Genova Essential Audio Tour: self-guided walk through the historic centre

Highlights

• Seven stops in the old town
• Interactive step-by-step map
• Audio stories and curiosities

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Old Port

   15min

   The tour starts from the historic port, redesigned by Renzo Piano for the 1992 Colombiadi. From the quay you will see the Bigo, the white structure with the crane arms, and the old port warehouses that today house public spaces. The audio guide tells how the city grew around the sea.

2. 2

   Piazza Banchi

   15min

   This small square was the financial center of medieval Genoa, where money changers and bankers worked. You will see the Loggia dei Mercanti and the church of San Pietro in Banchi. The church is built above a row of shops, and their rents financed its construction.

3. 3

   Il Cittadino - Arcidiocesi di Genova

   15min

   The cathedral of Genoa has a facade of white and black stripes and lions in stone on the staircase. The audio guide accompanies you in front of and inside the facade. The Treasure Museum, paid and not included, houses the Holy Grail, which tradition identifies with the Holy Grail.

4. 4

   Palazzo Ducale

   15min

   It is the historic seat of the doges of the Republic of Genoa. You can cross the atrium and the covered courtyards, open to the public. The audio guide tells of the power that was concentrated here, including the episode of 1507, when a popular revolt brought a silk dyer to the head of the state.

5. 5

   Piazza Raffaele De Ferrari

   15min

   It is the main square of Genoa, with the large bronze fountain from 1936. Around you you will see the Teatro Carlo Felice, the Palazzo della Borsa, and the Ligurian Academy. The audio guide explains how this area was redesigned between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to give the city a modern center.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   15min

   This small square is in the heart of the alleys. It is dominated by the decorated facade of the Imperial Palace, built in the mid-sixteenth century. The audio guide tells how an area of artisan workshops became the address of one of the richest families in the city, and how today it has returned to being a place of commerce.

7. 7

   Via Giuseppe Garibaldi

   15min

   The tour ends in Strada Nuova del Cinquecento, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006 with the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli. You will walk the street between the palaces of the noble families, which the Republic chose to host kings and ambassadors. You can visit the Museums of Strada Nuova, paid and not included.

Before you go

Location