Genoa Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour 24 or 48-Hour Ticket

Porto Antico and the Aquarium of Genoa

Both lines start at the Aquarium stop in Porto Antico, the old harbour that was transformed into a public waterfront for the 1992 Expo. Old cotton warehouses became shops, a cinema and a congress centre, and the white derrick-shaped Bigo lift raises visitors for a view over the port. The Aquarium of Genoa, one of the largest in Europe, keeps sharks, penguins, seals, dolphins and a tropical rainforest dome along the quay.

For families this is the obvious first hop-off, and a visit to the Aquarium easily fills two to three hours. Close by you also find the Galata Sea Museum and the narrow lanes, the caruggi, that climb into the medieval centre. With a 48-hour ticket you can spend one morning here and still ride both lines in full.

Via Garibaldi and the Strada Nuova Museums

The Garibaldi stop leads to Via Garibaldi, laid out in the 1550s as the Strada Nuova for the richest families of the Republic of Genoa. Its palaces formed the Rolli system, a list of noble residences chosen by lot to host visiting kings and ambassadors, and in 2006 the street and the palaces were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Strade Nuove and the Palazzi dei Rolli.

Three of the palaces, Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi, now form the Strada Nuova Museums, with Flemish, Spanish and Genoese paintings, frescoed halls and furniture. A visit takes about one and a half hours, and the street itself, with its painted ceilings visible through the open courtyards, is worth a slow walk even without tickets.

Piazza De Ferrari, the Doge's Palace and San Lorenzo Cathedral

Piazza De Ferrari is the main square of Genoa, built around a great bronze fountain from 1936 and framed by the opera house, the old stock exchange and the side of the Doge's Palace. The Palazzo Ducale was for centuries the seat of the doges who ruled the Republic of Genoa; today its courtyards and halls host major exhibitions and cultural events, and the building is free to walk through.

A few minutes downhill, San Lorenzo Cathedral shows its striking black and white striped façade, Gothic portals and stone lions. Inside, a naval shell fired at the city in 1941 that never exploded is still on display, and the treasury holds precious reliquaries. The De Ferrari stop on both lines makes this the easiest place to hop off for the centro storico.

Spianata Castelletto and the Lanterna Lighthouse

On the Red Historical Route the Portello stop gives access to the Art Nouveau lift of 1909 that rises to Spianata Castelletto, a terrace above the old town. From the balustrade you look down on slate roofs, church domes, the port cranes and the sea, one of the classic views of the city and especially beautiful in late afternoon light.

Further west, the Lighthouse stop serves the Lanterna, symbol of Genoa. Rebuilt in its present form in 1543 on a rocky spur, it stands 77 metres high, rising well above the sea, and is still a working lighthouse, among the oldest in the world. A walkway leads to a small museum and, on opening days, you can climb part of the tower. Check Lanterna opening hours before you go, as it opens mainly at weekends.

Corso Italia, Piazza della Vittoria and Boccadasse

The Blue Coastline Route leaves the centre through Piazza della Vittoria, a monumental square of the 1930s with its triumphal arch and a grand staircase decorated with flower beds shaped like three sailing ships. The bus then follows Corso Italia, a seafront promenade of about two and a half kilometres built in the early 20th century, with rocky beaches, bathing establishments and Liberty-style villas.

At the end lies Boccadasse, a former fishing village of pastel houses gathered around a small pebble cove, with fishing boats pulled up on the shore and ice cream shops on the lanes. Many visitors say it is the best place in Genoa for sunset. Allow about an hour, then catch the next blue bus back to the centre.