Genoa

Sightseeing Walking Tours

Enjoy a 2.5-hour private guided tour of Genoa, taking in the large seaport and the amazing architecture of one of Italy's major economic centers. Experience the charm and artistic heritage of the city’s UNESCO-listed medieval center. Starting from the renovated harbor, walk through the intricate maze of medieval alleys to the Gothic-Romanesque St. Lawrence Cathedral. Continue to Piazza de Ferrari, where you’ll find the Opera House, the Palace of the Doges and the Academy of Fine Arts. Pass by Piazza San Matteo before the guided walk ends in Via Garibaldi. Admire some splendid historical buildings and palaces, which represent the "Golden Era" of the ancient Republic of Genova.

With this welcoming tour, transform traveling philosophy: make it as much about the people you meet as the places you see. Explore the city with a friendly local who is passionate about his or her city and eager to share all the tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your trip. Meet wherever you're staying to get familiar with the neighborhood, find out about the best places to eat and buy groceries, discover the easiest ways to get around and learn about the top things to see and do. By the end of the tour, you'll feel more comfortable navigating the city and confident that you have all the information needed to make the most of your stay.

Visit the most historically significant sites of the largest medieval historic center in Europe on a segway tour. Enjoy a fast, easy, and fun way to see the beauties of the city of Genova. Explore the hidden alleys of the old town and the beautiful noble streets with an experienced guide. Take in the medieval atmosphere and learn about the culture, art, traditions, and gastronomy of the city.

Explore Genoa's downtown alleys with a local foodie, sitting in typical restaurants, tasting some of the best traditional dishes carefully chosen on a daily basis. You will be surrounded by a genuine and unique environment, a memorable way of tasting the city's traditional specialties and of visiting Genoa! Your guide will choose the best dishes for you, aiming to introduce you to the city's traditions. He will suggest to you the best restaurants and make this culinary experience delightful. You will taste some of the following specialties on this food tour (depending on availability): Pasta with pesto, savory pastries, focaccia with cheese, fried calamari, stockfish, anchovies, frisceu, coffee and dessert.

Explore Genoa with this interactive smartphone tour. Make your way through the city while solving location-based riddles on this walking tour. Stroll by the oldest church in the city at St. Syrus’s Basilica and see where Christopher Columbus once lived. Solve a puzzle outside of 10 top city sights. Follow clues at each attraction to find your next destination. Enjoy the challenge of using logic, imagination, observation, and team spirit to complete the game. Feel the satisfaction of solving each riddle. Have the freedom to pause or resume the tour whenever you want. View the city at your own pace. Learn interesting information and facts about the city. Snap as many pictures as you want. You can start playing anytime. You'll visit the St. Syrus Basilica, Palazzo Grimaldi della Meridiana, Piazza Fontane Marose, Santa Maria delle Vigne, the San Giorgio Palaces, Genoa Cathedral, the Doge’s Palace, Piazza De Ferrari, Soprana Gate, and the Christopher Columbus House, where the tour ends.

Visit the wonderful Genoese residences of the XVI century and join this guided tour of the Rolli Palaces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A guided tour of some of the most sumptuous residences built by the aristocratic Genoese families during the so-called “ Secolo d’Oro“ (“The Golden Century”), between the 16th and 17th century. The System of the "Palazzi dei Rolli" includes splendid palaces with open staircases, courtyards and loggias overlooking gardens. The palaces, positioned at different levels, were part of a network of public hospitality houses for state visits, as decreed by the Senate of the Republic of Genoa in 1576. The “Rolli” (named from the parchment rolls in which the palaces were inscribed) were subdivided into three “bussoli”, balloting lists, where the palaces were registered according to their richness and dimension. Lots were drawn to decide which palace would have the privilege - and the duty - of playing host to visiting state dignitaries. The first “bussolo” was for cardinals, princes and viceroys, the second for large scale landowners and third for princes of lesser standing and ambassadors: the first example of hôtellerie in Europe. The “Rolli” were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. These exclusive and elegantly decorated residences did not escape the eye of a fine artist as the great Flemish painter Rubens, who at the beginning of the 17th century published a book collecting the drawings of these buildings as a residential model for the Antwerp nobility. Experience a piece of Italy's extravagant Golden Century in Genoa.

See some of the most sumptuous residences built by the aristocratic Genoese families on guided tour of the Palazzi dei Roll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built during the Golden Century, the grounds include splendid open staircases, courtyards, and loggias overlooking gardens. The Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa’s historic center date from the late 16th and early 17th centuries when the Republic of Genoa was at the height of its financial and seafaring power. Discover the palaces positioned on different levels that were part of a network of public hospitality houses for state visits, as decreed by the Senate of the Republic of Genoa in 1576.    Explore the Palazzo Reale, built in the 17th century by the Balbi family, based on the designs of Pier Francesco Cantone. One of the largest architectural complexes in Genoa, its reception halls are decorated with frescoes, stuccos, paintings, sculptures, furniture, and fittings belonging to the noble and royal families who lived there. Some of the most important names in Baroque and Rococo decorative art frescoed the vaulted ceiling of the living rooms and galleries. Among the more than 100 paintings on display are works by the greatest 17th-century Genoese artists. Other works on display are masterpieces by Anton Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Guercino, Luca Giordano, Ferdinand Voet, and Bassano.

Meet your friendly guide at the Neptune Galleon then set out on a food-lovers walking tour through the charming streets of Genoa. The tour takes you to a number of historic eateries, modern cafes, and trendy restaurants where you can sample the true gastronomic wonders of this city. During the tour, get a sense of authentic Genoese life whilst mingling with the locals and listening to stories about the city’s history and culinary culture. Tastings on offer: Focaccia and a cappuccino - a typical Genoese breakfast. Try dipping your focaccia into the cappuccino, which offers a unique sweet and salty taste. Gourmet pizza - served soft, thick, and flavored with fresh local toppings. Focaccia with cheese - two very thin layers of dough filled with Stracchino cheese. Pasta with pesto - made using an authentic recipe of fresh, local basil and pine nuts. Traditional Genoese cake - visit the original pastry shop that invented this cake and let the pudding speak for itself. Artisan ice cream - taste the best artisan gelato in town, offering both traditional and innovative flavors. Gourmet coffee - a delicious coffee, garnished with tasty ingredients, suitable for all palates.

Here's a sneak peek at the storyline: “Last night you had a strange dream about a woman in a dark crimson gown. She was on a mysterious ship that docked in Genoa and made the guards bring you to her. On your way to the bakery, you spot her guards, who start running towards you.” As you solve challenges, the story unfolds and exact directions on your phone will guide you to the next location. So, are you up for an exciting city game?. The city game starts at Piazza Dante. It will take you around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete and you can also explore at your own pace: pause the game and resume anytime from the location where you paused it. You will finish at Calata Falcone e Borsellino. After your booking, you will receive an email on how to download the game to your phone. You can play on your own, in a large group, or in several smaller groups that compete against each other and meet at the final stop of the game. For larger groups, one person can purchase access for the entire group by selecting the number of people in the group. All group members will be able to download and play the city game on their phones. Alternatively, each person can make their own purchase.

Explore the picturesque medieval district of Carmine where you'll listen to a song about the lively atmosphere of the past and then you'll admire the beautiful Renaissance noble palaces in Via Lomellini. Pass by Sottoripa, a historical street where trade began to flourish since the Middle Ages. Stop by the Embriaci Tower, the tallest in Genoa, and visit the colorful square of Campopisano where you'll listen to other songs about legends and important historical facts. Walk along the legendary Redbeard walls and learn about history through music and finally get to Porta Soprana, one of the gates of the old town, very close to Christopher Colombus house.