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Are you planning to visit Genoa but are planning a vacation of only a few days, or even one day?

Do you want to maximize your time by visiting all the city’s attractions without wasting time?

Well, City Sightseeing Genoa might be the perfect tour for you.

If you have never tried it, it might seem like a “very” touristy attraction, but in my opinion it is one of the best ways to explore the breathtaking beauty of Genoa and its historical sites in no time.

If you don’t know me yet, let me introduce myself, my name is Andrea Semonella and I am a DOC Genovese, and in this article I will tell you about the City Sightseeing Tour, the famous red-colored Genova tour bus.

I will tell you about the schedule, prices, map, and give you some tips to make your trip to Genoa even more enjoyable.

Before we start, I’ll leave you the Genoa hop-on hop-off ticket at the best price here. I recommend you buy it online to avoid the long lines at the ticket office.

city sightseeing genova

Genoa: Hop-on Hop-off Tour Ticket

Hop on hop off bus of Genoa: introduction

Genoa is a beautiful city, known for its stunning waterfront views, wonderful architecture and vibrant culture.

If you are vacationing in the Ligurian capital for just a few days, you should know that the City Sightseeing tour of Genoa offers a comprehensive tour of the main attractions, allowing visitors to explore the beauty of the Ligurian capital in an easy and convenient way.

In fact, the City Sightseeing Genoa service offers hop-on hop-off buses that make it easy to explore the city.

The uncovered bus has a variety of routes, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

With the City Sightseeing Genoa tour, you can explore the city’s famous attractions such as the Aquarium of Genoa, the Old Port, the village of Boccadasse, and the Old Town.

City Sightseeing Genova buses also provide audio guides in seven languages (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Portuguese), so you can learn more about the city’s attractions as you explore it.

The audio guides also provide detailed information about the city’s history and culture, while there is always an assistant on the bus who is at your complete disposal for the duration of the journey and whom you can ask any questions you need.

Let’s find out together what are the routes, schedules and prices of the red-colored bus best known to tourists from all over the world.

city sightseeing genova

Genoa: Hop-on Hop-off Tour Ticket

Genoa Italy hop on hop off: activity details

  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Frequency: 30 / 50 minutes
  • Lines: 2 (red line and blue line)
  • Languages: Italian, English, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese
  • Validity: 1 day (24H) or 2 days (48H)
  • Price: children 10€, adults from 19€ to 25€ (Buy your ticket here)

City Sightseeing Genoa map

What are the sightseeing routes that the hop on hop off tour bus takes in Genoa?

The City Sightseeing Genova tour has two different routes that cover the city’s main attractions.

The two routes are the Red Line and the Blue Line: the Red Line covers the city center, while the Blue Line goes slightly further, reaching as far as Boccadasse, the famous neighborhood of colorful houses located a handful of kilometers from Genoa’s historic center.

Let’s discover the two routes together.

Red line

The Red Line covers the historic center of the city, starting from Caricamento (in front of the Aquarium), then reaching Via Garibaldi, Piazza De Ferrari, Brignole Station, Via XX Settembre, Carignano, Corvetto, Portello, Principe Station, Cruise Terminal, and then returning to Caricamento.

Blue line

The Blue Line allows you to visit practically the entire historic center, and all the way to Boccadasse, the seaside fishing village just a few kilometers from the center of Genoa. The route is as follows: you start from Caricamento (in front of the Aquarium), and then go to Via Garibaldi, Piazza De Ferrari, the new Levante Waterfront, Boccadasse, Scalinata Borghese, Via XX Settembre, Corvetto, Portello, Principe Station, Cruise Terminal and back to Caricamento, right in front of the Aquarium.

Better the red line or the blue line? I personally recommend the blue line, because Boccadasse is one of the most important and characteristic attractions in the city, which I recommend you don’t miss for the world.

City main attractions

Here are descriptions of the various attractions in the city that you can explore on the hop on hop off bus.

piazza caricamento genova

Piazza Caricamento

One of the city’s largest squares, Piazza Caricamento is located in the Old Port area, right across from the Genoa Aquarium. Both City Sightseeing tour bus routes start from here.

palazzo rosso genova

Via Garibaldi

Also called Strada Nuova (New Street), Via Garibaldi is a pedestrian street about 250 meters long; here you will encounter on both sides of the street elegant and opulent palaces that belonged to the ancient Genoese seigniory.

Via XX Settembre

The shopping street, as well as the city’s most central street; as you walk up Via XX Settembre you will pass by prestigious stores and elegant bars, and pass under the famous Monumental Bridge.

Piazza De Ferrari

Genoa’s central square, and the most beloved by the Genoese; here you can admire four eclectic-style palaces, the Ducal Palace, and the famous Carlo Felice Theater, destroyed during World War II and completely rebuilt after the war.

Waterfront Levante

Waterfront di Levante

A new “dock” connected to an urban park via bicycle lanes; a project gifted to the city of Genoa by renowned architect Renzo Piano in 2017.

Boccadasse Genova

Boccadasse

A magical fishing village, characterized by dozens of colorful houses and a small beach of coarse gray gravel that contrasts with the deep blue sea.

scalinata borghese genova

Scalinata Borghese

With Art Nouveau decorations, the Giorgio Borghese Staircase is a large square that leads to a panoramic viewpoint.

dove parcheggiare a genova

Piazza Corvetto

One of the largest and most elegant squares in Genoa, with the equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the king of united Italy, at its center.

piazza portello genova

Portello

Named for the 12th-century wall gate placed at that time more or less at the entrance to today’s Caffaro Street; from here you can see the Giuseppe Garibaldi Gallery and the Mirador Tower.

Genova Principe train station

One of Genoa’s two central stations, connected to the center by the elegant Via Balbi.

Cruise Terminal

Genoa Maritime Station, from where cruise ships depart and arrive to the Ligurian capital.

Genoa City Sightseeing Timetable

Genoa City Sightseeing buses run daily from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Buses run every 30 to 50 minutes, so you can easily plan your trip around the city.

The duration of the entire route is 60 minutes.

First Departure (from piazza Caricamento)Last Departure (from piazza Caricamento)
Red line10:00 am4:30 pm
Blue line10:40 am4:10 pm

Prices

Hop on Hop off Genoa

Hop on hop off City Sighseeing Genova has several ticket options, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Tickets for 24-hour tours range from €10.00 for a reduced ticket to €19.00 for an adult ticket.

You can also purchase a multi-day ticket that allows you to explore the city for up to 48 hours. In this case the reduced ticket costs 10 €, while an adult ticket costs 25 €.

24H Ticket48H TicketTickets
Adults (+ 16 yo)19€25€Book now
Children (5-15 yo)10€10€Book now

Why choose Genoa Tour Bus

tourist bus genoa italy

Why choose the hop on hop off tour bus? Mainly for four reasons.

  • Fast: it allows you to visit the city even if you have little time.
  • Cheap: with less than 20€, you can visit all the main attractions in Genoa.
  • Convenient: you can use the bus…like a real bus, getting on and off at different stops, paying the ticket only once.
  • Audio guides: the City Sightseeing Genova tour makes it easy to explore the city with audio guides in 7 languages that provide detailed information about all the attractions.

Other tourist itineraries in Genoa

In addition to the Genoa City Tour, there are a number of other tourist itineraries that visitors can explore.

Genoa is home to a number of museums, galleries, and churches, so be sure to make time to visit them. If you prefer to visit Genoa on foot, click below to discover the itineraries:

Sightseeing tours in Genoa Italy: FAQ

In case of rain, is the bus equipped with a cover?

Yes, during the summer and spring seasons the bus is uncovered, while when it is quite cold (and in case of rain) the bus will be covered.

Is the bus accessible to people with disabilities?

Yes, all Hop on Hop off tour buses are accessible to people with disabilities. Click here to find out the Policy.

Contacts

City sightseeing bus Genoa: conclusion

The City Sightseeing Genoa tour is the perfect way to explore the city’s main attractions with ease.

With comfortable hop-on hop-off buses and audio guides, you can explore the sights of Genoa and savor its unique culture with ease.

The Genoa City Sightseeing tour also offers a variety of ticket options, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and the visiting time you have available.

So don’t miss the opportunity to explore the beauty of Genoa with the City Sightseeing Genoa tour!

Buy your tickets now and get ready to explore the city’s wonderful attractions.

city sightseeing genova

Genoa: Hop-on Hop-off Tour Ticket

Andrea Semonella

Hey! I'm Andrea and I am a little bit obsessed with exploring the world and meeting people on the road. I'm in love with my city, and I'm happy to share with you all the best place and most incredible secrets of Genoa, Italy.

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