Planning your trip to Genoa

Genoa curls around its port in a crescent of hills, squeezed between the Ligurian Sea and the mountains. The climate is mild Mediterranean: warm summers, gentle winters, and rain that can arrive suddenly in autumn. Spring and early autumn are the best windows, and the Visit Genoa portal is the official starting point for events, passes and ideas.

Getting there

The Cristoforo Colombo airport (GOA) is about 6 km west of the centre, with a shuttle bus to the main stations. Trains link Genoa with Milan in about an hour and a half and with the Riviera in both directions; the two hubs are Genova Principe and Genova Brignole, connected by the city's small metro line.

• ✦Two or three days suit the city; add a day for Portofino, Cinque Terre or the Riviera
• ✦The historic centre is a labyrinth of caruggi - wear comfortable shoes and follow the crowds up the hill
• ✦A combined pass covers the Acquario and the Galata museum
• ✦Watch for the signs pointing to the nearest piazza when the lanes get confusing