Read on more information about currency, payment methods and prices in Genoa Italy.
Genoa facts & figures
The city of Genoa has a population of almost 583.601.
Currency
The official currency in Italy is the Euro, since 1999.
The Euro is used in Italy, as it is a part of the European Union. There are bank notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500. There are coins with cent values of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and coins with euro values of 1 and 2.
Before the euro, Italy used Lira as their official currency. It was replaced by the Euro in 1999.
Banks
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:20 PM, with variable hours in the afternoon; some branches are also open on Saturday mornings.
Prices
To get a general idea of prices in Genoa, visitors can have an ice-cream for € 2.00, get a takeaway pizza for € 8 or have an espresso coffee for € 1.00.
Current local time
The current time in Italy is CEST (Central European Summer Time) in the summer and CET (Central European Time) in winter, like Spain and France.
Electricity and plugs
The majority of the plugs in Italy are “Type L” (Italian socket type) with three prongs. However, it is also possible to find the “Type C” (Europlug), both with a voltage of 220V.
If you’re travelling from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, you’ll need a travel plug adaptor. You can either purchase one before you leave or you can ask to borrow one at your hotel.
Opening hours
Most shops in Genoa Italy open daily from 10 am until 6 pm. Some stores have longer opening hours.
Healthcare system in Genoa
If you are a UK citizen or from any other EU member state, you have access to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card, which is free, will enable you to have access to Italian healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. For those from the United States, Canada, Australia or any country outside the European Union, it is not obligatory to get health insurance to travel to Italy. Nevertheless, we recommend buying some type of travel insurance before your trip since healthcare can sometimes be expensive. If you are from the UK you can apply by clicking on this link.
Post Offices
The “Genova Centro” post office, located at Via Dante 4B/r, is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM and on Saturdays from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM; it’s closed on Sundays.
To view the hours and addresses of other branches, please visit the Poste Italiane website.
Consulates and embassies
At www.esteri.it/MAE/EN you can find information regarding services that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers to foreigners and, in particular, to foreign delegations in Italy, for those wishing to travel or move to Italy for tourism, school, or work.
Important telephone numbers
- Police: 112.
- Emergencies: 113.
- Sanitary emergencies: 118.
- Area code for Genoa: 010.
- Country code for Italy: +39.
