Marina Molo Vecchio
Marina Genova
Boccadasse
Vernazzola
Sturla
Walk Via Garibaldi past the frescoed Palazzi dei Rolli
Climb the Lanterna, the world’s fourth-oldest lighthouse
Tour Renaissance art at Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco
Browse the stalls of the Mercato Orientale
Eat gelato in the fishing village of Boccadasse
Palazzo Ducale
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
Palazzo Reale
Teatro Carlo Felice
Cimitero di Staglieno
April to October covers the sailing season along the Ligurian coast, with May, June and September offering the most comfortable temperatures for walking the old town’s steep lanes. July and August bring the warmest sea and the busiest marinas, so guests planning to linger in the historic centre rather than just passing through often prefer the shoulder months.
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA) sits in Sestri Ponente, roughly 7km and about a 15-minute drive from the city centre and its marinas. It’s a smaller, more convenient airport than Naples or Milan, with a shuttle train link to Genoa’s main Principe station for guests who’d rather not arrange a transfer.
Marina Molo Vecchio sits closest to the old port and the aquarium, an easy walk into the historic centre, while Marina Genova at Sestri Ponente lies nearer the airport. For a change of pace, the small coves at Boccadasse, Vernazzola and Sturla, just east of the centre, suit a swim stop or lunch ashore away from the working harbour.
One to two days covers the historic centre, Via Garibaldi’s palazzi and a walk out to Boccadasse without feeling rushed. Many charters use Genoa mainly as a gateway, a base to provision, change guests or begin a cruise toward Portofino and the Cinque Terre, rather than a multi-day stop in its own right.
For guests interested in the palazzi, yes. Genoa’s UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli, the noble residences along Via Garibaldi once obliged to host visiting heads of state, throw open otherwise-private courtyards and frescoed halls for free during Rolli Days weekends. The 2026 spring edition runs 27 to 29 March, timed with the Euroflora exhibition, with a further autumn edition typically following in September or October.
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