03
Genoa excursions, from a free walk to a full coastal day
Strongest and simplest first: the old town costs nothing but time, and everything after it costs a train, a boat, or a coach seat.
If Genoa is one of several stops, our Mediterranean cruises guide helps you decide which port gets your paid day.
Genoa's centro storico is one of the larger and better-preserved medieval old towns in Europe, per multiple guides to the city. It's a maze of narrow lanes, the caruggi, opening onto the black-and-white striped Cathedral of San Lorenzo. A few minutes further is Via Garibaldi, lined with the Renaissance-era Rolli Palaces that earned the street UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Porto Antico waterfront, redeveloped around the old harbor, sits between the cruise terminals and the old town — a natural first stop, with the Bigo panoramic lift and the aquarium both here.
- Time commitment
- Flexible; most guides suggest 2 to 3 hours for a comfortable loop, though nothing here is officially timed.
- Getting there
- On foot from either terminal — roughly 10 to 15 minutes from Ponte dei Mille, more like 25 to 30 from Ponte Andrea Doria.
- Suits
- First-timers, budget travelers, couples, anyone on a short call.
- Ship or independent
- Independent. Nothing here needs a transfer.
Why it's worth considering
It's the port's best free option, and a substantial one — this isn't a stroll past a couple of churches, it's one of Europe's larger old towns.
The catch
The caruggi are atmospheric and also genuinely maze-like; expect to get turned around at least once. Some streets are steep, and the old town carries the same pickpocket risk any dense tourist area does — Italy's own travel advisory flags crowded sites and public transit as common spots for it.
Verify before you book
- Which terminal you’re using, since it changes your walk time by 15 minutes or more.
- Whether the Bigo lift or the Biosfera are running on your visit day.
- A rough loop planned in advance — the lanes don't follow a grid.
The Aquarium of Genoa sits right on the Porto Antico waterfront, a short walk from either cruise terminal, and is commonly described as one of the larger aquariums in Europe. MSC sells both a straightforward visit and a Behind the Scenes version with deeper access.
- Time commitment
- No official duration found; most visitors plan 2 to 3 hours.
- Getting there
- On foot from either terminal, or the free shuttle to Porto Antico.
- Suits
- Families with kids, anyone wanting an indoor option on a wet day.
- Ship or independent
- Either. Buy direct at the aquarium or through your cruise line.
Why it's worth considering
It's steps from the port, indoor, and substantial enough to anchor a half day without a transfer.
The catch
We found no official duration or current price from the aquarium itself in what we checked. MSC's own page doesn't list run times either — confirm both before you build a day around it.
Verify before you book
- Current opening hours and whether advance booking is required.
- Price for your date, from the aquarium's own site.
- Whether your line's version includes skip-the-line entry.
Portofino itself has no train station. You ride a regional train to Santa Margherita Ligure, roughly 45 to 60 minutes from Genoa depending on the time of day. From there you finish by ferry (about 15 minutes), bus (about 30 minutes) or on foot along the coast (about an hour), per independent trip-planning guides.
All in, budget roughly 1.5 to 2 hours each way from the cruise terminal to the harbor.
- Time commitment
- No official duration; realistically most of a port day once you count both legs each way.
- Getting there
- Walk 15 to 20 minutes to Genova Piazza Principe station, train to Santa Margherita, then ferry or bus.
- Suits
- Couples, photographers, anyone who wants the famous harbor view and doesn't mind managing two or three legs of transit.
- Ship or independent
- Independent, with some patience for connections.
Why it's worth considering
It's one of the most photographed harbors on this coast, and doing it yourself costs a fraction of a guided price if the connections cooperate.
The catch
This eats most of a port day once you add both directions, and a missed ferry or bus turns a tight schedule into a real problem. Portofino itself is small — an hour or two there is usually enough.
Verify before you book
- Current train times from Genoa to Santa Margherita for your date.
- Ferry schedule and last return time, since it doesn't run indefinitely.
- Whether the coastal walk option is realistic given your weather and footwear.
NCL and other lines sell a Portofino and Santa Margherita combination that replaces the train-to-ferry relay with a single coach transfer and a guide. We couldn't load a live, current version of this specific listing to confirm its exact duration when we checked — treat any hours quoted elsewhere as unverified until your own sailing's page loads it.
- Time commitment
- Not confirmed for this listing; budget roughly half a day based on similar coastal excursions from this port.
- Getting there
- Coach from the pier.
- Suits
- Travelers who'd rather not manage a train-ferry-bus relay themselves, shorter port calls.
- Ship or independent
- Ship-sold.
Why it's worth considering
One transfer instead of two or three, and a guide who knows the current ferry and bus timing.
The catch
We couldn't confirm this excursion's current price or exact duration from what we checked — check your own cruise line's app or shore excursion desk rather than trusting a number from a blog.
Verify before you book
- Current duration and price on your line's own app.
- Whether the tour includes free time in Portofino itself or just a drive-through.
- What happens if Santa Margherita's ferry dock is closed for weather.
Genoa sits roughly an hour and a half to two hours by train from La Spezia Centrale, the real gateway to the Cinque Terre. That makes this a materially bigger undertaking from Genoa than from La Spezia itself. A handful of independent operators sell a Genoa-based Cinque Terre day, typically built around a private transfer or a train connection through La Spezia.
We found operator listings for this trip, but couldn't load a current page to confirm exact durations or prices when we checked. Treat any number you see as a starting point to verify, not a quote.
- Time commitment
- Not independently confirmed; realistically a full port day given the distance.
- Getting there
- Train, usually with a change, or a private transfer sold by an independent operator.
- Suits
- Travelers on a Genoa call who specifically want the Cinque Terre and have a long port day to spend on it.
- Ship or independent
- Both exist in some form; we'd weigh this carefully against simply choosing a shorter Genoa-area option instead.
Why it's worth considering
If the Cinque Terre is the whole reason you booked this cruise and Genoa is your only call near it, this is the way there.
The catch: it's a long way for a day trip
This is a materially longer day than the same villages from La Spezia. If your itinerary calls at both Ligurian ports, save the Cinque Terre for the La Spezia day and use Genoa for Portofino or the old town instead.
Verify before you book
- Current train routing and total travel time for your date.
- Whether an independent operator's transfer time matches what they advertise.
- All-aboard time against a realistic return, with a wide buffer.
MSC sells a version pairing a Diocesan Museum visit with a hands-on pesto-making demonstration — Genoa is pesto's home city, and Ligurian basil is a genuine local specialty, not a tourist invention.
- Time commitment
- Not confirmed from what we checked; budget roughly half a day.
- Getting there
- Walking tour of the old town, starting near the port.
- Suits
- Food-focused travelers, couples, anyone who wants a guided cultural angle rather than a self-guided walk.
- Ship or independent
- Ship-sold, on the line we found offering it; we didn't confirm an independent match at this exact combination.
Why it's worth considering
A hands-on, local angle on a city best known to cruisers as a transit point, and a shorter commitment than any of the coastal day trips.
The catch
We couldn't confirm a duration or price for this listing when we checked — ask at the shore excursion desk rather than assuming.
Verify before you book
- Current price and duration for your sailing.
- Dietary accommodations, if basil, garlic or pine nuts are an issue.
- Whether the museum stop is included or optional.
NCL sells a combined Rapallo and Sestri Levante excursion — two Riviera towns east of Genoa that see a fraction of Portofino's crowds. We found the listing but couldn't load a live page to confirm its exact duration when we checked. Sestri Levante adds a real beach, the Baia del Silenzio, if the group wants sand along with the town.
- Time commitment
- Not confirmed; likely comparable to other coastal half-day tours from this port.
- Getting there
- Coach from the pier.
- Suits
- Travelers who want the Riviera look without Portofino's crowds, repeat visitors to this coast.
- Ship or independent
- Ship-sold on NCL; both towns are also reachable independently by train, roughly 25 to 40 minutes from Genoa depending on the stop.
Why it's worth considering
Two real Riviera towns, comparatively uncrowded, in a single organized day.
The catch
Less famous also means less to specifically plan around — go in expecting pleasant towns, not landmark sights. We couldn't confirm this listing's duration or price when we checked, so verify on your line's app.
Verify before you book
- Current duration and price for your sailing.
- Whether both towns are included, or just one, depending on time.
- Independent train times if you'd rather skip the coach.
04
Ship tour or on your own in Genoa: the old town is easy, the coast takes more effort
Short answer
The old town and the aquarium don't need a ship excursion at all. Portofino is manageable independently if you're comfortable with a train-to-ferry connection; a Cinque Terre day from Genoa is long enough that we'd think twice before doing it independently on a single port call.
The old town needs nothing but your feet
Porto Antico, the aquarium and the centro storico all sit within a walk of both cruise terminals. A ship tour here buys narration, not access.
Which terminal you draw changes the whole day
Genoa's two cruise terminals, Ponte dei Mille and Ponte Andrea Doria, sit roughly 15 minutes apart in walk time to the old town, per multiple port guides. We found no reliable, published way to know which one you'll get before you sail. Build in extra time until you actually see your berth.
Portofino punishes a wrong connection
The train-to-ferry, or train-to-bus, relay works, but it's two or three legs each way on fixed schedules. A guided version trades some of that risk, and some of the savings, for a single coach transfer.
The Cinque Terre from Genoa is a bigger ask than it looks
It's genuinely closer and simpler from La Spezia. If your itinerary includes both Ligurian ports, we'd save the villages for that day and use Genoa for something closer.
| Excursion | Lean ship excursion when… | Independent works when… |
|---|
| Old town & Porto Antico | You want a narrated version instead of a self-guided walk | Almost always — it starts at, or near, the gangway |
|---|
| Aquarium | You want skip-the-line entry bundled in | You're comfortable booking and walking there yourself |
|---|
| Portofino (DIY) | You'd rather not manage a train-to-ferry connection yourself | You want more control over your time there and are confident with transit schedules |
|---|
| Portofino (guided) | Your port call is short and connections make you nervous | We couldn't confirm this listing's price or duration — compare it to the DIY cost first |
|---|
| Cinque Terre from Genoa | We found no clearly better independent option at this distance | Only if your day is genuinely long — this is a full-day undertaking either way |
|---|
| Pesto & food tour | You want a guided, hands-on version | We found no independent match at this specific combination |
|---|
| Rapallo & Sestri Levante | You want two towns handled in one organized day | Both are reachable independently by train in well under an hour |
|---|
Run any paid day through our excursion cost calculator before you book, and read our guide to ship excursions versus booking independently for how return policies differ.
06
Genoa port logistics: two terminals, one old town
Where you dock
Genoa has two working cruise terminals within Stazioni Marittime, Ponte dei Mille and Ponte Andrea Doria, both inside the historic port basin near Porto Antico. Ships dock alongside at either; we found no mention of tendering at this port.
Some travel guides describe a third, more distant berth used on the busiest days, though we couldn't corroborate that against the port authority's own published terminal list. If your cruise documents name a berth other than these two, trust them over this page.
Getting around
Ponte dei Mille sits closest to downtown, roughly 10 to 15 minutes on foot to Piazza Caricamento and the edge of the old town, per multiple port guides. Ponte Andrea Doria runs longer, more like 25 to 30 minutes, largely through the working port itself.
Free shuttles typically connect both terminals to a drop-off near the old town or the train station — worth taking if you're assigned the farther berth or the day's hot.
Season, weather and your buffer
Genoa's wet season runs mainly in fall, and a heavy rain day can complicate an already train-dependent Portofino or Cinque Terre plan. Have a fallback that keeps you in the old town if the forecast turns.
We found no official Genoa-specific buffer guidance, so we won't invent one. For anything off the ship beyond a walk to the old town, we'd build a wider cushion than usual, given the terminal-distance variable alone.
- Confirm your terminal, Ponte dei Mille or Ponte Andrea Doria, as early as your cruise documents allow — it changes your walk time by roughly 15 minutes.
- Buy Portofino-bound train tickets at Genova Piazza Principe station, not on board the train.
- Keep valuables out of sight in the old town's narrow lanes, especially the busiest tourist stretches.
- Carry cash for smaller cafes and the Santa Margherita-to-Portofino bus or ferry.
