Genoa Events

The one that changes a visit: Saturday

Genoa's most useful recurring event is not a festival but a tour. Licensed guides lead visitors through the historic centre every Saturday in search of the finest Palazzi dei Rolli — which matters because the UNESCO site comprises 42 palaces, many of them privately owned and otherwise closed. If the Rolli are why you are coming, Saturday is the day to be here.

The three palaces that are always open

Outside that, the reliable access is the museums: the three connected palaces of the Musei di Strada Nuova on Via Garibaldi, the Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola di Pellicceria, and the Museo di Palazzo Reale. Everything else among the 42 depends on whether its owners open it.

The Porto Antico and the Aquarium

The rebuilt harbour is the city's year-round public space and the Aquarium its anchor — the largest in Italy, over 1.2 million visitors a year, and about 12,000 m² of route. It is the strongest single draw in Genoa for anyone travelling with children, and it absorbs half a day without difficulty.

The Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics

Genoa is one of the four historic maritime republics, with Pisa, Amalfi and Venice, and the four compete in a rowing regatta that rotates between the cities — so it is in Genoa one year in four. When it is here it comes with a historical procession and crews in medieval-style galleons, and it is worth checking against your dates.

Whale watching

Less an event than a season. The waters off Genoa are inside the Pelagos Sanctuary, 87,500 km² of protected sea where eight cetacean species are frequently observed, including fin whales. Trips run in the warmer months. Nothing is guaranteed on open water, and reputable operators say so plainly.

Planning note

Genoa is a working port and business city rather than a festival city, so its accommodation prices move with trade fairs and conferences more than with tourist seasons. The weeks either side of a fair are ordinary.