Genova is a coastal province in eastern Liguria stretching along the Gulf of Tigullio, taking in resort towns such as Sestri Levante, Rapallo, Lavagna and Moneglia. It combines the pastel-painted harbours of the Italian Riviera with easy access to the Cinque Terre further south.
Browse Genova campsites Genoa, Italy Photo by Nikolai Kolosov on UnsplashThe area grew wealthy through the Republic of Genoa, one of medieval Italy's great maritime powers, whose merchant fleets and shipbuilders shaped the towns along this stretch of coast for centuries. Many of the seafront villages retain the fortified towers and pastel facades built to watch for pirate raids and welcome trading ships.
A narrow-gauge historic railway climbing from Genoa's city centre into the hinterland hills of the Scrivia valley. Slow, scenic and a favourite with hikers who use it to reach trailheads in the Parco Naturale Regionale dell'Antola.
This line hugs the Ligurian coast, threading tunnels and headlands through the Golfo del Tigullio (Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Sestri Levante) before continuing towards the Cinque Terre. Frequent stops make it easy to hop off at seaside villages.
A classic coastal trail through the Parco di Portofino, dropping to the isolated Abbey of San Fruttuoso (accessible only on foot or by boat) before climbing again to Portofino village.
A network of well-marked paths crossing pine and Mediterranean scrub above the gulf, with viewpoints over Paraggi, Portofino and the open sea.
A ridge-top trail running the length of Liguria; the stretch through Genoa province crosses the Appennino Ligure and parks like Antola and Aveto, offering wide views back down to the coast.
A flat, paved promenade path along the seafront from central Genoa towards Nervi, popular for an easy ride with sea views.
Quiet inland valley roads through the Ligurian Apennines, popular with road cyclists for their switchbacks, low traffic and river scenery.
Small, upscale harbour village of pastel houses around a tiny piazzetta; best visited early or late in the day to avoid the crowds arriving by boat.
Working fishing town with tall, colourful harbourfront houses, a black-pebble beach and a genuinely local feel compared to nearby Portofino.
A tiny cove reachable only on foot or by boat, home to a Romanesque Benedictine abbey right on the shoreline.
A more relaxed base on the Golfo del Tigullio with palm-lined promenades, villas and easy boat/bus links to Portofino.
A town on a narrow isthmus between two bays — the sheltered 'Baia del Silenzio' and the open 'Baia delle Favole' — with a good sandy beach.
A quieter seafront district east of central Genoa, known for its clifftop 'Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi' walk and public parks with rose and dahlia gardens.
Hike from Camogli or Portofino, or take a boat, to this isolated abbey and cove — one of the most photographed spots on the Ligurian coast.
A protected promontory of Mediterranean maquis and pine forest with paths connecting all the gulf's villages above the cliffs.
Wander the historic Porto Antico and the narrow medieval lanes (caruggi) of the old town, among Europe's largest surviving medieval centres.
Try fresh basil pesto with trofie or trenette in a trattoria in the Genoa area, made the traditional way with a mortar and pestle.
Regular ferries link Camogli, Portofino, Santa Margherita and San Fruttuoso, offering a good way to see the coastline from the water.
Genoa and its province are the home of pesto alla genovese, traditionally made with Ligurian basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and pecorino, pounded in a marble mortar and served with trofie or trenette pasta. Other local staples include focaccia genovese (often eaten dunked in cappuccino for breakfast), farinata (a savoury chickpea flour flatbread baked in wood-fired ovens), pansotti pasta served with a creamy walnut sauce, and torta pasqualina, a savoury pie layered with chard, ricotta and egg. Being coastal, seafood is prominent too — anchovies from Camogli and Recco's cheese-filled focaccia col formaggio are worth seeking out — all typically paired with crisp local Ligurian white wines.
A UNESCO-listed ensemble of Renaissance and Baroque palaces along Genoa's 'new streets' (including Via Garibaldi), built by the city's noble merchant families and once used to house visiting dignitaries.
A small but rugged protected promontory covering the Portofino headland, with Mediterranean woodland, sea cliffs and a marine protected area popular for diving and snorkelling.
An inland park in the Ligurian Apennines around Monte Antola, good for hiking and quieter nature-based days away from the coast.
A forested upland park in the Val d'Aveto with beech woods, small lakes and hiking trails, part of the Ligurian Apennine chain.
One of the largest boat shows in the Mediterranean, held in Genoa's Porto Antico, usually in September.
An annual fish festival in Camogli each May, where fish is fried in a giant frying pan on the seafront and handed out to visitors.
A historic rowing regatta between the four former Maritime Republics (Genoa, Venice, Pisa, Amalfi), hosted in Genoa roughly every four years in rotation.
