What to do and see in Province of Genoa, Italy: The Best Places and Tips

The Acquario di Genova was built on the occasion of the Expo ’92, a celebration of the fifth centenary of the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus, with the intention of restructuring and enhancing an area full of history and traditions, located in the heart of Genoa’s historic centre, the Porto Antico (the old port). It’s the biggest aquarium in Europe.

We are operating starting mid March until the end of October. During this time you can rent our boats with or without driver, for various kinds of tours, ranging from 1 hour (minimum) to a full day. The tours can be planned according to clients' requirements, even sailing from a different place. During our tours the following services are at your disposal: mini-bar, towels, fresh water shower, snorkelling masks and much more.

The Promontory of Portofino, the most northern protected coastal area of the western Mediterranean, shows scenery and landscapes amongst the most famous in the world. Formed by giant conglomerate deposits overlying limestone banks, mainly of marl, it has geomorphologic and microclimatic characteristics which provide, in a limited territory, an extremely varied environment. Within short distances, we can find the cool Forests of the northern mountainside and nearby the sunny cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean world, from the civilization of chestnut to the olive one, from the peasant traditions to the sea and the fishing traditional industry. The Park of Portofino has been a protected area since 1935 and it hosts one of the largest concentrations of flora of the Mediterranean, a large variety of birds and invertebrates as well as important historical and architectural treasures such as the abbeys of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte and San Gerolamo della Cervara. A network of over 80 km of trails allows walking and hiking excursions of various lengths and difficulty, with the opportunity to enjoy the peculiarities of the whole area in the best way possible.

The Beigua district - the largest nature protected area in Liguria - preserves the geological history of the region, jealously portrayed through rocky outcrops, mineralizations, fossil deposits, spectacular forms modelled ceaselessly due to the effects of exogenous agents. Due to the exceptional geological heritage present in the Beigua district, in March 2005 a special international commission of experts positively assessed the dossier presented by the Beigua Park Authorities, thus awarding the territory the status of European and Global Geopark under the aegis of UNESCO. In November 2015, the same area has been recognized as UNESCO site and included in the prestigious list of the UNESCO Global Geoparks. The Beigua regional nature Park - UNESCO Global Geopark represents a district made up of ten municipalities (Arenzano, Campo Ligure, Cogoleto, Genoa, Masone, Rossiglione, Sassello, Stella, Tiglieto, and Varazze) involving two different provinces (Genoa and Savona). In a territory full of contrasts such as Liguria, locked between the Mountains and the sea, the Beigua regional nature Park - UNESCO Global Geopark is a true example of a region where, even over short stretches, you can find environments and landscapes so different from one another to amaze any unsuspecting visitors. It is a spectacular gallery formed of Mountains facing out onto the sea where nature, history, culture, and ancient traditions become elements of extraordinary value and interest. In order to take full advantage of the territory, a dense hiking network has been created which covers approximately 500 kilometres and enables us to admire and appreciate the region's environmental and historical/cultural beauty. Twenty-six kilometres of mountainous ridges just a stone's throw from the Ligure Riviera, which encompass high-lying plains and precious humid zones, dense Forests of beech-trees, oak, and chestnuts, steep cliffs and rocky outcrops, Forests of Maritime Pine, and strips of Mediterranean vegetation: a mosaic of environments leading to the mountainous area of the Beigua district considered one of Liguria's richest areas in biodiversity.

Outdoor Portofino is a company that promotes sport, active tourism and environmental education activities related to the Marine Protected Area and Park of Portofino and other natural and cultural heritage areas of Liguria. Our goal is to make sports accessible to everyone and spread a culture of environmental respect and knowledge of nature and of the surrounding area. The project is driven by a sustainability perspective, with special attention to the enhancement of the traditional activities, of the local cultures, of eco-tourism and the fruition of socially sensitive categories.