Is Genoa Worth Visiting? Most Definitely!, Genoa, Italy

Despite being Italy’s sixth largest city, most visitors arriving in Genoa tend to bypass the city and all its highlights, moving on quickly to other destinations along the Ligurian coast, such as Cinque Terre, Portofino or Sestri Levante.

But Genoa is a lovely, vibrant historical city with a lot to offer and fantastic food and is definitely worth spending a night or two there.

When visiting a new city, a great way to get your bearings and learn about a place is to take a walking tour.

I did this one – Places, curiosities and flavours of Old Genoa- and it was probably the best I’ve ever done. Our guide, Simona, also gave plenty of recommendations and tips on where and what to eat. But more on that later.

The Genoa Old Port is a historic harbour in Genoa. Built during the 12th century, it was the city’s main port for hundreds of years until the new port was built in the 20th century to accommodate the arrival of larger ships.

During the 1990s, the old port was completely renovated, so I guess it’s not quite as old as its name suggests. These days you will find many cafes, restaurants and bars, and it’s a nice place for a stroll along the waterfront. During the summer, the old port also serves as a departure point for many boat tours, whale-watching tours and cruises. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).