Porto Antico di Genova (Genoa Old Port), Genoa (must see)

Genoa’s Old Port is where the city casually reminds you that it once ruled the waves-and then invites you to hang around and enjoy the view. This is Genoa’s maritime past brought back to life with a distinctly modern attitude. In the harbor, old-style galleons share space with polished yachts and towering cruise ships, all floating together like different centuries decided to meet for an aperitivo.

There’s plenty to keep you busy without ever leaving the waterfront. You’ll find restaurants, museums, an aquarium, an auditorium, and even a botanical garden sealed inside a glass bubble. And yes, there’s also a giant octopus-shaped crane, which politely lifts visitors into the air for a better look-because in Genoa, even heavy machinery appears to enjoy a bit of showmanship. The Old Port works just as well for a slow sunset walk as it does for a late-evening stroll, when the lights reflect off the water, and the city feels momentarily hushed.

This transformation didn’t happen by accident. The redesign followed the vision of Renzo Piano, a world-renowned architect, who happens to be a Genoa native. He aimed to turn a neglected industrial harbor into a cultural and social hub-less rust and warehouses, more people, views, and public space. The result is a port that feels open and inviting, without pretending it ever stopped being a working harbor.

The official comeback moment came in 1992, during the International Exhibition known as Genoa ’92 – Colombo ’92. Held from May to August, the event marked 500 years since Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the Americas and served as the grand debut of the restored Old Port. Its theme-“Christopher Columbus, the Ship, and the Sea”-could hardly have been more fitting. Since then, the Old Port has remained one of the clearest places to see how Genoa connects its past to the present, without losing its sea legs along the way.