Genoa Shore Excursions

Across Italy — laws, safety & health

National rules and risks that apply anywhere in Italy — relayed from official sources, not our verdict. We pass on what the authority says and leave the judgement to you.

Laws that catch visitors out

• Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties — a long jail sentence and heavy fines.
• Carry photo ID at all times; police normally ask for your full passport if you are stopped while driving.
• Validate (stamp) public-transport tickets before you start your journey.
• Local fines apply for dropping litter, sitting on monument steps, and eating or drinking next to main churches, historic monuments and public buildings (up to €10,000 for public urination; €500 on Capri for disposable plastics).
• It is illegal to buy from unlicensed street traders — you can be fined.
• It is illegal to remove sand, shells or pebbles from coastal areas.
• Many cities charge a small tourist tax, usually payable in cash at your accommodation.

Drones

Drone flying in Italy follows the common EU rules (EASA — Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Open category). You must register as a drone operator before flying any drone that has a camera and is not a toy; a single registration is recognised across the EU/EEA. Label the drone with your operator ID, keep within the Open-category limits (subcategories A1/A2/A3), and check the national “geographical zones” that restrict or ban flying near airports, over crowds and at sensitive sites. Register and check the zone map through ENAC (Italy’s civil aviation authority) before you travel.

via EASA — EU civil-drone rules (Regulation (EU) 2019/947), Open category · 24 Jun 2026

Scams to watch

Higher levels of petty crime — bag-snatching and pickpocketing — in city centres and at major tourist attractions; beware distraction techniques on public transport and in crowds. Do not take drinks from strangers or leave drinks unattended (spiked-drink robberies/assaults reported).

Health hazards

The FCDO health page lists dengue, West Nile disease and biting insects and ticks among the health risks in Italy — use insect-bite precautions. It also notes that altitude sickness is a risk in parts of the country, including the Alps and the Dolomites. Check current detail and vaccine recommendations on TravelHealthPro before you travel.

via UK FCDO travel advice — Italy (health) · 25 Jun 2026

Relayed from UK FCDO travel advice — Italy · checked 24 Jun 2026

Traffic drives on the right. Look left first when you cross the road.

Docking & terminals in Genoa

Ships berth alongside at the Ponte dei Mille and Ponte Andrea Doria cruise terminals; Genoa is not a tender port. The Ponte dei Mille cruise terminal spans over 16,000 m² on three levels (connected by escalators and lifts) and can handle two large cruise vessels and up to 10,000 passengers a day.

• Ponte dei Mille Cruise Terminal — ~200 m from Piazza Principe station; a few minutes from the Old Port and historic centre (About 200 m from Genova Piazza Principe mainline railway station and a few minutes from the Old Port (Porto Antico) and historic centre; the Aquarium is on the nearby Ponte Spinola wharf.)
• Ponte Andrea Doria Cruise Terminal — Beside Ponte dei Mille, minutes from the historic centre (Adjacent to Ponte dei Mille — the same short access to Piazza Principe station, the Old Port and the historic centre.)

Mobility & step-free access

Getting around between the pier and town:

• Walk — The Old Port (Porto Antico), the Aquarium and the historic centre are a few minutes' walk from the cruise terminals.
• Train (Italian Riviera) — Genova Piazza Principe mainline station is about 200 m from the terminal — trains run along the Italian Riviera to Santa Margherita/Portofino, Camogli and the Cinque Terre.
• Public transport — Genoa has a metro line plus buses (AMT); the Old Port, Piazza Principe and the historic centre are all served.

Step-free options vary by pier and by the day — confirm the specifics with your operator and the ship’s guest-services desk before booking.

Heading back at the end of the day: The two cruise terminals are adjacent and equally close to Piazza Principe station and the Old Port, so wrong-terminal risk is low; the mainline station ~200 m away is the gateway for Italian-Riviera day trips.

Cruise lines don’t always tell you which pier you’re on, and it’s easy to forget once you’re ashore. As you leave the ship, note or photograph your pier’s name — then give your taxi that exact pier (or your ship’s name) for the trip back.

Genoa's two cruise terminals (Ponte dei Mille and Ponte Andrea Doria) sit side by side and both are minutes from Piazza Principe station and the Old Port — confirm your terminal on the ship's daily programme, though either is well placed.

Getting around & must-sees in Genoa

Getting around

Genoa's cruise terminals are integrated into the city: the Old Port, Aquarium and historic centre are a short walk away, and Piazza Principe mainline station (~200 m) puts the Italian Riviera (Portofino, Camogli, the Cinque Terre) within a train ride.

• Walk — The Old Port (Porto Antico), the Aquarium and the historic centre are a few minutes' walk from the cruise terminals.
• Train (Italian Riviera) — Genova Piazza Principe mainline station is about 200 m from the terminal — trains run along the Italian Riviera to Santa Margherita/Portofino, Camogli and the Cinque Terre.
• Public transport — Genoa has a metro line plus buses (AMT); the Old Port, Piazza Principe and the historic centre are all served.

More on getting around ↗

Must-see sights

• Old Port (Porto Antico) & Aquarium of Genoa — The redeveloped old harbour beside the terminals; the Aquarium of Genoa (on the Ponte Spinola wharf) is the largest aquatic-biodiversity exhibition in Europe.
• Historic centre & the Palazzi dei Rolli (Via Garibaldi) — One of Europe's largest medieval old towns (the caruggi alleys) and the UNESCO-listed Rolli palaces along Via Garibaldi.

More sights & details ↗

Getting back to the pier

Getting back is easy in Genoa itself — the terminals are minutes on foot from the Old Port and ~200 m from Piazza Principe station; the planning risk is the train return from a Riviera day-trip, so leave a wide margin against all-aboard.

• Walk — From the Old Port, Aquarium and historic centre the cruise terminals are only a few minutes' walk on the level.
• Train (return from the Riviera) — Coming back from a Riviera day-trip (Portofino/Santa Margherita, Camogli, the Cinque Terre), trains run to Genova Piazza Principe, about 200 m from the terminal — plan the return against all-aboard.
• Public transport / taxi — Genoa's metro, AMT buses and taxis serve Piazza Principe and the Old Port for the short hop back to the ship.

More on getting back ↗

Key facts only — confirm times, fares and seasonal openings locally.

Eating & shopping in Genoa

Genoa is the home of pesto alla genovese and of Ligurian focaccia (including the cheese-filled focaccia di Recco) and farinata (chickpea flatbread); the historic-centre alleys and the Old Port are the place to find them, a short walk from the ship. The official tourism board is the source for current venues.

Where to eat

• Historic centre (caruggi) & Old Port — The alleys of the old town and the redeveloped Old Port hold Genoa's cafés, focaccerie and trattorias, minutes from the cruise terminals.

Local specialities

• Pesto alla genovese — The classic basil, pine-nut, garlic and Parmesan/Pecorino sauce that originates in Genoa.
• Focaccia & farinata — Ligurian focaccia (incl. the cheese-filled focaccia di Recco) and farinata, a baked chickpea flatbread.

More on eating here ↗

Areas and specialities as described by the source — not our recommendations; confirm openings and prices locally.

Local know-hows in Genoa

Money

Currency

Euro (€)

Cards

Card payment is widely accepted across Italy — the main networks in use are Visa, Mastercard/Maestro, American Express, Bancomat and PagoBancomat; cash in euros is used everywhere too.

ATMs

Italy's Bancomat and Postamat ATM networks operate nationwide, so cash machines are easy to find in towns.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory in Italy and there are no set rules, but it is customary to leave around 10% when you are happy with the service (restaurant bills often already carry a 'coperto' cover charge).

More on money here ↗

Practicalities

Language

Italian is the official language.

Tap water

Genoa's mains water is supplied by IREN (Iren Acqua), the single operator for the Genoa water district, which says it monitors quality daily through its IrenLab laboratories — over 16,000 network samples and 220,000 parameter checks a year, from source to the household meter. As IREN notes, its responsibility runs to the meter; beyond it, water quality also depends on a building's own internal plumbing.

Plugs

Italian sockets follow standard CEI 23-50 (Type C and Type L, which also accept Type F plugs); mains supply is AC 220V, 50Hz.

More practical info ↗

Key facts to know before you step off — confirm anything time-sensitive locally.

Port busyness in Genoa

Often very busy

Genoa is one of Italy's principal cruise ports (a major homeport as well as a call), with two adjacent terminals handling several thousand passengers on peak days; because the terminals sit right in the city, crowds disperse quickly into the Old Port, the historic-centre alleys and out to the Riviera by train.

Peak pattern: Turnaround mornings (embarkation/disembarkation) plus tour and train departures; busiest April–October.

Quieter: Outside the April–October peak season and on non-turnaround call days.

• Major Italian cruise homeport and port of call
• Two cruise terminals (Ponte dei Mille handles up to 10,000 passengers/day)
• April–October Mediterranean season concentration

This shows a typical day for the time of year — actual crowds vary on your date, and it isn’t a guarantee.

What we’ve checked in Genoa — and when

We last checked the facts on this page between 24 Jun 2026 and 26 Jun 2026. Live travel advisories refresh automatically from the official sources.

Docking & getting ashore

Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 24 Jun 2026

Getting around

Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 26 Jun 2026

How busy it gets

Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 24 Jun 2026

Travel advisories

FCDO (GOV.UK) & US State Department · refreshed automatically

How we check, and what “not stated” means