We've just launched a new edition of this free guide to our home city Genoa, packed with fresh features and current tips, including a new interactive map. Besides advice on attractions, restaurants, hotels, and nightlife, the new edition also offers an events calendar for the capital of the Italian Riviera.
"The road from Milan to Genoa is so unpleasant that the Genoese probably built it deliberately to keep the Milanese out!"
When the Morandi Bridge collapsed, I had been living in Genoa for just 3 days. The first edition of the guide was already finished by then, being August 2018. The above quote is from an Italian stand-up comedian talking about the infamous A7. We have a beautiful new bridge, designed by the renowned architect Renzo Piano, and built in record time, which is extraordinary in Italy where complex works take dozens of years to accomplish, however, the A7 is still as bad as it was (my advice take the E25 from Milan, a little longer but far easier on your nerves).
We have expanded the latest edition of this city guide even further. It is fitting for a city guide about Italy's longest city, stretching a whopping 27 km from east to west! In addition to the Porto Antico, the historical center, the Carrugi, Carignano, and coastal suburbs like Albaro, Boccadasse, and Sturla, I have also covered the medieval area around the Church of the Augustinians and eastern districts like Quinto and Nervi, the city's furthest point. After a few years in Genoa, this edition naturally offers more restaurant, hotel, and nightlife recommendations. If you have also purchased our SlowItaly Liguria guidebook (currently being revised), you'll have a handy travel companion with recommendations from Ventimiglia to Lerici AND a comprehensive overview of Genoa.
Dolcevia Slow Travel Guides
Our travel guides are now fully interactive and available to explore online — designed for curious travellers who prefer to go a little deeper.
Now available at: https://www.dolcevia.com/travelguides
Genoa is a true walking city
We recommend exploring Genoa on foot. The streets are compact, and some alleys are either too narrow or steep for public transportation or cars, you'll see more of the historic old town by walking. You might also consider renting a Vespa or another scooter type to navigate the streets in traditional Italian style! If you're traveling further outside Genoa's center, there are bus, train, and cable car options that make navigating the city a breeze - just remember to purchase tickets in advance or online, as you can't buy them on the bus.
What's New in This Edition of our Liguria travelguide?
Many small additions, especially in terms of restaurants, hotels, and a few attractions that we find worth mentioning. This year, we've included the Botteghe Antiche of Genoa. Apart from travel tips, this version provides much more information about cultural and gastronomic events in the city. Naturally, it also covers all the unique tourist attractions such as:
- Boccadasse: the old sailor's district of the city, with a beautiful seaside walk.
- Spianata Castelletto: a distinct area in the city's hilly park.
- Palazzi dei Rolli: a collection of stunning historical palaces in the heart of Genoa.
- Via Garabaldi: Genoa's historical center, dotted with local shops, restaurants, and cafés.
- Palazzo Rosso: a historical palace built in 1671, which now houses an art gallery
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Read about Genoa
Genoa Uncovered: Our Insider Map of Hidden Spots, Routes & Local Tips
Genoa, La Superba, has never really asked whether you find it pretty. It stacks itself uphill between the Apennines and the Ligurian Sea: medieval knot at the bottom, cranes and scaffolding higher up, pride intact. Miss the vertical drama between harbour and belvedere and you have missed half the point. The lifts and funiculars from 1910 still haul people out of the crowded lower neighbourhoods toward the views; the shoreline keeps unfurling for tens of kilometres east and west.
In Italy what your dog wears says more about you than you think
Italy, a country synonymous with craftsmanship, style, and timeless quality, extends its love for luxury beyond human fashion and into the realm of pet accessories. Given the sheer number of dogs in Italy, it’s no surprise that their humans demand nothing less than the finest in understated chic - because here, even a Labrador out for a morning espresso must exude effortless elegance.
The influential Doria family from Genoa and the Abbey of San Fruttuoso
On Saturday, more or less at the same time as the government announced new Covid-19 measures, I found myself on a ferryboat from Camogli to San Fruttuoso. The sea was pretty rough and the few passengers who used the FAI's Open Monument Day had to shield themselves from unexpected showers pouring down.
Genoa Secures Spot Among World's Finest Food Destinations
Our beloved city Genoa has once again proven its culinary excellence, earning international recognition as one of the world's top food destinations. The prestigious TasteAtlas guide, a global authority on traditional flavors and gastronomic culture, has ranked Genoa in thirteenth place among the world's best food cities for 2024 – a remarkable climb from our twenty-second position last year.
Boccadasse, a piccolo Cinque Terre in Genoa
If you don't know Genoa, you should know that the city is long but not wide and consists of many small villages like Boccadasse, Nervi, Albaro and Vernazzola on the east side of town, going west it's the same thing. Boccadasse was originally an old fishing village and is very similar to the villages of the Cinque Terre. It has the same small fishing port, a church on a higher level, a small beach, and steep, picturesque streets lined with pastel-colored houses, all of which lead to the lower...
Genoa, must-visit destination in 2025 according to Lonely Planet and us
Great news for Genoa! The historic Italian port city has been named by Lonely Planet as one of the must-visit destinations for 2025, something we can wholeheartedly agree with. And not without reason - this hidden gem on the Ligurian coast has everything your heart desires. Think picturesque alleyways (caruggi) in the historic center, beautiful UNESCO World Heritage-listed palaces, and a cuisine that will make your taste buds dance. The city is also looking ahead, with new...
New in Genoa! Hotel Palazzo Durazzo Suites opening 2023
The Palazzo Durazzo-Pallavicini, a former palazzo in Genoa, has undergone a spectacular transformation and is now a sparkling 5-star hotel. From a stately noble residence, it has become a luxurious oasis for discerning travelers, with prices ranging between 400 and 1000 euros per night. And you know what they say: a good night's sleep is priceless, but staying in this palace comes pretty close!
Nervi - a charming citrus scented village in Genoa
The former picturesque fishing village of Nervi has long since lost its independence, but that's okay, because Genoa is proud of its jewel and does its best to preserve its character. Recently, the old port has been renovated and a new seawater pool has been built overlooking the Portofino peninsula.
Why People Live to 100 in Acciaroli and Genoa: The Secret of Italy's Blue Zones
Perhaps becoming a shepherd in Sardinia is the key to longevity. But five years ago, I chose a different path, trading Rome's flat landscape for the steep, winding streets of Genoa. Little did I know that grocery shopping here would double as a daily workout regime. Every day means climbing staircases and traversing slopes – an inescapable part of life in this vertical city.
Staglieno: A Cemetery as an Open-Air Museum
What draws us to cemeteries? Is it a fascination with the inevitable end, or perhaps the art and emotion they encapsulate? Unlike the stark gravestones found in my own country, places like Staglieno celebrate the passage of life with breathtaking sculptures. I can only hope that when my time comes, I will be commemorated with something equally artistic. In other words, a simple stone just won't suffice.
Pesto Genovese, Ligurian pesto
There is, in our opinion, no 'official' recipe for Pesto. Pesto is derived from 'pestare', which means to strongly and repeatedly strike, with a heavy instrument, to bruise, crush, or grind: for example, in a mortar and pestle. There are different types of pesto that originate in Italian cuisine, with Pesto Genovese being the most famous, but there are also delicious versions from the south, such as the red pesto from Trapani in Sicily.
Euroflora: Southern Europe's Spectacular Mediterranean Floral Exhibition
I'll start with this: I'm no Alan Titchmarsh. I didn't grow up with a trowel in one hand and a Chelsea Flower Show program in the other. But I've always adored the scents, the chaos, and the quiet poetry of nature doing its thing in a well-placed planter. Years ago, I even took a stab at becoming a floral artist (read: I took a flower arranging course and never looked back). So when Euroflora 2025 rolled into my hometown of Genoa, I took advantage of my press pass and went to the...
