A charming Italian city Genoa with its centuries-old palaces, houses with green shutters, streets where walking will turn into pleasure.. The city, which has been the capital of the Republic of Genoa for 600 years, is also the largest port city in Italy.. Although it is a little difficult for you to warm up to Genoa at first sight, you start to love it as you discover it, because this city has much more than meets the eye! Here is a comprehensive Genoa travel guide.

How to Get to Genoa?

The capital of the Liguria region Genoa is located in the northwest of Italy takes place. There are no direct flights from Istanbul to Genoa.. In the past, THY had direct flights to Genoa, I think it was abolished due to low demand.. Genoa is about two hours from Milan and three hours from Verona.. If you are planning a northern Italy tour or if you have plans to go to paradise places such as Cinque Terre, Portofino, you can stop by Genoa, even if it is for a day.

You can also take a look at my comprehensive Cinque Terre travel guide that can help you plan your Cinque Terre trip.

After our trip to Nice, we went to Italy and were the first to visit. Our stop was Genoa.. When we arrived in Genoa after a two-and-a-half hour journey with Flixbus, everything was a little different from the city I envisioned.. Besides Italian cities such as Florence, Rome, Milan, Genoa has another identity.. What is the difference between Paris and Marseille in France, and the difference between Milan and Genoa in Italy.. Everything is much more shabby here, people are warmer instead of snobbish Italians, but the number of immigrants is quite high.. Even though the Africans walking around with their colorful clothes add a different atmosphere to the city, you inevitably experience uneasiness while walking at night.

When to go to Genoa?

While the Mediterranean climate prevails in Genoa, summer and winter You can easily go. When we went in June, a misty weather greeted us, and the temperature was around 25 degrees.. If you are planning to go to Cinque Terre and Portofino, I suggest you to choose May or September.. You will not be overwhelmed by both the tourist density and the weather.. If you want to go in winter, because it is a port city, the weather is usually windy and rainy, but it does not fall below 10 degrees.

Transportation in Genoa

We continued our tradition of visiting every city on foot, and public transportation is only a few days away. we used once. Public transportation in Genoa is provided by metro, bus and funicular.. Genoa metro rather old and small. You might be surprised, but it only has one line, 8 stops.. When we came from Nice with our suitcases, when we wanted to use the subway to go to the hotel, there was no attendant at the entrance, we saw that everyone entered by waving their arms, so we got on the subway without buying a ticket This was almost a first in our European trips.. Because, as in other cities, there was neither a strict control nor an officer waiting at the box office.. I don’t know if it happened to us, but the next night, on the way back to the hotel, we got on the bus without a ticket as well Because it was the last time, the bus was already packed. Again, we saw that every person who gets on the bus picks up their phone and hangs out (most people using public transportation are tourists) and we said, “Oh dear, we are tourists, what will happen to this?. The bus driver didn’t care about the world anyway, because he was worried that I would go home and sleep even if I finished my trip, who printed tickets and who did not, their work seemed to have already passed.

Ticket prices for public transport in Genoa

Single boarding ticket: 1.5 euros valid for 100 minutes.

Genova Pass: All public transportation with this card, valid for 24 hours You can use the tools for free.. The price is 4.5 euros.. You can buy tickets from newsagents and subway tolls.. Keep in mind that the metro in Genoa runs from 6.00′ to 21.00.

Transportation from Genoa Airport to the City Center

< You can easily reach Brignole and Principle train stations with the Volabus shuttles that you will take from Cristoforo Colombo Airport in Genoa.. Both stations are located in the city center.. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach the city center from the airport.. You can buy the ticket from the bus driver or from machines or kiosks.. The price of the ticket you will buy to board Volabus is 6 euro. The ticket is also valid for transportation vehicles such as metro, bus, etc. that you will use within 1 hour.. Flights that start at six in the morning continue until midnight.

Accommodation in Genoa

Although Genoa is a small city and easy to navigate on foot, your accommodation in a central location allows you to return to your hotel safely, especially in the evening. important for. I suggest you choose your hotel close to Brignole or Principle train station. Both places are very close to must-see palaces and squares.. We used our Genoa accommodation choice for Hotel Nologo. In addition to being 500 meters from Brignole train station, we were walking to Ferrari and Garibaldi square in 10 minutes.. They converted a single floor of an apartment into a concept hotel.. They named each room after a different type of music.. Ours was Jazz We paid 100 euros for two people for a two night stay. Breakfast was not included in the price, if you wish, you can have one of two different types of breakfast, including bread, cheese, tea, jam or croissant, orange juice for 4 euros.. The good reception of the Wifi in the hotel and the cleaning of the rooms every day are two features that I liked.. You can browse and book all Genoa accommodation options here.

If you are considering choosing Airbnb to continue your home comfort, you can create a new membership here and get a discount of 130 TL on your home reservation.

Shopping in Genoa

When you say shopping in Genoa, the first place you should stop by is XX Settembre street. This place is famous as the city’s shopping street.. Here you can find all the foreign stores you know, from H&M to Mango.. Via XXV Aprile leading to Ferrari Square is another street you should stop by for shopping.. You can stop by Via Rome, which hosts famous brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada, even to look at the stores.. Local shops await you around Via Garibaldi. For different antique products, your route should be Garibaldi street again.

Places to Visit in Genoa

Porto Antico (Old Harbor Area)

Your tour of Genoa old port I suggest you start from . The port area, which was surrounded by walls when it was the capital of the Republic of Genoa, has a different appearance today.. Redesigned by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, the harbor area has a giant aquarium, biosphere, maritime museum and an elevator that allows you to watch the city from above.. Most of the city walls were destroyed in the past, but you can see some of them while visiting the city.

Acquario di Genova (Genoa Aquarium)

Europe’s second largest aquarium in the Old Port You can visit Acquario di Genova. The existence of such a huge aquarium in a city that smells like the sea is not surprising at all.. The aquarium, which hosts approximately fifteen thousand sea creatures and more than 400 species, can make your trip much more colorful if you have children.. Entrance to the Genoa aquarium is 25 euro for adults, 17 euro for children.

Biosfera

There is a huge entrance right next to the aquarium. you will see a glass globe. This is a biosphere designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.. A floating botanical garden. Entrance to the biosphere with tropical tree and bird species is 5 euro for adults, 3.5 euro for children under 12 years old.

Galata Museo Del Mare (Galata Denizli) Museum)

If you are interested in museums, you can also visit the Galata Museo Del Mare, that is, the Galata Maritime Museum located in the port area.. The name Galata sounds familiar, right? When I learned from İlber Hoca that the Galata Tower was built by the Genoese and that the Genoese once lived in the Galata region, I understood the connection better.. Entrance to Galata Maritime Museum, the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean, 12 euro. If you are interested in the history of the Genoese, remember that the museum will add a lot to you.. Galata Maritime Museum is closed on Mondays, you can visit between 10.00-18.00 on other days.

Bigo (Panoramic Elevator)

Another thing that will catch your eye in the port is Bigo (panoramic elevator). If you want to watch the breathtaking view of Genoa from a height of 40 meters, it is enough to buy a ticket for the elevator that departs every 10 minutes.. Ticket price is 4 euro.

Pirate Ship

Did you know that the famous explorer Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa? Don’t finish your harbor tour without seeing the huge pirate ship in Genoa harbor. The ship was built for the 1986 movie Pirates by Polish director and actor Roman Polanski, but because it was designed in the original dimensions and appearance of the Santa Maria, Columbus’ ship that changed the course of history. of special importance. If you wish, you can also visit the inside of the famous pirate ship for a fee.

Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo Cathedral)

When you go up from the narrow streets of the old port area, you can see the imposing Cathedral of Genoa< Welcome to San Lorenzo Cathedral, also known as /strong>. You can visit the interior of the cathedral, which was inspired by Romanesque, gothic and baroque architecture, free of charge, and take a breather on its stairs.

San Lorenzo Cathedral click for location

Piazza De Ferrari (Ferrari Square)

The most famous square of the city is undoubtedly Piazza de Ferrari. It is one of the places that gives you a pleasure to watch with its huge pool in the middle, the palaces surrounding it and the opera house.. When you say Ferrari square, a red Ferrari may come to your mind, but the name of the square does not come from the car brand.

Ferrari square is always lively, a meeting point for young people, as well as a frequent destination for those who go to work due to the busy banks around it. in position. Another thing that caught my attention in Genoa was the bank buildings.. Stone buildings, all from centuries ago. They are so majestic and beautiful that this is reflected in their photo frames.. I would definitely recommend seeing the Nuovo Stock Exchange building right across the square.. If you want to reach Ferrari square by metro, simply get off at the Ferrari stop with the same name.

For Ferrari square location, click.

Palazzo Ducale (Duchy Palace)

The famous Duchy Palace, which you should not miss seeing in Ferrari Square, has hosted dozens of Genoese dukes in the past years. Today, exhibitions and concerts are held in the palace, which is used as a cultural and art center.. There was an exhibition of Modigliani at the time we visited and I had the chance to visit the exhibition by not missing this opportunity.

Click for Duchy Palace location

Casa di Cristoforo Colombo (House of Christopher Columbus)

I mentioned above that Christopher Columbus, who discovered America, was born in Genoa. The house where he was born is right at the entrance of Via Dante.. The house where Christopher Columbus spent his childhood, who devoted his life to the sea, has been turned into a museum.. If you want to visit, the entrance is 5 euro. You can visit the museum, which is closed on Mondays, between 11.00-18.00 from Tuesday to Sunday.

For the location of the house of Christopher Columbus, click.

Porta Soprana (Old City Gate)

I told you that you can see some of the walls built during the Republic of Genoa in different parts of the city. Here Porta Soprana is one of them. Some of the walls built centuries ago managed to survive without being demolished.. The huge fortification gate that you come across after you pass the house of Christopher Columbus is quite impressive.

After passing through Porta Soprana, you can see the historical buildings of Old Genoa in the side streets.. I think it’s best to get lost in these streets!

Click for Porta Soprana location

Via XX Settembre (20 September Street)

The first thing that will catch your attention in XX Settembre, one of the liveliest shopping streets in the city, is the cloisters and arched structures.. The stone buildings of Genoa reminded me of Bologna. Buildings covered with arches and porticoes to protect from rain, wind and heat are one of the architectural solutions of the ancient Romans.. It certainly adds a different charm to the city!

You can find cafes and restaurants along the long shopping street starting from Piazza de Ferrari as well as shops.. The street that stretches all the way to Piazza della Vittoria is also very close to Brignole train station.. I suggest you also see the famous triumphal arch at Piazza della Vittoria.

For Via XX Settembre location, click

Via Garibaldi (Garibaldi Street)

Garibaldi, a kind of palace street of Genoa, famous for its palaces, takes you on a journey to the past years. Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Doria Tursi, Palazzo Carrega Cataldi are just some of the palaces you can see on Garibaldi street. I recommend you to visit the buildings, many of which are used as museums, banks or city halls, one by one.. The fact that the street is closed to traffic provides an advantage when traveling.

Click for Via Garibaldi location

Genoa’ You must also

• Italy’s famous seaside towns Cinque Terre and Portofino are only an hour and a half away from Genoa. If you have more time, don’t go back without seeing it.
• The fishing village famous for its colorful houses Boccadasse is a place where you can feel the Mediterranean air to the fullest.. You can get here in half an hour by buses departing from Principe.

• You can choose Bigo Cafe for pizza and wine pairing at the port.. Right across the panoramic elevator.
• Genoa means pesto sauce.. You wouldn’t be able to return without ordering yourself pasta with pesto sauce.
• If you like to visit the local markets in the city you are visiting, I would say stop by the Mercato Orientale on Via XX Settembre.. Fresh vegetables and fruits are appetizing!
• If you say you are full of carbohydrates and you do not want to eat in an unknown place, Eataly in the port is waiting for you.. Keep in mind that pizza service starts after 19:00.

• You can try the warm focaccia for breakfast.. Focaccia is a type of bread with thyme, olives and cheese, which you will find in almost every corner patisserie.
• Another flavor I would recommend you to try when you are in Genoa is farinata. The most delicious bread made from chickpea flour is the one with cheese and onions!
• It is useful to be careful while walking in Genoa in the evenings, the streets are very deserted and the number of immigrants is high, and you inevitably feel uneasy.
• Punto Shop 24 will come to your rescue if you are hungry at midnight or if you crave tea, coffee or cola.. I say make your evening plan accordingly.
• You can easily visit Genoa in one day with a quick tour.. 3 days is enough for a detailed trip.
• Piazza delle Erbe is a lively place with cafes and restaurants where young people socialize.. You can stop by for a spritz break.
• Handmade shoes and leather bags in Genoa are cheaper than in other Italian cities.. Be sure to take a look at leather products.

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