6 Best Sights in The Italian Riviera, Italy

Europe's biggest aquarium is a must for children. Fifty tanks of marine species, including sea turtles, dolphins, seals, eels, penguins, jellyfish, and sharks, share space with educational displays, touch pools, and re-creations of marine ecosystems, among them a tank of coral from the Indian Ocean and a wall that replicates a forest in Madagascar. The Aquarium Village complex (additional cost) includes a biosphere with tropical plants and birds, as well as a virtual reality "experience museum," and the Bigo panoramic elevator.  Buy tickets online in advance for the lowest prices. If arriving by car, take the Genova Ovest exit from the autostrada.

The remains of this massive 13th-century castle, atop a small hill above the modern town, now house a small museum dedicated to local archaeology.

The Genova–Casella Railroad is a good way to get a sense of the rugged landscape around Genoa; the train departs about every 90 minutes, and a bus supplements some routes. In operation since 1929, it runs from Piazza Manin in Genoa (follow Via Montaldo from the center of town, or take Bus No. 34 or 36 to the piazza) through the beautiful countryside above the city, arriving in the rural hill town Casella. The tiny train traverses precarious switchbacks that afford sweeping views of the Ligurian hills. In Casella Paese (the last stop) you can hike, eat lunch, or check out the view and ride back. Canova (two stops from the end of the line) is the start of two possible hikes: a two-hour (one-way) trek to a small sanctuary, Santuario della Vittoria, and a grueling four-hour hike to the hill town of Creto. Another worthwhile stop is Sant'Olcese Tullo, where you can take a half-hour (one-way) walk through the Sentiero Botanico di Ciaé, a botanical garden and forest refuge with a tiny medieval castle.

Devoted to the city's seafaring history, this museum is probably the best way, at least on dry land, to get an idea of the changing shape of Genoa's busy port. Highlighting the displays is a full-size replica of a 17th-century Genoan galley.

Take a cog railway up the steeply rising terrain to another part of the city's fortified walls. It takes 15 minutes to hoist you from Stazione Principe to Porta Granarolo, 1,000 feet above, where the sweeping view gives you a sense of Genoa's size. The funicular departs every 30–40 minutes.

Designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, this spiderlike white structure was erected in 1992 to celebrate the Columbus quincentenary. You can take its Ascensore Panoramico Bigo (Bigo Panoramic Elevator) up 650 feet for a 360-degree view of the harbor, city, and sea. In winter there's an ice-skating rink next to the elevator, in an area covered by sail-like awnings. Check the website for seasonal opening hours.