordingly.

tickets to the Strada Nuova museums

Facade of a palazzo with two atlantes in Genoa

Sant'Anna Funicular

From Via Garibaldi you continue on, and in about five minutes you reach the Sant'Anna funicular (Funicolare Sant'Anna). This is the city's first lift and part of the regular transit system: you buy a ticket from a machine at the station, just like for a bus. Essentially it is an elevator car that rides up on rails.

The ride is noisy, with rattling like an old tram. But you go up to the upper city together with locals rather than a tour group. At the top, small gardens, old-fashioned courtyards, and grass-covered stairways await you.

From above you get a panorama of the city's lower tier. Take it in, go back down to the funicular, and walk along Via Roma. The route then comes out onto Piazza Corvetto.

Villetta Di Negro Park

You come out onto Piazza Corvetto from the upper city, and to the left lies the green Villetta Di Negro park (Villetta Di Negro). In front of the entrance stands a white marble monument to the politician Giuseppe Mazzini. Inside, you climb a winding series of stairways and see a cascading waterfall, small grottoes, and bird aviaries.

The stair railings are made of branches and trunks held together with cement and plastic. Sculptures and busts of famous Genoese figures are placed throughout the park. The park was funded by Marquis Di Negro, which is why his surname became part of the name.

A villa stands on the hill. It houses the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d'Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone), and a botanical garden with gazebos and a waterfall survives nearby. Park entry is free, and you can rest here before the second half of the day.

Villetta Di Negro park with greenery and a building

Corso Italia

From Piazza Corvetto you take a bus, and about half an hour later you get off at Corso Italia. This is Genoa's main seaside promenade and at the same time a mini resort within the city. The promenade stretches for almost two and a half kilometers along the sea.

On one side you have beaches, sports grounds, and tennis courts; on the other stand villas and mansions. The promenade was laid out in the 1910s, and in the early nineties it was rebuilt and turned into a prestigious spot. Wide benches and gazebos for relaxing are everywhere here.

The walkway is paved with tiles in geometric patterns. Not everyone can walk the entire promenade in one go, but even a stretch of it is enough for a strong impression. At the end of the route, restaurants and eateries await you, including Panino Marino with seafood.

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno

You reach the Staglieno cemetery (Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno) by bus from Corso Italia; the trip takes about forty minutes. This is not an ordinary place but an open-air museum of marble sculptures. Walk forward along the high wall, then turn the corner: the entrance is there.

Inside, a covered gallery begins with sculptures on both sides. Hundreds of marble statues occupy a vast area. The cemetery is open daily from 7:30 to 17:00, last entry at 16:30 (as of 09/2026, official information). It is closed on January 1 and January 6.

The history of the site begins with a plot on the outskirts that the city bought two hundred years ago. Construction started in the mid-19th century under the architect Barabino, who did not live to see it open. The tombstones of noble Genoese families depict scenes of grief, and the sculptors' skill is visible in every detail. Staglieno was visited by writers, artists, and politicians, so you will head back with thoughts about what you have seen.

Genoa tours with a guide

Panorama of Staglieno Cemetery with colonnade and cypresses

Tickets and opening hours

Below is a summary of tickets and hours, checked on 09/15/2026 on the official websites of the museums and sites. Schedules in Genoa change by season, so check the links in the table before you go.

Site	Admission	Hours and closed days	Source
Aquarium of Genoa	from €26, children 4-12 from €16	daily, hours depend on the season	acquariodigenova.it
Galata Museo del Mare	admission by ticket	exhibition on several floors, hours by season	galatamuseodelmare.it
Musei di Strada Nuova	single ticket for three palaces	10:00-19:00, last entry 18:00; Monday only Palazzo Rosso	museidigenova.it
La Lanterna	ticket with shuttle from Piazzale San Benigno	end of the week, hours on the website	lanternadigenova.com
Staglieno Cemetery	free entry	daily 7:30-17:00, last entry 16:30	staglieno.comune.genova.it

The Aquarium sells timed entry slots, and on weekends slots sell out a day or two in advance. The Strada Nuova museums run on a reduced schedule on Mondays, and La Lanterna depends on the shuttle timetable.

Tours and tickets in Genoa

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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One-day Genoa route on the map

The order of points on the map matches the text: from Genova Piazza Principe station through the Old Port, up to the palaces, to Corso Italia and on to Staglieno Cemetery. Open it on your phone and switch to walking mode, so the walks between stops take less time.

One-day route around Genoa

Places on the map

1Genoa Aquarium Europe's largest aquarium in the Old Port
2Biosfera Botanical Garden Glass sphere on the water with South America's tropical climate
3Galata Maritime Museum Largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean, a submarine
4La Lanterna Lighthouse Symbol of the city, built in 1128
5Il Bigo Panoramic Lift Glass cabin about forty metres above the bay
6Palazzo San Giorgio 13th-century building with frescoes where Marco Polo was held
7San Lorenzo Cathedral Genoa's main cathedral with a striped marble facade
8Porta Soprano Gate Remains of a 12th-century city wall
9Christopher Columbus's House Restored house believed to be the navigator's home
10Piazza De Ferrari Financial heart of Genoa with a fountain and the Doge's Palace
11Palazzi dei Rolli UNESCO palaces on Via Garibaldi with three museums
12Sant'Anna Funicular The city's first lift, part of regular public transport
13Villetta Di Negro Park Park with a cascading waterfall and bird aviaries
14Corso Italia Seafront promenade almost two and a half kilometres long
15Staglieno Monumental Cemetery Open-air museum of marble sculptures

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much time do you need for the Aquarium of Genoa?

Plan for two to three hours at a relaxed pace. You walk past several dozen tanks, watch the dolphin show, and feed the rays. With kids, allow more time, and book your time slot in advance so you don't stand in line at the ticket office.

What's included in the combined ticket?

One ticket covers the Aquarium, the Biosphere garden, the Galata museum, and the Bigo lift. It saves you about twenty euros compared to buying separate tickets. You can buy it on the official website and at the Old Port ticket office.

How to get from the train station to the Old Port?

From Genova Piazza Principe you walk about ten minutes toward the sea. Your landmarks are the port cranes and the glass building of the Aquarium. You don't need a taxi, the first stretch of the route is easy to cover on foot.

What to do on Monday if the museums are closed?

On Monday only Palazzo Rosso is open, and the ticket is cheaper than usual. The Aquarium and the Galata museum operate on their regular schedule. Save the palaces for another day or limit yourself to one hall.

Is one day enough for Genoa?

It's enough for the fifteen stops on this route if you start in the morning and don't linger in every museum. The day ends up packed: you cover two of the stops by bus. For the Aquarium and Strada Nuova, it's better to have some buffer time.

In short: what's worth booking

If you have one day, start with an Aquarium time slot and add the rest as you go. The decision matrix is simple.

If you're traveling with kids: get the Aquarium and the Galata museum, they hold attention better than the palaces.
If you love painting: a combined ticket to Palazzo Bianco, Rosso, and Tursi covers all of Strada Nuova.
If you need fresh air and the sea: leave time for Corso Italia and the Sant'Anna funicular.

Aquarium time slots and the combined museum ticket sell out in advance, so book them before your trip. For where to stay overnight, check out Genoa hotels on Trip.com.

Genoa in one day: route from the Aquarium to the Staglieno cemetery