Segway Tour Genoa Caruggi: Medieval Alleys in an Hour

Glide through the caruggi on a Segway, discovering the city's top landmarks with a guide.

A one-hour Segway tour of Genoa's medieval center, starting at Porto Antico and crossing the caruggi alleys to reach the Doge's Palace, Piazza de Ferrari and Genoa Cathedral. The tour includes a driving school lesson, helmet and waterproof gear. Riders must be at least 16 years old and have moderate physical fitness. A live guide speaks English, Italian or French throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Genoa's historic center by Segway

• Learn to drive Segway at Porto Antico
• See Palazzo S. Giorgio
• Tour largest pedestrianized historic center
• Cross Via Garibaldi with sixteenth century buildings
• Visit Piazza de Ferrari and surrounding palaces
• Admire Palazzo Ducale in Piazza Matteotti
• View Genoa Cathedral's architecture
• Walk along Porto Antico seafront and port

The experience

The tour begins at Porto Antico, the pedestrianized waterfront area where you'll get your Segway and learn to ride it in a safe, flat space close to the sea. Once you're comfortable steering, the guide leads you into the caruggi: the narrow, intricate alleys that make up Europe's largest medieval historic center. These thousand-year-old streets are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and riding through them on a Segway lets you cover ground quickly while staying low enough to notice the details: the suspended gardens, the shuttered windows, the way the buildings lean overhead.

The route takes you past Palazzo San Giorgio, the first bank in Europe, then up Via Garibaldi: one of the most important roads in Europe, lined with sixteenth-century buildings and their characteristic hanging gardens. From there you reach Piazza de Ferrari, the heart of the historic center, where the majestic fountain sits beneath the Carlo Felice Theater and the Stock Exchange building. The guide stops at the Doge's Palace, the former residence of Genoa's lords, and at Genoa Cathedral, with its precious marbles and distinctive architecture. The tour ends with a ride along the seafront back to Porto Antico, where you can see the Galeone Neptune and the whole port from the shore.

You'll wear a helmet throughout and have waterproof apparel available if it rains. The one-hour pace means you see the main monuments and neighborhoods without spending a full day on foot, and the Segway handles the pedestrianized streets and flat terrain of the center easily. Riders need to be at least 16 years old and comfortable with moderate physical activity. The guide will make sure you're steady before heading into the alleys.

What’s included

• Use of a Segway and helmet.
• a driving school lesson at the start.
• waterproof apparel if it rains.
• a live guide in English, Italian or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 14:30 and 16:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Under 16: can't be booked

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Le Bighe del Bigo - Genova Segway

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, Italian or French, so you can follow the commentary in your language. One hour is enough to see the main medieval landmarks and learn to ride without a full-day commitment, making this a good fit for travelers with limited time in Genoa or those who want to cover more ground than walking allows.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the caruggi and why is it worth seeing on a Segway?

The caruggi are the narrow, winding alleys of Genoa's medieval center, which is the largest pedestrianized historic district in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. A Segway lets you move through them quickly while staying low enough to see the thousand-year-old buildings, suspended gardens and street-level details you'd miss on foot or moving too fast.

Do I need to know how to ride a Segway before the tour starts?

No. The tour includes a driving school lesson at Porto Antico before you enter the alleys, so you'll learn to steer and balance in a flat, safe area close to the sea. The guide makes sure you're comfortable before the main route begins.

Which landmarks does the tour pass?

The tour includes Palazzo San Giorgio (Europe's first bank), Via Garibaldi with its sixteenth-century buildings and hanging gardens, Piazza de Ferrari with its fountain and Carlo Felice Theater, the Doge's Palace (the former seat of Genoa's power), and Genoa Cathedral. It ends at Porto Antico on the waterfront.

What's the minimum age to ride the Segway?

Riders must be at least 16 years old. Children under 16 cannot operate the Segway, though they may be able to accompany the group on foot. Check with the operator about options for younger travelers.