Tickets for the Aquarium of Genoa start from €26 for adults and €16 for children aged 4 to 12, while children under 4 go free and visitors over 65 pay from €20. Prices change by date and slot, so booking early on the official ticket page is usually cheapest. Every ticket is for a fixed half-hour entry slot, cannot be refunded, and lets you stay as long as you like once inside. Most people spend about two and a half hours.
The Acquario di Genova, on the old harbor in the Porto Antico area, is the largest aquarium in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe. Below is what each ticket type includes, how dynamic pricing works, when to go and how to get there.
Aquarium tickets and prices at a glance
| Ticket | Adult (13+) | Reduced (65+, disabled) | Child (4 to 12) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarium, fixed date and slot | from €26 | from €20 | from €16 |
| Pianeta Acquario (Aquarium, Biosfera, Bigo) | €37 | €28.50 | €24.50 |
| Aquarium + Città dei Bambini | €42 | €35 | €33 |
| AcquarioVillage (Aquarium, Biosfera, Bigo, Città dei Bambini) | €51 | €43 | €40 |
| AcquarioPass, 12 months | €95 | – | €75 |
Children under 4 enter free. On the AcquarioVillage pass, kids aged 2 and 3 pay €7 for the extra venues. Prices are those published by the aquarium for fall 2026 and are “from” prices: on busy dates the same ticket can cost more.
How dynamic pricing works
Fixed-date tickets use variable pricing. The cost of a given slot can change from day to day, and even overnight, depending on the season, the hour and demand, which rises sharply on rainy days and school holidays. The aquarium’s own advice is simple: the sooner you book, the less you spend. If your dates are firm, reserve as soon as you know them.
The Open Flexi option
If you are not sure which day you will go, the Open Flexi ticket is valid for 12 months and lets you choose your slot later. It costs more than the cheapest dated admission (around €34 to €38 at the time of writing), and you can change your chosen slot once, up to two hours before entry.
How booking and time slots work
Every visit needs a booked time slot. Slots run every half hour, and the date and slot on a fixed ticket are binding, so arriving well after your slot can mean being turned away on a busy day. On combined passes only the aquarium has a fixed entry; the Biosfera, the Bigo lift and the Città dei Bambini can be visited whenever you like while the ticket is valid.
Key conditions to know before you pay:
- No free cancellation. Fixed-date and Open admissions are not refundable, and dated ones cannot be moved.
- Tickets are not named, so you can pass one to a friend if your plans change.
- Single entry. Once you leave, you cannot go back in on the same ticket.
- Check availability on the official site before planning a whole day around a particular slot, especially in August and at Easter.
Resellers also offer Genoa entry bundles and “skip the line” products, but the aquarium sells no official priority option, and the timed slot already controls lines. Booking direct gives you the official price and terms.
Discounts and city museum cards
The reduced price covers visitors over 65, people with a certified disability and military personnel. The companion of a visitor with a 100% disability enters free, collected at the ticket desk on showing the certificate. Note that the Genova Museum Card does not include the Acquario di Genova; it lists the aquarium only under general discounts. There is also no official combined ticket with the Galata Museo del Mare, though some resellers bundle the two.
Marine animals you will see inside
Designed by Renzo Piano for the 1992 Expo, the building holds around 70 tanks recreating habitats from the Ligurian Sea to coral reefs, the Antarctic and the Amazon. Highlights include sharks and rays, jellyfish and seahorses, penguins, seals and manatees, plus the Cetacean Pavilion: four open-air pools for a group of bottlenose dolphins, viewed through a 24-meter glass wall on two levels. Panels explain the aquarium’s conservation work, and many tanks have low windows for younger children.
Several hundred species of marine life live here, so plan on a slow walk rather than a quick look. The route is one-way and takes most people around two and a half hours, with no limit on how long you stay.
How to plan your visit
A visit works best as a half-day plan. Arrive 15 minutes before your slot, leave coats and bags in the cloakroom, and pace yourself: the route is long, and the most popular tanks (the sharks, the dolphins in the Cetacean Pavilion and the penguins) are spread along it rather than bunched at the start. Families with small kids often take a break at the halfway café before carrying on.
If you hold a combined pass, do the Genoa aquarium first while your timed entry applies, then walk out to the Biosfera and the Bigo in the same harbor area. Both are quick, and the Bigo gives a good view over the harbor before you head into the old town for lunch. Staying in Genoa a few days? A late-afternoon slot on a weekday is a calm way to see the marine species without the weekend crowds, and leaves the morning free for the palaces and alleys of the historic center.
Opening hours and the best time to go
The aquarium is open every day of the year. Current hours are 9:00 to 20:00, with last admission at 18:00, and occasional late openings during events such as the Genoa Boat Show. Check the official times and calendar before your visit, as hours can change by season.
Weekday mornings outside school holidays are the quietest, and early slots can be cheaper under dynamic pricing. Rainy weekends are the busiest days of all, since the aquarium is the city’s main indoor attraction.
Getting there
- Metro: get off at San Giorgio, a few minutes’ walk along the waterfront.
- From Genova Piazza Principe station: walk 10 to 15 minutes, or take bus 32.
- From Genova Brignole station: take the metro, or bus 13.
- Buses 1 and 13 stop right outside.
- By car: the Porto Antico parking garage has 167 spaces, four of them for disabled drivers, open 24 hours.
Visiting with children, strollers and bags
The building was designed without architectural barriers, so wheelchairs and strollers can follow the whole route. A cloakroom takes bags and coats for €3 per item, which is worth using with a day pack and essential with a suitcase. Pets are not allowed except guide dogs, and flash photography is banned to protect the animals.
Food and drink are not allowed along the exhibition route itself. About halfway round there is a fast-food bar, a restaurant, vending machines and a picnic deck on the Blue Ship, with gluten-free options available.
Behind-the-scenes visits
Beyond the standard route, the aquarium runs behind-the-scenes visits, guided tours and other paid experiences on selected dates, which sell out early in high season. Look them up on the official site and book them together with your entrance tickets so the slots line up.
More Genoa attractions at Porto Antico
The harbor area makes it easy to build a full day around the aquarium. The Biosfera is a glass sphere housing a small tropical forest, the Bigo lift rises over the old port for views across the city, and the Città dei Bambini is a hands-on science space for younger kids. The Galata Museo del Mare, a maritime museum, is a short walk away. If you are fitting Genoa into a longer trip along the coast, the Italy on Foot trip planner can help you plan the rest of the route.
FAQ
Is the Genoa aquarium worth it?
Yes, especially with children or on a rainy day. It is one of the largest on the continent, with dolphins, penguins, sharks and manatees, and a visit easily fills half a day.
What do tickets cost?
From €26 for adults, €20 reduced and €16 for ages 4 to 12, with under-4s free. Prices rise on busy dates, so book early.
What are the opening hours?
Currently 9:00 to 20:00 every day, with last entry at 18:00. Check the official calendar for event days.
Can I get a refund if I cannot go?
No. Admission is non-refundable and dated entries cannot be changed, but they are not named, so someone else can use them.
How does it compare with other Italian aquariums?
The Acquario di Genova is the country’s largest and best known. Smaller alternatives include Le Navi in Cattolica on the Adriatic coast and the Livorno aquarium on the Tuscan coast.
What else is there to see in Genoa?
Besides the aquarium, visitors head for the Via Garibaldi palaces (the Strade Nuove), the old town’s alleys, the Galata maritime museum, the Spianata Castelletto viewpoint and the fishing village of Boccadasse.