How many days in Genoa Italy? Tips from a local tour guide

How many days you should spend in Genoa Italy? This is one of the most frequent questions that tourists ask me, and it is the first thing travelers leave before visiting my city.

Well, this is an important question and the answer is by no means obvious.

A lifetime is probably not enough to visit all of Genoa: there are so many places, museums and parks to visit, foods to taste and experiences to live …

I could answer that to get a good idea of ​​the city and its artistic heritage, it takes at least a week.

But it goes without saying that travelers often don’t have that much time on their hands and may even want to visit other cities during their trip. And then the ideal length of a holiday in Genoa also depends on other factors, for example if it is the first time you visit it or if you have already been there.

Perhaps the right answer does not exist, but I will still try to help you decide how many days to spend in Genoa.

How many days you should spend in Genoa?

I would say that you should spend at least 3 days in Genoa, especially if it is the first time you visit the city.

In less than three days you risk doing a tour de force devoting little time to too many things, without fully appreciating any of them. Or you might risk leaving many important experiences out of your journey.

Since the duration of the trip of each is very variable, I have decided to include below some travel itineraries to visit Genoa in one day, two or three days.

Read on to learn more.

Genoa in one day

If it is the first time you visit Genoa and you have only one day available at least to have the time bus to visit the most important of the city (Hop on Hop off).

In this regard, I suggest you start your itinerary from the central station of Genova Brignole, visit the Arc de Triomphe in Piazza della Vittoria and the XX Settembre shopping street.

Then Piazza De Ferrari (the central square of Genoa that contains a majestic bronze fountain in the center, the Porto Antico with its wonders), the Aquarium of Genoa, and then a quick tour inside the famous alleys of Genoa.

If you want to find out more, read my article on what to see in Genoa in one day.

Genoa in two days

Well, in this case you can dedicate the first day to the itinerary you see above, then visiting the center, the Porto Antico, the Aquarium and the famous alleys.

After that, you can dedicate the second day to the Palaces of Genoa, the seaside villages of Boccadasse, the Nervi promenade and its park, full of small squirrels.

Did I intrigue you? Read my article on what to see in Genoa in two days.

Genoa in three days

During your third day in Genoa, you can more calmly visit some important and often underestimated attractions, such as the Museo del Mare (a wonderful interactive museum that tells the history of Genoa since ancient times), the Monumental Cemetery and the Museum of Natural History.

I talked about it more in depth in the Genoa in three days blog post.

Where to sleep in Genoa?

If you have one, two or three days to visit Genoa, I suggest you look for a hotel or bed and breakfast in the historic center, which is ideal for visiting everything on foot without having to use public transport or, even worse, the car.

Within this area there are only structures in which to stay, below I suggest the ones that, in my opinion, are the best.

B&B Hotel Genoa city center

The best hotel in Genoa near the city center

This is a hotel located next to the Genova Principe train station. It is located in a very quiet residential neighborhood, which is only a handful of meters from the city center. It is, therefore, an ideal choice both for sightseeing and for walking to the Boat Show area.

Genoa Suite Art

The best B&B in Genoa for couples traveling by car

Genova Suite Art is one of the most elegant bed and breakfasts in the city. Renovated in 2018, it is a perfect choice for couples looking for a romantic B&B to stay. The rooms are elegant, clean and modern, located inside a medieval building in front of the Aquarium of Genoa. Even in this you can take advantage of a private car park (for a fee), located 50 meters from the property.

Hotel De Ville

The best luxury hotel in Genoa

For lovers of luxury, the ideal structure is the Hotel de Ville, a four-star hotel located right in front of the Museo del Mare (Porto Antico area) with tastefully furnished rooms, all with air conditioning, a rich breakfast in the morning and a small welcome buffet in the room.

How many days to spend in Genoa: frequently asked questions

Before concluding the article, I would like to devote a short paragraph to answer two of the questions that are asked most often by tourists before visiting Genoa: how long does it take to visit the Aquarium? is Genoa or Milan better?

How long to visit Genoa Aquarium?

How long does it take to visit the Aquarium of Genoa? The average visit time is 2 and a half hours. However, if you are with children, you want to go slowly, perhaps having a bite to eat and enjoying the dolphin show, you should consider approximately 4 hours.

Is it better to visit Genoa or Milan?

Well, I’m biased, but if I only had a day or two to spare, I’d be more inclined to visit Genoa. Milan is probably more “important” from many points of view, but after a long journey you and your family may appreciate the more manageable size of Genoa, its compact historic center and a variety of places that might suit the whole family, such as the Aquarium, the Sea Museum, the Città dei Bambini, Boccadasse, and so on.

Conclusions

Well, in this short article we have discovered that a lifetime is not enough to visit Genoa, but that, by making some choices, we can visit most of the most important attractions in three days.

Do you need more information? Leave a comment below. I’ll be happy to help you.

Best regards,
Andrea