Genoa
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By Air
Cristoforo Colombo International Airport, situated six kilometres west of the city, provides domestic and international flights. Flights to Genoa Airport arrive from some major European cities and from all over the world via Milan Airport, which is about 150kms away. From Genoa Airport, all the main towns are connected by main roads and highways, while taxis and bus services are also available.
Genoa Airport offers bars and restaurants, which are mainly located in Departures. There is a bar and a pizzeria situated next to the gift shop in Departures, a self-service restaurant overlooking the runway on the second floor and a bar in Arrivals. There are information desks located throughout the terminal, where helpful staff can assist with baggage, lost property, tourist information and transportation timetables.
There are some quality shopping options at Genoa Airport including Giglio Bagnara, a boutique offering a range of Italian and international fashion brands, and the Genova Shop, with its newspapers, books, tobacco and Liguria souvenirs. There is also an airside duty-free outlet.
By Rail
It is possible to travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving from London Waterloo Station and arriving at Paris Gare du Nord. Cross Paris by Métro to the Gare de Bercy. Travel from Paris to Milan overnight on the Stendhal. Travel from Milan to Genoa on the Cinque Terre or La Spezia by air-conditioned InterCity train.
By Bus
The main bus station in Genoa is at Piazza Principe. Several bus lines provide connections between the city and towns along the Ligurian coast, along the French Riviera, and elsewhere in Italy. Diana Tours operates a bus service between Nice’s airport in France and Genoa.
By Car
The autostrada A12 Genoa-Rosignano runs southeast from Genoa and links up with the autostrada network for all northern and southern destinations. Rome is a 6-hour drive on the A12 to Genoa. From Milan, Genoa is 150kms on the A7 ‘Serravalle’ Genoa-Milan, or roughly 2 hours to the south. Nice is 2 hours 30 minutes through tunnels, west on the A10 Autostrada dei Fiori, which runs along the Italian Riviera from Ventimiglia to Albenga. Other important motorways are the A26 Voltri-Gravellona and the Genoa-Ventimiglia.
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Cattedrale di San Lorenzo and Campanile
Located at Piazza San Lorenzo on via Tommaso Reggio 17, this is one of the grandest cathedrals in Genoa, dating from the 13th century, and it is distinguished by the black and white marble bands that decorate the Pisan-style façade.
The cathedral treasury contains some fascinating, and sometimes hard-to-believe relics, such as the blue Chalcedony platter that apparently held John the Baptist’s head, a crystal glass reputedly used at the Last Supper and a jewel-studded Byzantine Zaccaria cross. The chapel of John the Baptist is also housed in the cathedral.
Via Garibaldi
This is one of the most important streets in the city of Genoa. Via Garibaldi was the street where during late Renaissance times, rich, noble Genovese families built breathtaking Palazzi, guided in their choice of architecture by Alessi, who studied under Michelangelo and grew up in the area.
Palazzo Podesta, at number 7, has a beautiful fountain in its court and Palazzo Trusi at number 9, is home to the municipal offices which now display artefacts of famous Genoans including letters written by Christopher Columbus.
Acquario di Genova
The Genova Aquarium is located at Ponte Spinola and is a 15-minute walk from Stazione Principe train station. Just about every sea creature is housed in this huge aquarium, which is the largest in Europe and one of the biggest attractions in Italy. There are 40 tanks in the aquarium, which is styled to look like a gigantic ship about to set sail, and it houses species from all over the world including the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon River Basin.
Civic Gallery of the Red Palace
Located at on via Garibaldi 18, the Civic Gallery was built in the 17th century, and was bombed in WWII. It has been restored, and now houses a fantastic collection of paintings as well as collections of sculptures and ceramics, and a display of gilded Baroque statuary.
Civic Museum of the White Palace
Dating from the 16th century, the palace has an extensive art collection, donated to the city of Genoa by the Duchess of Gallier. Some of the most significant pieces in the museum include paintings from the Flemish and Dutch schools such as ‘Jesus Blessing the Faithful’ by Memling and ‘Polittico Della Cervara’ by Gerard David. Another popular painting is that of a scene in a Genovese garden by Alesssandro Magnasco, and there is a whole room dedicated to works by Bernardo Strozzi.
The Genoa Harbour
The state of today’s harbour is thanks to a massive reconstruction, as the original harbour was almost destroyed by bombing that crippled the seaside during WWII. A wonderful way to see the new harbour and skyline is to take an hour-long harbour cruise on one of the boats in the fleet of the Cooperativa Battellieri dei Porto di Genova.
The harbour cruise lets you take a closer look at the Laterna, which is a 110-metre tall lighthouse, built in 1544. The cruises embark daily from Stazione Marittian, which is located on the harbour and a short distance from Stazione Principe, the railway station.
Information not available
January - February -> 6(°C) - Winter
July - August -> 28(°C) - Summer
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