Genoa Car Hire

Genoa is a city of great charm located in the gulf of the same name between the Ligurian Sea and the peaks of the Ligurian-Genovese Apennines. Its long and rich history is difficult to summarise given the important role it has played over the centuries.

A Maritime Republic from 1099 to 1797, a commercial power in the late Middle Ages, an important financial centre in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the centre of the industrial triangle in the modern era, Genoa still bears witness to its glorious past, clearly visible in its beautiful historic centre, an evocative network of caruggi (alleyways) and creuze (laneways).

Genoa “La Superba”, as Francesco Petrarca called it in 1358, holds highly interesting treasures, to be discovered not only in the city centre, but also in the magnificent surrounding villages.

What to see in Genoa: the most beautiful places in the historic centre

A car is the best means of transport to fully appreciate the beauty of Genoa and its surrounding areas, since it will allow you to easily move around the city and also reach places of interest in its vicinity.

You can rent a car at one of Maggiore’s car rental offices in Genoa. If you arrive by plane, you can go to the office at Cristoforo Colombo Airport, if you arrive by train you can go to the office near the Piazza Principe station, while in the city centre you will find a Maggiore office in Corso Sardegna.

Choosing Maggiore means not only choosing a professional company and leader in its sector, but also travelling in safety, as all our rental cars are equipped with every comfort and carefully checked and sanitised before delivery.

Once you have rented a car, reach the centre and start your tour of Genoa’s beauties from the Lanterna, the ancient harbour lighthouse and symbol of the city which, at 77 metres high is the tallest in the Mediterranean, and from the ancient fishing village of Boccadasse, where the city’s seafront promenade begins, extending as far as the Foce district.

From here, head towards the Città Antica (Old Town) and enter its maze of caruggi and creuze overlooked by prestigious buildings such as Palazzo Spinola and Palazzo Ducale. It is no coincidence that a large part of Genoa’s historic centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Resuming your tour of the city, stop at the Cathedral of San Lorenzo which houses the Sacro Catino, a relic brought by the Crusaders, and the Ark of the Ashes of the Baptist, which contains the remains of St John the Baptist. Don’t forget to visit the “Rolli”, ancient noble residences used to host illustrious people passing through the city. Walk along Via Garibaldi, Via Balbi and Via Lomellini and be captivated by the beauty of the buildings, 42 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

What else is there to visit in Genova?

Certainly the house-museum of Christopher Columbus, located near Porta Soprana, part of the ancient medieval city walls, Piazza De Ferrari with its majestic fountain, Palazzo Reale, built by the Balbi family, the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, which houses the remains of Fabrizio De Andrè and Fernanda Pivano, and the Castello D’Albertis, a historic Genoese residence now housing the Museum of World Cultures.

In addition, Genoa has many museums, including the Galata Museo del Mare, the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean; the Strada Nuova Museums, which include Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi, the Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Eastern Art, which exhibits a rich collection of Japanese and Chinese artworks; and the National Gallery of Palazzo Spinola.

No tour of Genoa would be complete without a visit to the Aquarium, the second largest in Europe, without taking a ride on the Castelletto lift that connects Piazza Portello with Belvedere Montaldo, and without strolling through Parchi Nervi, the largest urban park in the Mediterranean, made up of a collection of parks that once belonged to private villas, such as Villa Saluzzo Serra, Villa Luxoro and Villa Gropallo.

Visit the surroundings of Genoa: seaside destinations and charming villages

After an intense tour of the city, take the A12 motorway and in half an hour you will reach Camogli, a small fishing village overlooking the Golfo Paradiso and also known as the “City of a Thousand White Sailing Ships”, which will captivate you with its beautiful historic centre featuring buildings such as the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta and the Dragonara Castle.

From Camogli don’t miss an excursion to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, which can be reached by sea or by following two panoramic paths. Fun fact: right in front of the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, at 17 metres below sea level, is the Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue placed in the Portofino Natural Marine Protected Area in 1954.

Another 8 km will take you to Santa Margherita Ligure, in the Gulf of Tigullio, where you will find the Church of San Giacomo di Corte, Villa Durazzo and the Castle of Paraggi, situated in the seaside village of the same name, and Rapallo, where you can visit the Castle of 1549 situated on a small island of rocks, the Basilica of SS. Gervasio and Protasio and the Church of Santo Stefano dating back to the year 1000.

Going inland from Genoa you can visit the villages of Ceranesi and its Sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia, Isola del Cantone, made up of the villages of Isola and Cantone separated by the Scrivia stream, Torriglia, where you should not miss the Castle and the Church of Sant’Onorato di Arles, and Vobbia with its beautiful Stone Castle.

Of course, Genoa and its surrounding areas are blessed with a beautiful sea, so your itinerary should definitely include a visit to some of the most stunning beaches in and around the city.

In the city, you have at your disposal 35 km of coastline along which are scattered some very beautiful and well-equipped beaches, while if you venture out further, you can reach the beaches of Bogliasco, Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure and the magnificent Portofino with the evocative Paraggi Bay, going as far as the wonderful Baia del Silenzio (Bay of Silence) in Sestri Levante, the “City of the Two Seas”.

On the Riviera del Ponente, the beaches of Arenzano are worth a visit, washed by a very clean sea where you can go scuba diving, the beach of Vesima, between Arenzano and Terrarossa, and the beaches of Varazze, a characteristic town located in the Riviera delle Palme.

You can enjoy an all-round holiday in and around Genoa, taking in all the artistic beauties of the city and those of the small villages, without forgetting the sea and fantastic beaches.