Genoa

Genoa 7-day itinerary

7 days in Genoa on foot. The plan moves through Old City, Old City, Museums, starting with Christopher Columbus House, Spianata Castelletto, Via Garibaldi. No car.
Best for
A slower week in Genoa, with one day outside town.
Pace
Five walking days, one day trip, and one slower day.
Base
Old City
Estimated budget
$560–$1,960

Day-by-day plan

Follow the stops in order. Walk times are estimates between nearby places.

  1. Day 1

    Old City

    Walk Old City in Genoa. Start at Christopher Columbus House, then Spianata Castelletto and Via Garibaldi. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Christopher Columbus House

      The house where Columbus lived as a child.

    2. Stop 2 · 11 min walk

      Spianata Castelletto

      A nice belvedere where one can have a pleasant view of the city and of the seaport. It can be reached by public lift from Piazza della Nunziata or on foot from that very same square.

    3. Stop 3 · 4 min walk

      Via Garibaldi

      also known as Via Aurea and Strada Nuova, Golden Street and New Street has very impressive baroque buildings.

    4. Stop 4 · 21 min walk

      The Old Harbour

      An entertainment area with museums, cinemas, cafés and also a beautiful promenade along the sea.

    5. Stop 5 · 18 min walk

      Lanterna di Genova

      The prominent Genovese symbol since 1128: the second tallest traditional lighthouse in the world

    6. Stop 6 · 30 min walk

      Castello d'Albertis

      Castello d'Albertis is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    Eat · Trattoria Da Maria: Traditional regional cuisine and a practical and crowded atmosphere. Possible opening for lunch only, no reservation.

    Browse Genoa tours
  2. Day 2

    Old City

    Walk Old City in Genoa. Start at Cathedral of San Lorenzo, then Galeone Neptune and Via Balbi. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Cathedral of San Lorenzo

      Cathedral of San Lorenzo is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    2. Stop 2 · 7 min walk

      Galeone Neptune

      Replica of a 17th-century Spanish galleon.

    3. Stop 3 · 6 min walk

      Via Balbi

      Also has some similar buildings.

    4. Stop 4 · 28 min walk

      Museum of Modern Art - Villa Croce

      Museum of Modern Art - Villa Croce is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    5. Stop 5 · 20 min walk

      Museums of Fine Arts - Strada Nuova

      See both Palazzo Bianco (White Palace) and Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace).

    6. Stop 6 · 6 min walk

      Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art

      The biggest European collection of Oriental art.

    Eat · Il Tempio Dell'Hamburger: Il Tempio Dell'Hamburger is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  3. Day 3

    Museums

    Walk Museums in Genoa. Start at National Ligurian Gallery at the Spinola Palace, then Museum of the Ligurian Art Academy and Museo di Palazzo Reale. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      National Ligurian Gallery at the Spinola Palace

      National Ligurian Gallery at the Spinola Palace is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    2. Stop 2 · 7 min walk

      Museum of the Ligurian Art Academy

      Museum of the Ligurian Art Academy is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    3. Stop 3 · 14 min walk

      Museo di Palazzo Reale

      It was built by the Balbi family 1643-1650 and enlarged by the Durazzo family in the 18th century. It had frescoes, stuccos, paintings, sculptures, furnishings and furnishings belonging to the noble and royal families who lived there. Includes a historical picture gallery with works by Anton Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Guercino, Luca Giordano, Ferdinand Voet and Bassano.

    4. Stop 4

      Museum at the Prince's Palace

      Another Genovese historical art collection.

    5. Stop 5

      Gallery of Modern Art

      The gallery is housed in the 16th-century Villa Saluzzo in Nervi, with over 2,500 pieces, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and engravings since the beginning of the 19th century.

    6. Stop 6 · 4 min walk

      Wolfsoniana

      A museum of modern applied arts. Italian objects and works of art dating from 1880 to 1945, with a focus on Italian futurism.

    Eat · Il Masetto: A Hamburger restaurant

  4. Day 4

    Museums

    Walk Museums in Genoa. Start at Raccolte Frugone, then Aquarium and Sea Museum. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Raccolte Frugone

      In the 18th-century Villa Grimaldi Fassio, collections of 19th and 20th-century art of the Frugone brothers include paintings, sculptures and drawings by Italian and foreign artists from the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

    2. Stop 2 · 136 min walk

      Aquarium

      The second biggest in Europe!

    3. Stop 3 · 7 min walk

      Sea Museum

      Sea Museum is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    4. Stop 4 · 117 min walk

      Naval Museum

      Naval Museum is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    5. Stop 5 · 141 min walk

      Doria Museum of Natural History

      Doria Museum of Natural History is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    6. Stop 6

      The Cathedral Museum

      The Cathedral Museum is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

    Eat · Ristorante La Pietra Genova: Ristorante La Pietra Genova is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  5. Day 5

    Museums

    Walk Museums in Genoa. Start at Ippolito National Antarctic Museum, then Palazzi dei Rolli and Santa Maria di Castello. Stay on foot.

    1. Stop 1

      Ippolito National Antarctic Museum

      Based on the expeditions of Italian scientists to the Antarctic.

    2. Stop 2 · 8 min walk

      Palazzi dei Rolli

      A group of palaces, or rather, fancy private homes whose owners volunteered to host foreign dignitaries during their visits to Genoa in the 16th-17th centuries. On the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    3. Stop 3 · 9 min walk

      Santa Maria di Castello

      The cloister of the Dominican order, the museum and the summer cathedral offer a lot of treasures and exploring them is free during the opening hours of the church

    4. Stop 4 · 29 min walk

      Righi

      A spectacular view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. From here, one can have pleasant walks on the surrounding hills and to the fortifications.

    5. Stop 5 · 58 min walk

      Corso Italia

      Genoa's promenade.

    6. Stop 6 · 8 min walk

      Boccadasse

      A picturesque fishermen quarter.

    Eat · Osteria La Lanterna: This restaurant offers mainly fish dishes.

  6. Day 6

    Day trip toward Cinque Terre

    Leave Genoa for the day. Come back to the same bed.

    1. Stop 1

      Cinque Terre

      Listed as a next stop from Genoa. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    2. Stop 2

      Rapallo

      Listed as a next stop from Genoa. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    3. Stop 3

      Portofino

      Listed as a next stop from Genoa. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

    Eat · Pack snacks from town. Do not count on a full menu at a small station.

    Browse Cinque Terre day trips
  7. Day 7

    Do one thing slowly

    No new neighborhood. Use the spare day on a single activity.

    1. Stop 1

      Repeat a street you liked

      Walk the first day again without tickets. Genoa reads better the second time.

    Eat · Go back to a place that already worked.

Where to stay

Sleep near the walking base. Pick an area, then search hotels by neighborhood.

  • Old City

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Christopher Columbus House, Spianata Castelletto, Via Garibaldi on foot.

  • Museums

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Museum of Modern Art - Villa Croce, Museums of Fine Arts - Strada Nuova, Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art on foot.

  • Other sights

    Walking this plan

    Base here if you want Righi, Corso Italia, Boccadasse on foot.

Full where-to-stay guide →

Things to book

Tours and tickets that match this plan. Book anything that needs timed entry.

Budget

Rough mid-range spend for 7 days in Genoa, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.

  • Budget: about $560 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
  • Mid-range: about $980 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
  • Comfort: about $1,960 (nicer hotel, taxis, paid attractions)

Trip budget calculator →

Transportation

Get in

* | url=http://www.airport.genova.it/en/ | email= | address= | lat=44.41504 | long=8.85034 | directions= | phone= | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikipedia=Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport | image=Aeroporto-Genova-GOA.jpg | wikidata=Q1431383 | lastedit=2025-09-17 | content=Provides several daily flights from major European cities such as Rome, London, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris and Madrid. From the airport, it is fairly easy to rent a car or take a bus to the city centre. The main airport bus, Volabus, drops off at the ferry terminal (Via Milano) and the two train stations. On the way back, it picks up only at the two train stations and near the Metro at Piazza De Ferrari.

Get around

Locals will say driving around the city is somewhat faster than public transportation (traffic jams at rush hours notwithstanding), but once you have reached your destination you are faced with the nightmare and frustration of looking for a nonexistent parking spot. It is not just chance that most locals switched from cars to scooters - to the extent that even finding a spot for a scooter has become difficult too. All attractions within the center are in walking distance or well served by public transportation, therefore a car is of no use at all. If you still decide to drive into the city, don't bet on available street parking (there are street parking fees anyway) go directly to a parking garage and hope not all of them are full.

Where to eat

Simple meal ideas near the day’s walking route.

  • Trattoria Da Maria

    Traditional regional cuisine and a practical and crowded atmosphere. Possible opening for lunch only, no reservation.

  • Il Tempio Dell'Hamburger

    Il Tempio Dell'Hamburger is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • Il Masetto

    A Hamburger restaurant

  • Ristorante La Pietra Genova

    Ristorante La Pietra Genova is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

  • Osteria La Lanterna

    This restaurant offers mainly fish dishes.

  • Antica Friggitoria Carega

    A takeout restaurant

  • Il Ristoro dei Grimaldi

    A pizza takeaway restaurant

  • Pastificio Artigianale di Canneto

    Pastificio Artigianale di Canneto is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

Before you go

Questions

Do I need a car in Genoa?
No for this plan. The days stay inside walking range, then local transit to XXX. Locals will say driving around the city is somewhat faster than public transportation (traffic jams at rush hours notwithstanding), but once you have reached your destination you are faced with the nightmare and frustration of looking for a nonexistent parking spot. It is not just chance that most locals switched from cars to scooters - to the extent that even finding a spot for a scooter has become difficult too. All attractions within the center are in walking distance or well served by public transportation, therefore a car is of no use at all. If you still decide to drive into the city, don't bet on available street parking (there are street parking fees anyway) go directly to a parking garage and hope not all of them are full.
Is 7 days enough?
Yes if you want Genoa plus day trips. Use the 5-day plan if you will stay in town.
Where should I stay?
Base near Old City so the first walking day starts at the hotel. Hotel Nuovo Nord is a listed option, not a ranking.
Where do I eat?
Each day names one sit-down stop. Trattoria Da Maria is on the list. Keep the rest as bakeries and market counters.

Other Genoa trip lengths

Daily stops compiled from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), and Wikipedia. Updated 2026-10-02. Edited by Lina Varela.