Most visitors experience Genoa through its main attractions: Porto Antico, the Aquarium and the largest streets of the historic centre. But the city becomes much more interesting once you move beyond the usual tourist routes and start experiencing it the way locals do — slowly, unpredictably and often without a fixed plan.
1. Get Lost in the Historic Centre Beyond the Main Streets
One of the best ways to experience Genoa like a local is simply to wander through the smaller alleys of the historic centre without focusing only on monuments. Areas such as Carmine, Castello or the quieter streets around Piazza Sarzano reveal a very different atmosphere compared to the more visited areas near the port. Here you begin noticing hidden shrines between buildings, old painted shop signs, laundry hanging high above the carruggi and unexpected viewpoints opening suddenly towards the sea.
The real charm of Genoa often comes from these small details rather than from its major landmarks.
2. Explore Genoa Vertically Using Funiculars and Hiking Paths
Many visitors overlook one of Genoa’s most unique characteristics: its vertical landscape. The city stretches between the sea and the hills, and locals regularly use historic funiculars and public lifts to move through it.
From the city centre, the Zecca–Righi funicular climbs into the hills above Genoa, where narrow streets and buildings gradually give way to wooded hills, panoramic paths and the ancient defensive system that has protected the city since the Middle Ages. Walking through these hills means moving between historic forts, old military roads and open viewpoints overlooking rooftops, the port and the Ligurian coastline stretching towards the sea.
Moving away from the centre, neighborhoods such as Sestri Ponente also reveal another side of Genoa entirely. Unlike the monumental atmosphere of the old town, Sestri still feels like a lived-in seaside borgo with local markets, small cafés and a slower rhythm connected to everyday life. It is also conveniently located very close to Genoa Airport.
3. Experience Genoese Traditions and Local Events
Throughout the year, Genoa hosts cultural events that reflect its maritime history, music scene and local traditions.
One of the most important recurring events is the Rolli Days, usually held in spring and autumn, when many UNESCO-listed palaces open to the public with guided visits and exhibitions. In late June, around the celebrations of San Giovanni Battista on June 24th, the city fills with concerts, religious processions and fireworks connected to Genoa’s patron saint.
Summer is strongly linked to outdoor performances and music festivals. Between June and July, the Nervi International Ballet Festival transforms the parks overlooking the sea into one of the most evocative open-air performance spaces in Italy. During the same months, Genoa also hosts concerts connected to the Italian cantautorato tradition, alongside jazz and progressive rock festivals that reflect the city’s long musical history.
In September, the Salone Nautico brings Genoa’s maritime identity to the forefront, while Euroflora temporarily reshapes parts of the waterfront with large botanical installations. During winter, the Confeugo ceremony in December reconnects the city with one of its oldest traditions through historical reenactments and the symbolic burning of a large laurel tree in Piazza De Ferrari.
4. Discover Traditional Genoese Food Beyond Tourist Restaurants
Food is another essential part of experiencing Genoa like a local. While focaccia is the city’s most famous specialty, the local cuisine goes far beyond what most visitors expect.
Traditional dishes such as troffie are still deeply connected to local culinary traditions. During the Christmas period, many bakeries prepare pandolce, a dense sweet bread filled with raisins, pine nuts and candied fruit that remains an important family tradition throughout Liguria.
Street food in Genoa is usually simple but highly characteristic. Around Via San Lorenzo, Sottoripa and the smaller side streets of the old town, it is still possible to find bakeries and small friggitorie serving farinata, panissa, fried anchovies and cones of fried seafood prepared much the same way they have been for decades.
For a more authentic dining experience, many locals move beyond the Porto Antico area towards neighborhoods such as Nervi, Castelletto or Sestri Ponente, where family-run trattorias continue serving traditional Ligurian dishes in a much less tourist-oriented atmosphere.
5. Discover Genoa’s Hidden Art and Music Scene
Genoa also has a creative side that many visitors completely miss. Small galleries, independent studios and temporary exhibitions are scattered throughout the historic centre, especially around Piazza Sarzano, the Giustiniani district and the quieter alleys of Soziglia.
Rather than large commercial galleries, Genoa is known for smaller cultural spaces where artists, photographers and musicians maintain a strong connection with the local community. Exhibition openings often feel informal and accessible, with artists present in person and conversations continuing naturally during aperitivi or after live performances.
Music remains deeply tied to the city’s identity through the legacy of singer-songwriters such as Fabrizio De André, Luigi Tenco and Bruno Lauzi. Throughout the year, especially between spring and late summer, Porto Antico, Nervi and several areas of the historic centre regularly host concerts ranging from cantautorato to jazz and progressive rock, while smaller clubs continue offering intimate live performances all year round.
Ultimately, experiencing Genoa like a local means slowing down, accepting the city’s complexity and allowing unexpected places, conversations and details to become part of the experience itself.