Are you planning a visit to the wonderful Aquarium of Genoa and want more information about tickets, opening hours and prices?

Are you looking for the best deals or do you want to know the best hotels and B&Bs near the Aquarium?

You have come to the right place.

If you don’t know me, let me introduce myself, I’m Andrea Semonella, and in this article I’m going to tell you all about one of the most famous attractions in my city.

But before we start, a brief introduction: if you want to buy tickets to the Aquarium by skipping the long queue at the ticket office, I suggest you buy your admission by clicking on the link below. This will give you access to the Genoa Aquarium in just a few moments.

All right, are you ready? Let’s get started!

Genoa Aquarium: everything you need to know

The Genoa Aquarium is the largest aquarium in Italy and the third largest in Europe, after Moscow and Valencia.

Opened in 1992 on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition in Genoa (Colombiadi), the Genoa Aquarium allows you to discover the wonderful marine world and everything about the formation of planet Earth and the evolution of life.

It boasts over 27,000 square meters of exhibits and thousands of animals.

Let’s find out all the useful information together, such as prices (and deals), hours, animals and experiences.

Aquarium of Genoa prices 2023

How much does a ticket cost for the Genoa Aquarium What are the offers and discounts? Do children or people with disabilities pay?

The price you will have to pay to access the Genoa Aquarium varies depending on the season and the type of ticketing (online or on-site).

A small premise: I always recommend that you buy Acquario di Genova tickets online to avoid the long lines present at the entrance.

Let’s see together how much it costs to enter the Genoa Aquarium.

Standard prices

The price varies depending on the date, time and age of the visitor. Find out all available options.

• Adults: from 22€ to 29€ (buy tickets)
• Reduced*: from 18 to 29€ (buy tickets)
• Disabled**: from 18 to 29€ (buy tickets)
• Children (4 – 12 yo): from 14€ to 29€ (buy tickets)
• Children (0 – 3 yo): free

*Reduced ticket is valid for Military, Senior over 65.
**People with certified disabilities issued by appropriate body.

Students

If you are a university or Erasmus student, you can visit the Aquarium at a discounted price of 18€ instead of 26€. There is also an option to purchase the Galata + Submarine ticket at a price of 12€ instead of 17€.

Genoa Aquarium resident prices

Are you a resident of the city of Genoa? You can take advantage of the “Wednesdays of the Genoese” offer.

Every Wednesday afternoon from 2 p.m. onwards you can visit the Aquarium for €13 (for adults) and €9 (for children aged 4 to 12).

You will have to show up at the ticket office with an ID, and you will benefit from the resident discount.

The offer is for both adults and children (ages 4-12) and is not valid only if Wednesday coincides with a holiday

• Resident prices: on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. onwards 50% discount

Aquarium of Genoa family offers 2023

There used to be a family offer that allowed families of 4 or more people to take advantage of a discounted rate.

Today’s discount, on the other hand, is for families of at least five people, whose 3rd child is eligible for free admission.

• Family discount: 3rd child gets in free

Offer for large groups

Traveling with a large group of friends? For every 20 payers (at the subsidized rate of 19.50€) one admission is free.

• Group rates: €19.50 each, one free ticket for every 20 payers

Schools

Want to organize a class field trip to the Aquarium? In this case, for every 15 kids, 2 teachers can enter for free.

• School rates: €12 each, two teachers free for every 15 children

Genoa Aquarium opening hours

The Genoa Aquarium is open 365 days a year, but with hours that change depending on the season.

Also, due to the covid-19 emergency, the hours have been changed to allow visitors to access and visit the Aquarium safely.

What time does the Genoa Aquarium open?

• March, April, May, June, September, and October: the facility is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• July and August: you will be able to access it daily from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• November through February: opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

Find an infographic with all the hours of the Genoa Aquarium here.

Aquarium of Genoa how to get there

Is it better to travel by car or by train? Which highway exit should I take? And what is the nearest parking lot?

The Aquarium is located in the old port area of Genoa, which can be reached either by car or public transportation.

Let’s see together how to get to the Aquarium by car or train.

By train

The area where the Aquarium is located is very convenient to reach on foot or by public transportation.

If you wish to reach the Genoa Aquarium by train, follow these simple directions.

Genova Brignole train station

Brignole’s is one of the two main train stations in Genoa.

Once you get off the train, get on the subway in the direction of Brin (Certosa) and get off at the San Giorgio stop.

You will find the Aquarium in front of your eyes.

Genova Piazza Principe train station

Once you arrive in Genoa Piazza Principe, take the subway towards Brignole, get off at the San Giorgio stop and you will have arrived.

By car

If you travel by car, you should know that circulation in the Old Port area is not the smoothest.

Because of its geographical conformation, Genoa does not offer a lot of space and the road system unfortunately suffers.

Here are directions to get there by car if you are coming from the west or the east.

If you come from the east (or Milan).

If you are traveling on the A10 highway, you will need to exit at Genova Ovest and take the Strada Sopraelevata.

From here, take the Porto Antico exit and park your car in one of the parking lots I will tell you about in the next section.

If you come from the west

If you are coming from the west (A12 or A7 freeway) you will have to exit at Genova Ovest and enter the famous Strada Sopraelevata.

Take the Porto Antico exit and you have arrived.

Parking near the Aquarium

What is the best parking near the Aquarium?

If you plan to visit the Aquarium and are looking for free parking, sorry but you won’t find it in any of the nearby areas.

The 3 best parking spots near the Aquarium are as follows:

1. Park Mercanzia: 2-minute walk (200 meters)
2. Park Gadda: 5-minute walk (500 meters)
3. Marina Park: 10-minute walk (1 km)

There is also a parking lot located right in front of the entrance to the facility, but it is almost always full and the rates are higher, so I recommend that you opt for one of these three.

Sleeping near the Aquarium

Looking for accommodations in the Aquarium of Genoa area?

Click on “search” below to find a list of what I think are the best B&Bs and hotels near the Aquarium.

Booking.com

Bed and Breakfast Genova Acquario

Do you love the typical hospitality of a family-run B&B? Here are the best two located in the Aquarium area.

B&B Genova Suite Art

Check out Genova Suite Art, a centrally located, stylish and newly remodeled bed and breakfast located right across the street from the Aquarium.

• Address: via di Sottoripa, Genova (200m from the Aquarium)
• Services: parking (upon request), pets allowed, free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, heating, air conditioning
• Rating: 9.6 on 10 (Booking)
• Price: €€€€

B&B Genova Porto Antico Boutique Room

It is located on the top floor of a 14th-century building, a 4-minute walk from the Port. It is great for enjoying the beauty of Genoa’s Old Port and its many attractions, super strategic location, and a stone’s throw from the Genoa Aquarium. The view of the neighborhood is wonderful, as is the lady’s welcome, and the place is lovely and meticulously maintained.

• Address: vico Sauli 9/0, Genova (200 metri dall’Acquario)
• Services: pets allowed, free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, heating, air conditioning
• Rating: 9.2 on 10 (Booking)
• Price: €€€€

Hotels near Genoa Aquarium

Do you prefer a hotel? No problem!

Here is a list of what I consider to be the best hotels in the Aquarium area.

Hotel de Ville

A four-star hotel located 200 meters from the Aquarium, the De Ville opened in early 2020 and is an excellent choice if you plan to visit Genoa and all of its historic center without using a car.

• Address: via di Sottoripa 5, Genova (200 from the Aquarium)
• Services: parking (on request), pets allowed, free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, heating, air conditioning, bar, restaurant
• Rating: 9.4 on 10
• Price: €€€€

Best Western Hotel Porto Antico

Best Western is a chain of high-quality hotels with locations around the world.

The one in Genoa is located in the old port, 100 meters from the Aquarium. It has quadruple rooms to meet the needs of families.

No parking is available, so it is recommended only if you plan to travel by public transportation.

• Address: Via al Ponte Calvi 5, Genova (200m from the Aquarium)
• Services: free WiFi, non-smoking rooms, heating, air conditioning, bar, restaurant
• Rating: 4 stars on 5 (Tripadvisor)
• Prices: €€€€

Animals

Sharks, dolphins, manatees, penguins and more-this is what you will find inside the majestic Ligurian Aquarium.

In fact, the tanks are home to more than 15,000 animals of 400 different species including fish, mammals, birds, amphibious reptiles and invertebrates.

The Aquarium’s iconic animals are undoubtedly the dolphins, whose movements will enchant you for hours.

Experiences

Face to face with dolphins

For the past few years, the Genoa Aquarium has been offering a new experience to get to know dolphins in depth and interact with them.

In this magical experience, you can experience the excitement of meeting the animals and getting to know the people who take care of them day in and day out.

You will have access to the dolphinarium to learn notions about training, play with the dolphins, and, together with the trainers, repeat signals by having the dolphins perform certain exercises.

Due to new covid-19 regulations, this experience is available by reservation only, with a minimum of 3 business days in advance of the requested date.

• Duration: 2.30h (full experience)
• Opening hours: the activity starts at 8:40 am and lasts about 1.45h; the show is available every day except Monday and Friday.
• Prices: 150€ adult, 120€ reduced (6 to 12 years old)
• Offers: 330€ (2 adults + 1 child), 430€ (2 adults + 2 children)
• Info and reservations: click here

Face to face with penguins

Another truly impressive event is “Face to Face with the Penguins,” a unique experience in which you will be accompanied by a guide who will explain all the food preparation activities, show you the penguin tank, and tell you how these beautiful animals are handled by the facility staff.

You will have access inside the tank to watch the aquarists distribute the afternoon meal.

To end the day, you will have until closing time to freely visit the rest of the Aquarium.

• Duration: 1.30h (full experience)
• Opening hours: by reservation (minimum of 3 working days in advance of desired date), every day except Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Prices: 60€ adult, 40€ reduced (5 to 12 years old) – the “Face to face with the penguins” ticket does not include the Genoa Aquarium ticket, which you will have to buy separately.
• Offers: no offers available
• Info and reservations: click here

Sleeping at the Genoa Aquarium

At certain times of the year, Aquarium organizes a special event: the Night with the Sharks.

Children have the opportunity to visit the Aquarium during the night hours, take advantage of the entertainment activities, sleep next to the shark tank, and visit some of the tanks the next morning.

What about the family in tow?

The Aquarium staff has thought of you too: 1 night in the hotel and the next day admission for everyone to the Città dei Bambini (Children’s and Youth City) located just a few meters from the Aquarium.

How much does it cost to sleep at the Genoa Aquarium? 80€ per kid and 74€ per adult.

Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Ideal for the more adventurous children.

• Duration: 1 night
• Opening hours: click here
• Prices: 80€ per kid, 74€ adult (per night in hotel with breakfast + entrance to The City of Children and insurance)
• Info and reservations: clicca qui

Emotional dinner at the Aquarium

By booking an emotional dinner you can dine next to the dolphin tank, letting the magical atmosphere sweep you away.

Ideal for a special occasion.

• Duration: 1 dinner
• Price: 40€ per person
• Info and reservation: click here

New Year’s Eve at the Aquarium

Spending New Year’s Eve inside the Aquarium is a unique and indescribable thrill.

The evening’s program includes a free tour of the Aquarium, Aperitif in the Dolphin Coastal Hall and Biodiversity Pavilion, Dinner with toast and night at the hotel.

• Duration: 1 night
• Opening hours: 31st december
• Prices: from 199.00€ per person (1 night, double room)
• Info and reservation: click here

Reviews

This facility is popular with both adults and children, and has outstanding reviews on virtually all tourism portals.

But what are the main criticisms of the Aquarium organization?

The only negative opinions were about the social distancing rules at the height of the pandemic, and some minor criticism about the in-house restaurant.

Otherwise, the Aquarium turns out to be one of the most popular facilities for both adults and children around the world.

FAQ

Contacts

• Address: Ponte Spinola, 16128 Genova GE
• Official website: acquariodigenova.it
• Phone: +39 010 23451
• Tickets: click here

Conclusion

Here we come to the end of this long post on the Genovese Aquarium in which I hope I have given you all the info you needed.

Do you have any questions?

Leave a comment below. I always reply to everyone when I can.

Best regards,
Andrea

Booking.com

Photo credits:

• Aquarium of Genoa: Lorenzo Lanni via Flickr
• Sleeping near the Genoa Aquarium: B&B Al Centro di Genova