Genoa Aquarium

Ticket prices 2026

Prices vary by date and by how early you buy: the official site puts it plainly, “the earlier you buy, the less you pay”. These are the starting prices for fixed-date tickets, checked in October 2026.

Children under 4 go free. The companion of a person with 100% disability also enters free, but must collect the ticket at the desk with the certificate. At the ticket desk a single ticket costs €34, compared with €26 online for a fixed date.

Which ticket to choose

The official site sells two types. The Fixed Date ticket is the cheapest, but the day and time slot are binding and cannot be changed. The Open Flexi ticket costs €38, is valid for a year and lets you change date and time once, up to 2 hours before entry.

If your dates are certain, go for the fixed date. If your plans may still change, there is a middle way: the official ticket sold on GetYourGuide, which you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before.

Book your ticket on GetYourGuide

Affiliate link: booking through it costs you nothing extra and supports this guide.

Tickets are not personal, so you can give them away if you cannot go. The combos with Bigo and Biosphere make sense if you spend the whole day at the Old Port; those with the Children’s City are aimed at families with under-12s.

Opening hours

The aquarium is open 365 days a year, but hours change through the year. It normally opens at 9 or 10am and closes between 7:30 and 8pm; in some periods, such as the Genoa Boat Show, it stays open until 10pm. Last entry is always 2 hours before closing.

Before you go, check the hours for your day on the official calendar. Some tanks may be closed for maintenance.

What to see: the route and the animals

The route crosses five environments, from warm seas to polar ice. You can download the current map from the aquarium’s website.

Dolphins and the Cetacean Pavilion

The dolphins live in the Cetacean Pavilion, designed by Renzo Piano and opened in 2013: you watch them through underwater windows and from above. There are no shows of any kind at the aquarium, so there is no show time to look for.

To see them up close you can book “Face to face with the dolphins”, one of the guided experiences run by the staff, along with the penguin encounter, the behind-the-scenes tour and the “Night with the sharks”. They are held in Italian only.

Tips for your visit

• When to go: weekends, bank holidays and summer are busiest; weekdays are calmer.
• How much time: allow two and a half hours, three with small children. There is no time limit, but you cannot leave and re-enter.
• Cloakroom: a staffed cloakroom costs €3 per item, handy if you arrive with a backpack or suitcase.
• Food: no eating along the route, but there are two cafés halfway through.
• Photos: allowed, but no flash.
• Dogs: not allowed, except guide dogs. The Old Port tourist office can suggest a dog sitter.

After the aquarium, the Galata Maritime Museum, the Biosphere and the caruggi of the old town are a short walk away. For lunch ideas, read what to eat in Genoa.

How to get there

By train: from Genova Piazza Principe station it is a 10–15 minute walk. Or take the metro towards Brignole and get off at San Giorgio. From Brignole station, take bus 13 or the metro.

By bus: lines 1 (from the west) and 13 (from the east) terminate in front of the aquarium.

By car: leave the motorway at Genova Ovest and follow Via Milano and Via Gramsci. The aquarium car park has 167 spaces and is open 24 hours, but cannot be booked: in summer and at weekends the train is easier.

By plane: Cristoforo Colombo airport is 7 km away, about 15 minutes by taxi.

If you want to stay overnight, see the best areas in where to stay in Genoa, starting with the old town right by the port. Everything else is in our guide to Genoa.