Liguria · Italy
Where to stay in Genoa
Genoa is a city in Liguria, Italy, home to about 559,000 people.
- Best months
- May to August
- Nearest airport
- GOA7 km · Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Language
- Italian
About
About Genoa
Genoa is the sixth-largest city in Italy and the capital of the region of Liguria in northern Italy. As of 2026, 566,247 people live within the city's administrative limits.
When visiting northwestern Italy (Milan, Turin) it is absolutely worth staying for a couple of days or a weekend in Genoa. The city is a good base to explore the Italian Riviera and world-famous places like Portofino and the Cinque Terre.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Genoa
See
Genoa has one of Europe’s largest preserved historical centers, made up of an incredible number of tiny streets and alleys called Caruggi. Walking through it will plunk you right back to olden times when Genoa was the most important harbor of the Mediterranean sea.
- Christopher Columbus House
- Spianata Castelletto
- Via Garibaldi
- The Old Harbour
- Lanterna di Genova
- Castello d'Albertis
- Palazzo Ducale
- Cathedral of San Lorenzo
- Galeone Neptune
- Via Balbi
- Museum of Modern Art - Villa Croce
- Museums of Fine Arts - Strada Nuova
Do
There are plenty of things to do in Genoa, although it is very advisable to visit in spring and summer. A lot of young kids spend their time playing with their friends in Parks found within certain antique Villas, some of them are also museums (i.e. Villa di Negro- oriental arts museum Edoardo Chiossone). Go for ice cream along the beaches and beach promenades. There are a lot of paintings in the town and on the brick floors which a lot of people admire. Fishing for catfish is also a hobby you might enjoy. Genoa's main street Via XX settembre, is filled with cafes and high street fashion shops. Start from Brignole station and head towards Piazza De Ferrari.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Genoa
20 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel Eden | 9.6 km | |
| Hotel Portofino Kulm | 1908 | 20.5 km |
| Hotel Splendido Belmond | 1901 | 24.8 km |
| Hotel Cenobio Dei Dogi | 18.8 km | |
| B&B Albaro | 3.4 km | |
| B&B Rifugio Uscio | 18.5 km | |
| Best Western Plus City Hotel | 0.3 km | |
| Best Western Plus Tigullio Royal Hotel | 24.4 km | |
| Bluripa Guest House | 0.4 km | |
| Europa Hotel Design Spa 1877 | 24.7 km | |
| Hotel Astoria | 24.3 km | |
| Hotel Astoria | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Bristol Palace | 0.2 km | |
| Hotel De Ville | 0.6 km | |
| Hotel Genziana | 0.4 km | |
| Hotel Metropole | 23.9 km | |
| Hotel Palazzo Grillo | 0.3 km | |
| Hotel San Desiderio | 24.1 km | |
| Meliá Genova | 0.7 km | |
| NH Collection Genova Marina | 0.7 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Genoa
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Genoa are May to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; November is the wettest, with about 163 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Genoa: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Cuneo International Airport (CUF, 105 km) and Parma Airport (PMF, 118 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Terminal Traghetti has ferries from Barcelona (Grandi Navi Veloci, daily, 18 hours), Tangier (Grandi Navi Veloci, weekly, 46 hours), Valletta on Malta, Bastia on Corsica, Olbia and Porto Torres on Sardinia, Palermo on Sicily, and Tunis.
Getting 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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
GOA · Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
CUF · Cuneo International Airport
PMF · Parma Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Genoa
Eat
The vast majority of places charge service for a fixed amount per person (called coperto), as is customary in Italy. A trattoria, cafe or bar will not charge this fee for lunch, and this is often a good place to get pasta or a sandwich in the afternoon. Restaurants are open from approximately 12:30 - 15:00 for lunch and 19:30 - 22:00 for dinner. Pesto sauce originates from the city of Genova. It is used in many dishes, including pastas and pizzas. Another must try from the Genovese or Ligurian cuisine is focaccia, which is a flat oven-baked Italian bread that may be topped with onions, herbs, or other foodstuffs. Focaccie are quite tasty and often cheaper than pizzas.
Stay safe
Streets in Genoa are usually quite safe, especially in the main tourist areas and residential areas. Downtown, Quarto dei Mille, Quinto del Mare and Nervi are all safe districts during the day as well as the evening. However, some limited areas in the historical centre off the main alleys might be subject to petty crime or just be uncomfortable for the general tourist (e.g. prostitutes waiting for clients in the middle of the day in dark side alleys just a couple of blocks away from a tourist attraction).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Genoa: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Genoa?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Genoa are May to August. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; November is the wettest, with about 163 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Genoa?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA), about 7.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Cuneo International Airport (CUF, 105 km) and Parma Airport (PMF, 118 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Genoa?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Genoa
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.