Genoa travel guide

Genoa Aquarium

Genoa is home to the Acquario di Genova, which is the second-largest aquarium in Europe and the best in Italy. Built in 1992, it welcomes more than 1.2 million visitors each year. The ship-like building on the promenade houses no fewer than 50 habitats, ranging from the Amazon basin and Red Sea coral reefs to Antarctic penguin pools. Hundreds of species that call the aquarium home include seals, dolphins, caiman, piranhas, jellyfish, sea turtles, and sharks - the penguins are very entertaining and are particular favourites with visitors. The aquarium is extremely well-maintained and has good English-language facilities. It is a fantastic family attraction in Genoa, and gives kids a fun break from traditional sightseeing. Unexpectedly, the aquarium also has a hummingbird sanctuary.

Due to its popularity the aquarium can get crowded in the summer months and it is a good idea to arrive early to avoid queuing. There have been complaints about scams and petty theft outside of the aquarium - the most commonly reported scam involves salesmen tying bracelets tight onto visitors wrists and then demanding payment once they cannot be removed. These hawkers are sometimes just a distraction so watch out for pickpocketing.

Palazzo Tursi

Formerly Genoa's City Hall, the Palazzo Tursi is the largest and most majestic of all the magnificent buildings on the Via Garibaldi. Built in 1565, the building is now a museum and houses unique artefacts like the violin of Nicolo Paganini, and ashes that are said to be the remains of Christopher Colombus. The museum also contains numerous decorative artworks, like tapestries, furniture and Ligurian ceramics, as well as historical artefacts like ancient coins and medical devices. The collection is varied and unexpected and although some may feel it lacks cohesion, others love the unusual nature of the exhibits. On sunny days, you can break from the museum's collections and just enjoy the beauty of the building's many-columned interior courtyard.

The museums along the lovely Via Garibaldi are known collectively as the 'Musei di Strada Nuova' and the individual buildings are the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Tursi. All the museums are worth a visit and you can buy a joint ticket valid for all three from the bookshop between Bianco and Tursi. There is a popular cafe at Palazzo Rosso if you feel the need to refuel between collections.

Museum of Sant' Agostino

The 13th-century church and monastery of Sant'Agostino, once a place of retirement and seclusion, is now open for visitors to view the amazing collections within. The church itself was built by the Augustinians in 1260, and is one of the few Gothic buildings remaining in Genoa. Today, the cloisters are a museum housing more than 4,000 works, including metal and stone sculptures, frescoes, and many architectural artefacts and fragments. One of the most popular attractions in Genoa, the museum is a must-see for visitors to the region. Although not large, the museum receives rave reviews from visitors. One of the only drawbacks is that, like many museums in Genoa, Sant'Agostino has very little information in English and those who don't speak Italian should try to bring some materials with them. The museum is gradually linking its artefacts to mobile phone guides in English and Italian but this project is in its infancy. Photography is allowed in the museum but only non-flash and only in certain sections; visitors may be required to fill out a form stating that they won't use the photographs taken for commercial purposes.