Rolli Days: 16–18 October 2026
By train you're at the sea in about two hours: old town lanes, Renaissance palaces on Via Garibaldi, the aquarium at the old harbour. Here's how to get there, what you can manage in a day – and which Riviera destinations are too far for that.
from€33.00per person
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Genoa is the capital of Liguria and the nearest stretch of the Mediterranean for anyone staying in Turin. For a day trip, that means: set off early, about two hours on the train, and you have a full day in a city that has little in common with Turin – narrow lanes instead of arcades, a harbour instead of Alpine views.
What's realistic in a day from Turin:
The Cinque Terre are not realistic. With a change in Genoa you'll be travelling at least around three hours each way, usually longer. For that you need an overnight stay on the coast.
Journey times are rough guides from the timetable. Look up the exact connection for your day on trenitalia.com.
| Destination | Getting there from Turin | As a day trip? |
|---|---|---|
| Genoa | Direct train from Porta Nuova, about 2 hours | yes, easily doable |
| Camogli | Train to Genoa, then regional train (under 1 hour) | yes, with an early start |
| Portofino, San Fruttuoso | Train to Genoa, then boat from the Porto Antico (certain days only) | yes, as a boat trip – leaving little time for Genoa |
| Cinque Terre | Train to Genoa, change towards La Spezia; in total at least around 3 hours each way | no, better with an overnight stay |
Journey times according to a timetable database, as of October 2026. Timetables change; on some weekends replacement buses run because of engineering work in the Genoa area.
Direct trains to Genoa start at Torino Porta Nuova and stop at Torino Lingotto on the way. There's no direct connection from Porta Susa. Regionale Veloce, InterCity and the odd Frecciarossa run on the line; all take about two hours. Direct trains run throughout the day, from early morning to evening. Which Turin station suits you better is explained on our page on train stations in Turin.
In Genoa you arrive at one of two stations:
Return journey: The last direct train to Turin leaves in the later evening. Check the time in advance, especially if you're planning a boat trip. Paper tickets for regional trains must be validated in the machine at the station before boarding; regional tickets bought digitally are valid for the train you choose.
Engineering work: Work is under way on the railway around Genoa. On some weekends trains are cancelled or replaced by buses. Check the notices under "Infomobilità" on trenitalia.com shortly before you travel.
By car: Possible, but impractical in Genoa itself because the old town is a maze of narrow lanes. If you drive anyway, the aquarium has its own car park with 167 spaces, open around the clock (no reservations). More about driving in Turin itself is on the page Driving, ZTL and parking.
Genoa's old town is compact. Between Principe station, Via Garibaldi, the cathedral and the harbour, you can walk everywhere.
The old town is a tangle of narrow lanes, the caruggi. Key stops are the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Palazzo Ducale, Piazza De Ferrari with its fountain and the Porta Soprana city gate. To get your bearings, a guided walk in the morning is worth it.
Via Garibaldi, formerly Strada Nuova, is a street of 16th- and 17th-century aristocratic palaces. Three of them – Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi – make up the Musei di Strada Nuova. The streets and palaces have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006.
The old harbour is now a promenade with the aquarium, museums and boat piers. The boats to Camogli and Portofino also leave from here. A good place for a lunch break with focaccia and a view of the water.
The aquarium on Ponte Spinola was designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano for Expo 1992. Its 71 tanks are home to more than 500 species of fish, plus dolphins, penguins, seals and jellyfish. According to the tourism portal Italia.it, it's the largest aquarium in Italy.
from €33.00
Details & bookingThe "Rolli" were public lists in which, from 1576, the Republic of Genoa registered the palaces of noble families that had to host state guests. 42 of these palaces are now part of the World Heritage Site. Most are residential or office buildings and can only be seen from outside, or from inside on the Rolli Days. The three palaces of the Musei di Strada Nuova are open all year.
| Musei di Strada Nuova | Details |
|---|---|
| Buildings | Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Tursi (Via Garibaldi) |
| Opening hours 28 September 2026 to 18 April 2027 | daily and on public holidays 10:00–18:30; on Mondays Palazzo Rosso only |
| Last admission | one hour before closing |
| Closed | 25 December |
| Official admission | €14.00 full price, €9.00 reduced (also valid for the Museo di Sant’Agostino) |
Source: museidigenova.it, as of 1 October 2026. According to the museum, the lift in Palazzo Rosso is temporarily out of service.
Palazzo Rosso has works by Dürer, Veronese and Van Dyck, plus frescoes by 17th-century Ligurian painters. Palazzo Bianco shows Genoese, Italian and Flemish painting. Palazzo Tursi holds Guarneri's violin "Il Cannone", which belonged to Niccolò Paganini.
The Rolli Days are the days when Genoa opens palaces that are normally closed. In 2026 they take place from 16 to 18 October, marking the 20th anniversary of the World Heritage listing. The city publishes the list of open palaces and the booking details shortly beforehand on visitgenoa.it. If your dates are flexible, plan your trip for one of these days.
Outside the Rolli Days, a guided Rolli tour gets you into palaces that are otherwise closed – such as Palazzo Lomellino and Palazzo Tobia Pallavicino (see tickets below).
The aquarium is open 365 days a year. Opening hours vary by season and day of the week; you'll find the calendar for your day on the aquarium's website. The prices are "from" prices – depending on the day and time it may cost more.
| Ticket | Official admission |
|---|---|
| Adults (13 and over) | from €25.00 |
| Children aged 4 to 12 | from €15.00 |
| Children up to 3 | free |
| Aged 65 and over, people with disabilities | from €19.00 |
Source: acquariodigenova.it, as of 1 October 2026. According to the ticket provider, last admission is two hours before closing; you must stick to your booked time slot.
East of Genoa begins the Riviera di Levante. For a day trip from Turin, only the nearby places are an option.
The most convenient way to Portofino from Turin is the boat from the Porto Antico. The Golfo Paradiso line runs via Nervi, Recco and Camogli to San Fruttuoso and Portofino. The full-day trip departs at 10:00; the only return leaves Portofino at 16:50. For this, take an early-morning train from Turin. The half-day trip departs at 14:00 – ideal if you spend the morning in Genoa.
The boats only run in good weather and calm seas. The summer trip to the Cinque Terre (from Genoa, stopping in Monterosso) only ran on certain Saturdays until September in 2026.
From October, the Golfo Paradiso boats from Genoa no longer run daily. These are the dates given by the operator:
| Trip from Genoa Porto Antico | Dates 2026 |
|---|---|
| Full-day trip (10:00) to Camogli, San Fruttuoso, Portofino | October: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24 – no further dates in 2026 |
| Half-day trip (14:00) | October: as above plus 25 October; also individual dates on 1 November and between 27 December and 3 January |
Source: golfoparadiso.it, as of 1 October 2026. Trips in good weather only. In 2026 the season began in late March; the 2027 dates have not yet been published.
Take an early-morning train from Torino Porta Nuova or Lingotto. That way you're in Genoa by mid-morning, with enough time for the old town and the harbour.
From Principe station, walk into the old town. The Musei di Strada Nuova open at 10:00. Allow two hours for the three palaces – or book the guided Rolli tour.
Through the caruggi to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Piazza De Ferrari. Along the way, there's focaccia to take away everywhere.
At the Porto Antico you decide: the aquarium with a booked time slot, or, on sailing days, the half-day boat trip to Portofino at 14:00.
Look up the last direct train in advance. After the boat trip you're back in Genoa in the early evening and can easily catch a train.
All options start in Genoa. You arrange your own train travel from Turin.
Entry to the aquarium with a fixed time slot. Optionally with food (sandwich, focaccia or street food). Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from €33.00
Details & booking
Reserved entry with a time slot, plus a gelato tasting at a gelateria in the old town. Cancellation and rebooking up to 24 hours in advance.
from €33.00
Details & booking
Two and a half hours with a guide in Italian and English through Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Imperiale, Palazzo Lomellino and Palazzo Tobia Pallavicino. Meeting point: the tourist information office on Via Garibaldi. On selected dates only. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from €14.00
Details & booking
Two hours to the highlights of the old town: Palazzo Ducale, Piazza San Giorgio, Porta Soprana, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, Piazza De Ferrari. In English, Spanish, Italian or French. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from €35.00
Details & booking
A full day by boat from the Porto Antico to Camogli, San Fruttuoso and Portofino, with free time in each place. Shorter versions also available. No guide, good weather only. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from €21.00
Details & booking
Boat trip from the Porto Antico to Portofino with just over an hour there, returning to Genoa in the early evening. No guide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.
from €26.00
Details & bookingPrices and reviews live from the provider. For the boats: trips only run in good weather and calm seas; check before booking that your date is in the provider's calendar.
We currently can't find an organised day tour from Turin to Genoa or the Riviera with our partners. That's no big drawback: the direct trains are straightforward, and in Genoa you book exactly what suits you.
More day trips from Turin: Milan, Lake Maggiore or the Aosta Valley. The page Day trips in Piedmont gives an overview.
Genoa is in Liguria. The Torino + Piemonte Card covers museums and residences in Turin and Piedmont – in Genoa you pay standard admission. For your days in Turin itself, the card is worth it: free entry to the Egyptian Museum, the Musei Reali and La Venaria Reale, among others.
About two hours. The direct trains – Regionale Veloce, InterCity and the odd Frecciarossa – start at Torino Porta Nuova and stop at Lingotto. There's no direct train to Genoa from Porta Susa.
Yes. With an early train you have a full day there – enough for Via Garibaldi, the old town and the Porto Antico, or for the old town and the aquarium. Doing everything plus a boat trip gets tight.
For the old town, Via Garibaldi and the aquarium, Genova Piazza Principe is the most convenient. Genova Brignole is in the east; regional trains towards Camogli and La Spezia also leave from there.
It doesn't make sense. With a change in Genoa you'll be travelling at least around three hours each way, usually longer. For the Cinque Terre, plan an overnight stay on the coast.
The easiest way is by boat from the Porto Antico. In 2026, the Golfo Paradiso full-day trip runs on certain days until 24 October, and the half-day trip until 25 October plus a few dates after that. Alternatively, take the train to Santa Margherita Ligure and continue by bus or boat – Portofino has no railway station.
Officially from €25.00 for adults aged 13 and over and from €15.00 for children aged 4 to 12; children up to 3 go free. Depending on the day and time, prices may be higher.
365 days a year. Opening times vary by season and day of the week; you'll find the calendar on acquariodigenova.it. According to the ticket provider, last admission is two hours before closing.
Aristocratic palaces that, from 1576, the Republic of Genoa entered in public lists ("Rolli") in order to house state guests. Together with the Strade Nuove, 42 palaces have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006. Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianco and Palazzo Tursi are open all year as the Musei di Strada Nuova.
From 16 to 18 October 2026. Genoa then opens palaces that are otherwise inaccessible. The city publishes the programme and booking details shortly beforehand on visitgenoa.it.
No. The Torino + Piemonte Card is valid in Turin and Piedmont. In Genoa you pay standard admission.