The Harbor

The Harbor Review

A boat tour gives you a good perspective on the layout of the harbor, which dates to Roman times. The Genoa inlet, the largest along the Italian Riviera, was also used by the Phoenicians and Greeks as a harbor and a staging area from which they could penetrate inland to form settlements and to trade. The port is guarded by the Diga Foranea, a striking wall 5 km (3 mi) long built into the ocean. The Lanterna, a lighthouse more than 360 feet high, was built in 1544; it's one of Italy's oldest lighthouses and a traditional emblem of Genoa.

Boat tours of the harbor, operated by the Consorzio Liguria Viamare, launch from the aquarium pier and run about an hour. The tour includes a visit to the breakwater outside the harbor, the Bacino delle Grazie, and the Molo Vecchio (Old Port). Reservations aren't necessary. Via Sottoripa 7/8, Porto Vecchio, 16128. 010/265712. www.liguriaviamare.it. €10. Daily; departure times vary.