I have written several articles about Genoa, my wonderful city, and today I will try to indicate an itinerary, as accurate as possible, for those who have three days.
One night, in fact, is not enough to visit the city because Genoa is art, culture, food, breathtaking views, and seeing all this takes time.
The itinerary I have come up with for those staying in Genoa for 3 days is as follows:
- Day 1 – Old Town and Porto Antico
- Day 2 – Nervi and Lanterna
- Day 3 – Staglieno Monumental Cemetery (with alternative) and Boccadasse
Let’s discover the attractions in detail. Let’s set off!
What to see in Genoa in 3 days
Day 1: Old Town and Porto Antico
I recommend devoting the first day to discovering Genoa’s historic centre and its Porto Antico.
Covering 113 hectares, Genoa’s historic centre is one of the oldest in Europe and the most densely populated.
In the historical centre, you will be able to understand the true soul of Genoa.
Within the alleys (caruggi in Genoese), you will go from admiring ancient noble palaces, frescoed churches and beautiful historic shops, to wandering through dark, dirty and dubious alleys.
All this within a few metres of each other.
This is how the historic centre of Genoa is and this is how you have to take it!
In the caruggi then you can taste local culinary specialities such as focaccia, farinata, vegetable pies, cappon magro, stockfish, tripe and much more.
The historic centre of Genoa is a treasure trove of surprises.
It stretches from the city centre down to the sea, so ideally, it should be combined with a visit to Genoa’s Porto Antico.
In the Porto Antico, you will find important attractions such as the Aquarium and the Galata Museo del Mare. You can read the dedicated article here.
The itinerary of the historical centre of Genoa with a map can be found here.
Day 2: Nervi and Lantern of Genoa
Morning: Nervi harbour, promenade and parks
The Nervi district is located on the outskirts of Genoa and you will need half a day to visit it, counting the time of the trip.
Admire the small harbour with its typical colourful houses, the promenade along the sea, and the beautiful parks.
The entirely pedestrianised Anita Garibaldi Promenade is about 2 kilometres long and ends at the Capolungo public beach.
Along the way, there are benches where one can sit and lose oneself in the horizon, steps leading to the cliff where, in some places, one can bathe, and numerous places to drink or eat.
About two-thirds of the way along the promenade, you enter the Nervi Parks: 92,000 square metres with more than 100 botanical species.
Inside the park, you will find museums, a children’s playground, meadows where you can have a picnic, and a fantastic rose garden.
If you want more information about Nervi, you can read this article.
Afternoon: Genoa Lantern
The Lantern of Genoa is the ancient lighthouse and the undisputed symbol of the city of Genoa.
Of all the lighthouses in Europe still in operation, it is one of the oldest and, at 77 metres, the tallest in the Mediterranean.
Built on a 40-metre high cliff, it towers an impressive 117 metres above sea level.
The Lanterna entrance ticket also includes admission to the Lanterna Museum, which tells the story of the city’s architectural and urban development. Continue reading.
If you have some time left after your visit to the Lanterna, you might take the opportunity to return to the caruggi in the old city centre, as it is only by walking around aimlessly that you can appreciate its true essence.
Day 3: Staglieno Monumental Cemetery and Boccadasse
For the morning of your third day in Genoa, I highly recommend a visit to the Staglieno Monumental Cemetery, one of Europe’s main cemeteries.
For the afternoon, I recommend moving instead to the fishing village of Boccadasse.
Morning: Staglieno Monumental Cemetery
Designed in 1835 by the Genoese architect Carlo Barabino, the Staglieno Cemetery is a representation of 19th-century Genoa and a veritable open-air museum.
The monumental tombs and chapels of illustrious Genoese and foreigners who stayed in Genoa are truly majestic and blend perfectly with their natural surroundings .
Admission to the cemetery is free.
Getting to Staglieno is simple:
- from piazza Corvetto, take bus no. 34 (15-minute journey);
- from piazza Brignole, take bus no. 13 or 14 (30 minutes).
To find out in detail what to see at the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, you can read this article.
Alternative – If you are not interested in visiting the Cemetery, you could spend the same amount of time visiting the d’Albertis Castle, the residence of sea captain Enrico Alberto D’Albertis.
The captain sailed around the world three times, accumulating travel souvenirs that can be admired during the visit.
In my opinion, it is really interesting! Go to the full article.
Afternoon: Boccadasse
Boccadasse is a picturesque fishing village located a half-hour bus ride from the town centre.
It is a small oasis of peace where time seems to stand still.
In the village, you can admire the characteristic colourful houses that frame the small beach with its moored gozzi.
You can sit in an elegant restaurant, where you can sample mostly fish dishes, or on the rocks with a nice cone of fritters, focaccia or ice cream in your hand.
To get to Boccadasse, you have to take bus number 31 that leaves from Piazza Brignole.
For more information on Boccadasse, you can read this article.
Conclusion
We have come to the end of this article where I have tried to give some tips for organising your 3-day visit to Genoa.
There are many other attractions to visit in and around the city which, however, require a few more days (e.g. Villa Durazzo Pallavicini in Pegli or taking one of Genoa’s very characteristic ski lifts).
Note them down, perhaps, for a future visit!
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Read on:
1. Genoa City Card: is it worth it?
3. Top 10 Attractions in Genoa
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