Genoa · Go deeper
Where to live
Genoa reads by height and by coast: the dense medieval old town packed by the port, the hills climbing straight up behind it, and the calmer seaside districts strung along the eastern shore. Height does more to the rent here than distance does.
The old town
Centro Storico (the caruggi)
mid, atmosphericOne of the largest medieval old towns in Europe: a dense warren of tall, narrow lanes called caruggi, packed with churches, workshops, and the grand palaces of Genoa's golden age. It's vivid, atmospheric, and unlike anywhere else, cheaper than the hills or the shore. Many buildings are old and lift-less, the lanes get little light, and quality varies sharply street to street, so the exact address matters.
Best for: those who want to live inside the living history and don't mind the density and the stairs
Learn more about the historic heart
Genoa was once one of the great maritime powers of the Mediterranean, a republic whose merchant families grew fabulously rich on trade and banking. You can still read that wealth in the old town’s tangle of caruggi, one of the largest medieval quarters in Europe, and above all in the Palazzi dei Rolli, the palaces the ruling families raised along the ‘new streets’ like Via Garibaldi in the 1500s and 1600s.
These palaces were so magnificent that the city kept official lists, the rolli, of which ones were grand enough to lodge visiting princes and ambassadors, who were then assigned a host by drawing lots; your home was, by law, a state guesthouse for royalty. Forty-two of them are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To walk Via Garibaldi is to walk a street where a whole city once took turns hosting kings.
Carignano
mid, residentialA calmer residential quarter on a rise just south of the old town, around its grand domed basilica: handsome, settled, and a short walk or lift from the centre without the tourist crush. More everyday than atmospheric, and priced gently for how central it is.
Best for: those wanting a quieter, settled base a step from the old town
The hills above
Castelletto
premiumThe hill directly above the centre, reached by the famous public lifts and funiculars, with sweeping views over the rooftops, the port, and the sea. It's elegant, leafy, and calm, yet minutes from the old town by elevator, one of the most desirable places to live in the city, and priced to match.
Best for: those wanting views, calm, and elegance a lift-ride above the centre
Albaro
premiumA prosperous residential district on the eastern hills toward the sea, full of villas, gardens, and the university, with a genteel, established feel. Green, quiet, and well-off, popular with families and professionals who want space and standing away from the density below.
Best for: families and professionals wanting a green, upscale, settled base
The eastern seaside
Foce & Boccadasse
mid to premiumThe eastern seafront, running from the lively Foce district out to Boccadasse, a tiny former fishing cove of pastel houses that's become the city's most beloved postcard. It's relaxed, coastal, and characterful, with the sea at the door and a slower rhythm than the centre. The trade is that the prettiest seaside spots carry a premium, especially in summer.
Best for: those who want the sea at the doorstep and a calmer, coastal pace
Nervi
mid, seaside calmA former seaside resort town at the eastern edge of the city, now a green, genteel district with a famous clifftop promenade and big parks. It's about 20–25 minutes from the centre by train or bus: calm, leafy, and residential, with a real small-town feel by the water. The trade is the distance: you're at the edge, not in the thick of it.
Best for: those wanting seaside calm, parks, and space, happy to commute in
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