This is the most popular tour for first time visitors to the Liguria region. You visit the port city of Genoa, a small fishing village and the beautiful resort town of Portofino.
After meeting your guide you drive into the city of Christopher Columbus. Your first stop is the panoramic terrace of Castelletto, with views over the historical center of Genoa, the port and the Lanterna lighthouse, considered the symbol of the city.
Next you enjoy a walking tour of the old town starting at the House of Columbus near the medieval gate of Porta Soprana. You visit Piazza De Ferrari, the contemporary heart of the town, home to the Carlo Felice Opera House and several fountains. You also see the Ducale Palace, with its neoclassical facade, once the seat of government of the Republic of Genoa.
Then you walk to Piazza San Matteo, one of the best preserved examples of a medieval residential quarter in Italy. San Matteo was the square of the Doria family, and it still largely retains its medieval look, with palaces, porticoes and the traditional black and white striped facades typical of Genoese architecture.
Churches seen include Saint Andreas, considered a masterpiece of Genoese baroque, and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Consecrated in 1118 and largely rebuilt in Gothic style after a fire in 1296, the cathedral's distinctive black and white striped facade was completed in 1312. Several renovations over the centuries have left their mark, and the variety of art on display gives your visit a virtual course in Italian art history.
Later this morning you drive to Camogli, a colorful fishing village on the Tigullio coast, where the brightly painted houses will make you think you have stepped into a painting. You have free time here for a Ligurian lunch (meal not included). We recommend local specialties such as pasta col pesto, focaccia di Recco or any of the local fish dishes.
After lunch you drive to Portofino, where your guide leads a walking tour. Portofino has long remained a favorite of high society and the jet set, but it is also much more than that. Its natural harbor was already used as a shelter by ancient traders before the Roman historian Pliny the Elder cited it in his Naturalis Historia as Portus Delphini, or Port of the Dolphins, for the dolphins once common in its waters. It offers lush Mediterranean hillside forests and a village layered with history and beauty, and has long been a meeting point loved by writers and philosophers.
Your walking tour of Portofino includes the Oratory of Santa Maria Assunta, where it is possible to see the traditional Cristi, a large crucifix carried through the town by the faithful during religious processions. You will also visit the Church of San Giorgio atop the promontory, with an extraordinary view down onto the village. You will walk to the lighthouse, through the verdant Regional Park, and up to a terrace overlooking the tranquil Gulf of Tigullio. By the time your guided tour finishes, you too will understand why this place is so highly regarded around the world.
Later this afternoon you return to Genoa.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, our Genoa tours and Genoa Shore Excursions can also be customized to fit your needs. If you have a larger group, we can offer you a private Genoa tour using a mid-size bus or full size coach. Please contact us with any questions or to receive a customized quote.
Review Location- Genoa 
