Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
Genoa's Romanesque twelfth-century cathedral easily rivals those
of Italy's other major historic cities, having retained its
magnificence despite partial destruction by fire and by war and
significant restoration and extension over the centuries. The
cathedral's stunning internal decoration includes many fine
sculptures and carvings, an exquisitely-painted high vaulted
ceiling and pictorial stained-glass windows.
Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola
Housed in one of the many grand mansions ('palazzos') that were
built by the aristocracy in Genoa during the seventeenth and
eighteenth century, the National Gallery of Spinola Palace is set
over four floors and contains original masterpieces by painters
including Rubens, Tintoretto, Van Dyck and Strozzi, as well as
ceramics, frescoes and period furniture.
Acquario di Genova
Located on the city's waterfront, Genoa's aquarium is the
largest in Italy and one of the largest in Europe. Opened in 1993,
the aquarium showcases biodiversity in seventy-one separate tanks
which replicate natural marine environments including the
Antarctic, the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Amazon, and the
Indian Ocean and contain more than six hundred species of animals
and plants including dolphins, sharks, seals and penguins as well
as rare and exotic fish.