RunCity

Genoa on foot: a self-guided walking route

This route takes you past 10 of Genoa's best-known sights, including Porta Soprana, Piazza De Ferrari, Genoa Cathedral and more. It is about 11 km on foot, roughly 3.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Follow the list on your own, or play it as a free GPS checkpoint game with RunCity and race the clock on the Genoa leaderboard.

  • 10Stops
  • about 11 kmDistance
  • 3.5 hoursWalking
  • about 86 minRunning
Play Genoa in RunCity

Free during launch. Runs in your phone's browser; the app is in English, German and Hungarian.

Genoa
Photo: Julian Lupyan · CC0

Genoa's route is long, about 11 km, because the city stretches along the sea from the fishing hamlet of Boccadasse to the old lighthouse. The bonus stop, Boccadasse, is a cluster of coloured houses around a pebble beach east of the centre; bus or a walk along the Corso Italia promenade brings you to Porta Soprana and Columbus's childhood house, then Piazza De Ferrari with its big bronze fountain.

The striped cathedral, the frescoed Palazzo San Giorgio and the old port, rebuilt by Renzo Piano with the Bigo crane and the Aquarium, are the heart of the walk. Via Garibaldi, lined with the palaces of the old noble families, leads to Palazzo Rosso; then the route climbs to the neo-Gothic Castello D'Albertis and ends at La Lanterna, the lighthouse that has stood over the harbour for centuries. The old town's caruggi, narrow lanes, are where to find focaccia and farinata.

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Download the route as GPX (for Komoot, Strava or a watch)

The stops

A suggested order. In the game you can visit them in any order.

  1. Boccadasse

    Boccadasse Bonus Photo

    The colourful fishing hamlet around its little pebble beach.

    Photo: Frabckpckr96 · CC BY-SA 4.0

  2. Porta Soprana

    Porta Soprana Photo

    The twin-towered medieval gate beside Columbus's childhood house.

    Photo: Alex2015Genova · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. Piazza De Ferrari

    Piazza De Ferrari Photo

    The big bronze fountain in the middle of the main square.

    Photo: ValeDeNe / Teatroge · CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. Genoa Cathedral

    Genoa Cathedral Photo

    The black-and-white striped front with the two stone lions.

    Photo: Julian Lupyan · CC0

  5. Palazzo San Giorgio

    Palazzo San Giorgio Photo

    The frescoed façade of the old harbour authority.

    Photo: Sidvics · CC BY-SA 3.0

  6. Il Bigo

    Il Bigo Photo

    The white crane-like structure of the old port, designed by Renzo Piano.

    Photo: Filip Maljković from Pancevo, Serbia · CC BY-SA 2.0

  7. Aquarium of Genoa

    Aquarium of Genoa

    The long ship-shaped building at the old port.

    Photo: Dixy52 · CC0

  8. Palazzo Rosso (Via Garibaldi)

    Palazzo Rosso (Via Garibaldi)

    The red palace on the street of the old noble families.

    Photo: sailko · CC BY-SA 3.0

  9. Castello D'Albertis

    Castello D'Albertis Photo

    The neo-Gothic castle on the hill above the harbour.

    Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

  10. La Lanterna

    La Lanterna Photo

    The old stone lighthouse that has guarded the harbour for centuries.

    Photo: Carlo grifone · CC BY-SA 4.0

Play Genoa in RunCity

Leaderboard

    Questions

    Can you see Genoa on foot in one day?

    Yes. The 10 stops on this route add up to about 11 km, roughly 3.5 hours at an easy pace with short stops. Some stops are far apart, so you may want public transport for a leg.

    Is this self-guided walking tour free?

    Yes. The route and map on this page are free, and the RunCity game for Genoa is free during launch.

    How does the RunCity game work in Genoa?

    Open Genoa in RunCity, walk to a stop and tap Validate: your phone's GPS confirms you are there. Some stops also ask for a photo. Timed runs go on the Genoa leaderboard.

    Where does the route start?

    This page suggests starting at Boccadasse and finishing at La Lanterna. In the game you can take the stops in any order.

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