Best of Genoa private walking tour
Overview
Genoa is one of the most charming and beautiful cities in Italy. Art, food, and beautiful streets make it a must-see destination if you are in Italy! Its historical center is the largest in Europe and you will enjoy seeing the ancient and renaissance buildings, which display the virtue of the history of this city.
Meet your guide at Genoa Cruise Ship Port or in the lobby of your hotel.
Your guide will take you to the oldest part of the historic center of Genoa. You will see all main sights: Via Garibaldi, De Ferrari Square, Columbus’ house, and the medieval alleyways between the cathedral and the old port.
In the end, your guide will leave you in one of the restaurants to enjoy the local cuisine or accompany you on your way back to your hotel or port.
Meet your guide at Genoa Cruise Ship Port or in the lobby of your hotel.
Your guide will take you to the oldest part of the historic center of Genoa. You will see all main sights: Via Garibaldi, De Ferrari Square, Columbus’ house, and the medieval alleyways between the cathedral and the old port.
In the end, your guide will leave you in one of the restaurants to enjoy the local cuisine or accompany you on your way back to your hotel or port.
Inclusions
- Professional licensed guide
- Pick up and drop off
- All fees and taxes
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, West from Piazza Fontane Marose Maddalena, Genoa Italy
You might expect a street laid out in the 16th and 17th centuries as a setting for palaces of Genoa's richest and most powerful families to be a grand broad avenue, but Via Garibaldi is little more than a lane. It seems even narrower because it is hemmed in on both sides by the grandiose facades of side-by-side palaces. This little street, which lies north of Piazza Ferrari and above the sailors' quarter, is worth walking down even if none of the palaces is open to tour. Its facades present a succession of carved and painted embellishments, frescoes, grand arcades and loggias, balconies, courtyards, and entrances crowned by crests of noble families whose homes these were. So outstanding is this assemblage that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can tour three of these -- Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco, and Palazzo Tursi - on a single ticket to see the interiors and their superb art collections.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Piazza Raffaele De Ferrari, 16123, Genoa Italy
Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the square. Today next to Piazza De Ferrari are numerous office buildings, headquarters of banks, insurances and other private companies, making of this district the financial and business centre of Genoa, so that the Genoese popularly refers to it as the "City" of Genoa. At the end of the 19th century, Genoa was the main financial centre of Italy along with Milan, and Piazza De Ferrari was the place where many institutions were established, like the stock exchange, the Credito Italiano, the branch offices of the Bank of Italy, founded in 1893.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: La Casa di Colombo, Via di Porta Soprana, 16121, Genoa Italy
The house is located outside Genoa's 14th-century walls. During the Renaissance, the area became subject to intense building, mainly consisting of public housing. Columbus was born in 1451, and historical documents indicated that Columbus lived here between approximately 1455 and 1470. Currently, the building operates as a museum, under the management of the "Porta Soprana".
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Castello d'Albertis, Corso Dogali 18, 16136, Genoa Italy
Albertis Castle stands a short distance from the main harbour and houses the Museum of World Cultures. The castle itself was created in a Gothic Revival style and was built in 1886. It is actually built on the site of a previous 12th century fort and preserves the forts original foundations. The castle offers great views of the Ligurian Sea and the surrounding city. Inside the building is the wonderful museum of world cultures. This collection includes a range of findings from around the world by Enrico and Luigi Albertis such as weaponry from the Sudan and China, and artefacts from the Mayan civilization.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Chiesa del Gesu e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 16121, Genoa Italy
Just a few meters from the massive cathedral of San Lorenzo, Chiesa del Gesu is one of the oldest churches in Genoa, originally dating back to the 6th century. While the outside of the church was completely rebuilt in 1894 when the Doge's Palace was strongly renovated, it still houses one of the most gorgeous ceilings in the city. Gilded in gold, and covered in richly-colored paintings, visit the Chiesa at sunset to see everything beautifully illuminated by a natural, ethereal glow.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Old Port, Calata Molo Vecchio 15 Magazzini del Cotone, Modulo 5, 16128, Genoa Italy
Soaked in history and rich in local color, Old Port houses museums, movie theaters, cafes, restaurants, and shops. Renowned architect Renzo Piano redeveloped this area in the 1990s, restoring the historic buildings, like the old cotton warehouse, and creating new landmarks that have become the city’s biggest tourist draws. Genoa remains an important port on the Mediterranean, and this busy harbor is filled to the brim with yachts, ferries, cargo ships, and boats of all sizes.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: LANTERNA di Genova, Rampa della Lanterna, 16126, Genoa Italy
The Lanterna di Genoa is an ornate ancient lighthouse that has stood since the 12th century but over time has been reconstructed. It stands as the main lighthouse of the harbour and is an iconic landmark of the city. After the tower of Hercules and the Kopu lighthouse, it is the oldest in the world. A large icon of the city of Genoa is present on one side, and the top is crowned with a large glass light. Standing at 76m high it towers over the surrounding area and can be seen for miles.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Piazza Matteotti, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 16123, Genoa Italy
Although situated right next to the Piazza De Ferrari, the Piazza Matteotti is a wonderful location in its own right and features a range of historical buildings and sights. Doges Palace sits at one of the of square and is a truly opulent building framed by a series of stone columns, whilst at the other end sits the fabulous San Lorenzo Cathedral. Furthermore, markets are often held here and you can pick up a great bargain after haggling with the locals. Finally, there is also the Church of Saint Ambrogio which is a fantastic building which an ornate interior.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Torri di Porta Soprana, Ravecca47n, Genoa Italy
Porta Soprana is the best-known gate of the ancient walls of Genoa. After major restorations carried out between the 19th and 20th centuries, it has regained the appearance it supposedly had at the time of the construction of the so-called Barbarossa walls (1150 ca.).
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Spianata Castelletto, Belvedere Luigi Montaldo, Genoa Italy
Castelletto is a residential quarter in Genoa and the Spianata is a raised platform and walkway that offers unparalleled views of the city and harbour. The courtyard and walkway are accessible via a series of steps or an ornate lift that is topped with a large glass panelled building. Once you are at the top, you can look down to the city beneath you. During the daytime see the ships in the harbour and hear the hustle and bustle of the locals, and at night see the city transformed with an advent of lights. The courtyard itself is a great place to relax and is shaded by a variety of trees; there are also several binoculars that allow you to see details of the city close-up.
Duration: 15 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, West from Piazza Fontane Marose Maddalena, Genoa Italy
You might expect a street laid out in the 16th and 17th centuries as a setting for palaces of Genoa's richest and most powerful families to be a grand broad avenue, but Via Garibaldi is little more than a lane. It seems even narrower because it is hemmed in on both sides by the grandiose facades of side-by-side palaces. This little street, which lies north of Piazza Ferrari and above the sailors' quarter, is worth walking down even if none of the palaces is open to tour. Its facades present a succession of carved and painted embellishments, frescoes, grand arcades and loggias, balconies, courtyards, and entrances crowned by crests of noble families whose homes these were. So outstanding is this assemblage that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can tour three of these -- Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco, and Palazzo Tursi - on a single ticket to see the interiors and their superb art collections.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Piazza Raffaele De Ferrari, 16123, Genoa Italy
Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa. Situated in the heart of the city between the historical and the modern center, Piazza De Ferrari is renowned for its fountain, which was restored in recent years along with a major restyling of the square. Today next to Piazza De Ferrari are numerous office buildings, headquarters of banks, insurances and other private companies, making of this district the financial and business centre of Genoa, so that the Genoese popularly refers to it as the "City" of Genoa. At the end of the 19th century, Genoa was the main financial centre of Italy along with Milan, and Piazza De Ferrari was the place where many institutions were established, like the stock exchange, the Credito Italiano, the branch offices of the Bank of Italy, founded in 1893.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: La Casa di Colombo, Via di Porta Soprana, 16121, Genoa Italy
The house is located outside Genoa's 14th-century walls. During the Renaissance, the area became subject to intense building, mainly consisting of public housing. Columbus was born in 1451, and historical documents indicated that Columbus lived here between approximately 1455 and 1470. Currently, the building operates as a museum, under the management of the "Porta Soprana".
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Castello d'Albertis, Corso Dogali 18, 16136, Genoa Italy
Albertis Castle stands a short distance from the main harbour and houses the Museum of World Cultures. The castle itself was created in a Gothic Revival style and was built in 1886. It is actually built on the site of a previous 12th century fort and preserves the forts original foundations. The castle offers great views of the Ligurian Sea and the surrounding city. Inside the building is the wonderful museum of world cultures. This collection includes a range of findings from around the world by Enrico and Luigi Albertis such as weaponry from the Sudan and China, and artefacts from the Mayan civilization.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Chiesa del Gesu e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 16121, Genoa Italy
Just a few meters from the massive cathedral of San Lorenzo, Chiesa del Gesu is one of the oldest churches in Genoa, originally dating back to the 6th century. While the outside of the church was completely rebuilt in 1894 when the Doge's Palace was strongly renovated, it still houses one of the most gorgeous ceilings in the city. Gilded in gold, and covered in richly-colored paintings, visit the Chiesa at sunset to see everything beautifully illuminated by a natural, ethereal glow.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Old Port, Calata Molo Vecchio 15 Magazzini del Cotone, Modulo 5, 16128, Genoa Italy
Soaked in history and rich in local color, Old Port houses museums, movie theaters, cafes, restaurants, and shops. Renowned architect Renzo Piano redeveloped this area in the 1990s, restoring the historic buildings, like the old cotton warehouse, and creating new landmarks that have become the city’s biggest tourist draws. Genoa remains an important port on the Mediterranean, and this busy harbor is filled to the brim with yachts, ferries, cargo ships, and boats of all sizes.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: LANTERNA di Genova, Rampa della Lanterna, 16126, Genoa Italy
The Lanterna di Genoa is an ornate ancient lighthouse that has stood since the 12th century but over time has been reconstructed. It stands as the main lighthouse of the harbour and is an iconic landmark of the city. After the tower of Hercules and the Kopu lighthouse, it is the oldest in the world. A large icon of the city of Genoa is present on one side, and the top is crowned with a large glass light. Standing at 76m high it towers over the surrounding area and can be seen for miles.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Piazza Matteotti, Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 16123, Genoa Italy
Although situated right next to the Piazza De Ferrari, the Piazza Matteotti is a wonderful location in its own right and features a range of historical buildings and sights. Doges Palace sits at one of the of square and is a truly opulent building framed by a series of stone columns, whilst at the other end sits the fabulous San Lorenzo Cathedral. Furthermore, markets are often held here and you can pick up a great bargain after haggling with the locals. Finally, there is also the Church of Saint Ambrogio which is a fantastic building which an ornate interior.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Torri di Porta Soprana, Ravecca47n, Genoa Italy
Porta Soprana is the best-known gate of the ancient walls of Genoa. After major restorations carried out between the 19th and 20th centuries, it has regained the appearance it supposedly had at the time of the construction of the so-called Barbarossa walls (1150 ca.).
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Spianata Castelletto, Belvedere Luigi Montaldo, Genoa Italy
Castelletto is a residential quarter in Genoa and the Spianata is a raised platform and walkway that offers unparalleled views of the city and harbour. The courtyard and walkway are accessible via a series of steps or an ornate lift that is topped with a large glass panelled building. Once you are at the top, you can look down to the city beneath you. During the daytime see the ships in the harbour and hear the hustle and bustle of the locals, and at night see the city transformed with an advent of lights. The courtyard itself is a great place to relax and is shaded by a variety of trees; there are also several binoculars that allow you to see details of the city close-up.
Duration: 15 minutes
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.