One of the largest aquariums in Europe
In the Porto Antico, the old harbour of Genoa, transformed by the architect Renzo Piano, a native of the city, for the celebrations of the five hundredth anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1992, the Aquarium of Genoa is one of the largest aquariums in Europe and one of the most visited museums in Italy. Housed in a long building shaped like a ship, moored along the quay, it offers a journey through the seas and oceans of the world, from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, from the coral reefs of the Caribbean to the cold waters of the Antarctic, in dozens of large tanks that recreate their environments.
The visit leads among thousands of animals of hundreds of species: sharks, rays, colourful tropical fish, jellyfish, seahorses, turtles, seals, penguins and manatees, as well as amphibians, reptiles and birds in the rooms dedicated to tropical forests and Madagascar. In the Cetacean Pavilion, designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013, the dolphins can be observed from above and from below through large windows. The Aquarium is also a centre of research and conservation of marine biodiversity. Around it, the Porto Antico offers other attractions designed by Piano: the Bigo, a panoramic lift inspired by the cranes of the port, which rises over the harbour; the Biosfera, a glass sphere floating on the water that houses a tropical forest; and the Galata Museo del Mare, the largest maritime museum in the Mediterranean, with a section dedicated to emigration.
Tip: buy tickets online with an entry time to avoid queues; allow at least two and a half hours, and combine it with the Galata Museum.
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