Car Rental Genoa Airport

A car is a great way to get around Genoa and the Ligurian Coast, especially in the low season, from October to May, when the roads are less congested, and you can admire the spectacular scenery at a more leisurely pace.

Genoa Airport is around a 20-minute drive west of the city center, off the SS1 (Strada Statale). The SS1 is a coast road which runs the entire length of the Italian Riviera, from the French border in the west to the Liguria-Tuscany border in the east, passing through the coastal resorts of Rapallo and La Spezia along the way.

Shadowing the SS1 is the A12/E80 autostrada. This connects with the A7 freeway to Milan, 100 miles to the north, the A25/E6 to the Italian Lakes and the E717 to Turin.

It’s worth noting that the historic center (centro storico) of Genoa is a traffic restricted zone or ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato), which is in operation permanently. This part of the city is signposted and access is controlled by video cameras. If your hotel is in this area, ask them to help register you for special permission to drive or park in the city center.

The centro storico has limited parking capacity so it’s best to park your car in one of the public parking lots outside the ZTL and walk to your destination. Outside the ZTL zone, street parking is available - look out for blue lines on metered parking bays.

Driving in Italy is on the right-hand side and be sure to pay careful attention to speed limits on all roads. Italian freeways – autostrada – are toll roads (cash only) and these are indicated by green road signs.

Genoa offers many fascinating attractions, with its labyrinthine medieval core, revamped old port district, top-drawer museums and galleries, excellent restaurants and the stunning Ligurian coast, which lies temptingly on its doorstep.

Lose yourself in a medieval maze

Genoa’s medieval center is one of the largest in Europe. This enchanting maze of narrow, cobbled alleyways (called ‘caruggi’) climbs its way up the hill from behind the port towards the old town’s main square, the Piazza de Ferrari, and is a fascinating area to wander around.

You’ll stumble across many excellent little restaurants, shops and cafés. Stop for an espresso and a scrumptious pastry on busy little Piazza Fossatello while people-watching, or pop into Profumo di Rosa on Via Cairoli for a truly delicious pistachio ice cream.

Back to the Renaissance

Running uphill from the old port to Piazza de Ferrari is the pedestrianized Via Garibaldi. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is lined with magnificent Renaissance palaces, built by the city’s wealthiest families in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Several of these impressive palaces now house fantastic art collections. Palazzo Bianco is home to a huge number of Italian and Flemish old masters, including works by Rubens, Van Dyck and Caravaggio, while Palazzo Rosso houses a jaw-dropping collection put together over two centuries by the Brignole-Sale family.

A short walk from Via Garibadi, on Piazza di Pellicceria, is the Palazzo Spinola, now the National Gallery and home to many famous works of art, with more from Rubens and Van Dyck, as well as many renowned painters of the Genoese School, such as Il Grechetto.

Sample the best pasta pesto

Like any Italian city, Genoa has countless fabulous eateries. Make sure you try some local pesto dishes, as this is the birthplace of the famous bright-green pasta sauce.

For some superb pesto pasta, try the cozy little Trattoria San Carlo, hidden away on Via David Chiossone, not far from Via Garibaldi. For something a bit more modern, head to Piazza della Meridiana, just off Via Garibaldi, where Caffe Meridiana will serve you some excellent local seafood dishes.

Tour the Riviera’s hotspots

Now you’re all set to get out and explore the glorious Italian Riviera. The first port of call has to be the impossibly lovely Portofino, a picturesque little seaside town with a big reputation. Its harbor is filled with the luxury yachts of the rich and famous and you can browse the numerous luxury shops or have lunch in one of the sophisticated restaurants.

A bit closer to the city, and less glitzy, is the pretty fishing village of Camogli with its brightly-painted houses. From here you can take a boat to the beautiful 10^th-century Fruttuoso monastery. Closer still, and only a few miles from the center of Genoa, is the fishing village of Boccadasse. It’s the perfect spot for watching the sun set while enjoying a final gelato of the day from the little ice cream parlor by the shore.

Here in Genoa, life is sweet – gelato in the sun, gorgeous buildings to peek inside and Italy waiting for you to uncover its charms. Do it at your own pace with car rental at Genoa Airport.