Located on the Ligurian coast, the hilly Italian port of Genoa is made up of two cities. The steep, narrow lanes, baroque churches and vacant lots of the old working port from which it grew up lie next to a handsome bustling city of avenues and arcades, palaces, theatres and cafés which spread out into the nearby hills. Although it is Italy's main commercial port, it also offers plenty of tourist attractions including Europe's largest aquarium.

BRISTOL PALACE
Via XX Settembre 35 (00 39 010 592 541). Offers fin-de-siècle elegance. ££

METROPOLI
Piazza Fontane Marose (00 39 010 2468 888). Central, quiet and good value. £

LA CAPANNINA
Via T. Speri 7 (00 39 010 317 131). Family-run, near the picturesque Boccadasse fishing cove. £

CAFE KLAINGUTI
Piazza Soziglia 98. Try la Zena, their zabaglione-packed speciality.

BAR DEGLI SPECCHI
On Salita Polaioli, in front of Palazzo Ducale. Attracts a young crowd.

PALAZZO SPINOLA
Piazza Pelliceria, off via San Luca. The 16th-century Palazzo Spinola is the best of the many palaces to visit. Look out for the soaring trompe l'oeil frescoes (a Genoese speciality) and the collection of paintings by Antonello da Messina, Tintoretto, Rubens and others. Open Tues-Sat, 9am-7pm; Sun, 2pm-10pm.

PALAZZO PRINCIPE
Next to Stazione Principe, at via San Benedetto 2. This fascinating town house was originally set in its own park outside the city walls, but these have long since been engulfed by Genoa's westward expansion. It was built in 1529 by the city's canniest and most influential ruler, Andrea Doria. Today it is still lived in by the Doria-Pamphilii family who opens the villa to visitors at weekends only. Open Sat, 3pm-6pm; Sun, 10am-1pm.

AQUARIUM
Ponte Spinola in the old port (00 39 010 248 1205). Europe's largest aquarium has huge state-of-the-art tanks reproducing several marine environments, from Mediterranean tidal zones to coral reefs and Arctic waters.

BOAT TRIPS
To appreciate the extent of its coastal sprawl and the terraced height of its inland spread, take a boat tour of the port (every half hour from outside the Aquarium) and contemplate the city from the sea, as so many departing or returning sailors must have done. The trip also provides a chance to take in what is fast becoming the city's third face: the old harbour itself, spruced up by architect Renzo Piano for the Columbus Expo celebrations in 1992. The industrial docks - still the city's major employer - have moved out to the area beyond the imposing Lanterna lighthouse. In the old basin, where ships were once unloaded by wind-burnt dockers, there are now cafés, shops, and a growing number of tourist attractions.

VIEW
Head uphill for a different view. From the central Piazza Portello, a short tunnel leads to two perfectly ordinary-looking lifts which take one on a two-minute vertical ride to the residential district of Castelletto, perched above the rooftops of the old city. From up here, with the wind gusting in off the gulf, the two elements of what makes Genoa fascinating add up: the hillside which the city clings to precariously - where up and down make more sense than left and right - and the beckoning expanse of the sea.

PARCO DURAZZO-PALLAVICINI
Pegli (12km west, by train from Stazione Principe). The Parco Durazzo-Pallavicini was redesigned in the mid-19th century as an allegorical pleasure-ground, whose lakes, pagodas, grottoes and fountains lead the visitor through the chapters of a metaphysical fable. Open April to Sept, Tues to Sun, 9am to 7pm; Oct to Mar, Tues to Sun, 10am to 5pm.

MONTE PORTOFINO
To the east lies the wild promontory of Portofino, whose southern coast is accessible only on foot or by sea. A panoramic walk (three hours) takes you from Camogli (a short train ride from Genoa) through terraced vineyards and macchia to the Abbazia di San Fruttuoso. This must be one of the most picturesque monasteries in all Italy, with its arches sunk into the sand of a small fishing cove. Open May to Sept, Tues to Sun, 10am to 6pm; March to April & Oct, Tues to Sun, 10am to 4pm; Dec to Feb, Sat to Sun, 10am to 4pm; closed November). Alternatively, a frequent ferry service plies to and from San Fruttuoso from Camogli, Portofino, and Santa Margherita Ligure.

BOTTEGA DELLA STOCCAFISSO
Via Macelli di Soziglia 20-22. Buy stockfish, a local delicacy.

VIGNANOTTI
Vico Castagna 14. A place of pilgrimage for local chocolate fiends.

ANTICA BARBERIA
Vico dei Caprettai. The tiny art nouveau barber shop has been restored by the FAI (Italy's version of the National Trust) - worth a look even if you don't need a haircut.

AIRPORT
Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport is located north west of the city. A quick, reliable bus service leaves the airport for the city centre every 30 minutes.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
Fly to Genoa with British Airways (0845 779 9977; www.ba.com), this is the only carrier which flies direct to the city.

Don't hire a car in Genoa, anything wider than a Vespa is not much use in the narrow streets of the old town. Sights are within walking distance or reachable by bus or funicular. A multi-purpose ticket for both (which you buy at tobacconists and newsagents) is valid for 90 minutes' travel.

Autumn and spring are the best times to visit. In June, July and August, temperatures reach about 30°C, with some rain showers in mid to late August. The Supermaggio each May is a month-long cultural festival when museums and galleries have extended opening hours and there are various events and tours around the city.

The main Genoa tourist office is in the Palazzina Santa Maria in the old port, near the Aquarium (Mon to Sat, 8am to 7.30pm). There are other branches at the airport (Mon to Sat, 8am to 8pm) and at the Stazione Principe (Mon to Sat, 8am to 8pm; Sun and public holidays, 9am to 12pm).