Genoa / Acquario di Genova & Porto Antico
Waterfront · Families
Acquario di Genova & Porto Antico
Italy's largest aquarium, at the centre of a derelict harbour rebuilt by the city's own most famous architect.
- Price
- From €28
- Hours
- Roughly 9am–8pm, seasonal variation
- Avg. visit
- 2–3 hours
- Book ahead
- Recommended, timed ticket helps at busy times
Renzo Piano, Genoa's own most internationally celebrated architect, led the redevelopment of the city's derelict old harbour ahead of 1992's Columbus anniversary celebrations, and continued shaping the area in the decades since. What had been a working but rundown industrial waterfront became Porto Antico, a public space built around the aquarium, exhibition halls and a marina, fundamentally changing how Genoa related to its own harbour.
The Acquario di Genova opened as part of that redevelopment and remains the largest aquarium in Italy, organised around a series of large habitat tanks rather than smaller individual displays. The wider Porto Antico complex includes Piano's Bigo — a panoramic lift mounted on a crane-like arm recalling the harbour's industrial cranes — and the Biosfera, a glass sphere suspended over the water and housing a small enclosed tropical ecosystem.
Inside
What to see
- The aquarium's large habitat tanks, including significant marine mammal and shark exhibits
- The Bigo, Renzo Piano's panoramic lift on a crane-like arm, rising over the harbour
- The Biosfera, a glass sphere over the water containing a self-contained tropical ecosystem
- The wider Porto Antico waterfront, with its palm-lined promenades and marina
Practical
Good to know
- The aquarium gets busy at weekends and during school holidays — a timed ticket helps manage the queue.
- Allow two to three hours for a proper visit, given the scale of the habitat tanks and the amount of walking involved.
- The wider Porto Antico complex is worth exploring beyond the aquarium itself, including the Bigo lift and the waterfront promenade.
Timing
When it's busiest
- Morning
- Quiet
- Midday
- Busy
- Afternoon
- Busy
- School holidays
- Packed
Nearby
Combine your visit
Right nearby
Galata Museo del Mare
Continue along the same harbour to the Mediterranean's largest maritime museum.
Visit →
5-minute walk
The caruggi
Head into the medieval alley network just behind the port.
Visit →
10-minute walk
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
Visit the striped Ligurian Gothic cathedral in the old town.
Visit →
FAQ
Common questions
Is it really the largest aquarium in Italy?
Yes, it holds that distinction, organised around large habitat tanks rather than a greater number of smaller displays.
Do I need to book ahead?
Recommended, especially for weekends and school holidays, when a timed ticket helps avoid long queues.
What else is at Porto Antico besides the aquarium?
The Bigo panoramic lift, the Biosfera glass sphere with its tropical ecosystem, and a broader waterfront promenade and marina.
How long should I plan for?
Two to three hours for the aquarium alone; longer if exploring the wider Porto Antico complex.