{"id":1310021,"date":"2026-10-26T11:38:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T11:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=1310021"},"modified":"2026-10-26T11:38:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T11:38:24","slug":"is-genoa-safe-for-backpackers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/is-genoa-safe-for-backpackers\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Genoa Safe for Backpackers? Where to Wander, Where to Skip After Dark"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is Genoa safe? Yes. If you bring the same street smarts you’d use in any big port city, Genoa is a safe place to visit. Most of the trouble travellers worry about is petty crime, and a handful of streets you’d simply skip after dark.<\/p>\n

The heart of the city is its caruggi<\/em>, a maze of narrow medieval lanes where washing hangs between tall buildings, focaccia bakeries open onto the street and every turn opens onto a hidden square. Getting a little lost is half the fun. But a few corners of the old town do have a reputation once the shops close, and it helps to know which ones before you book.<\/p>\n

This guide covers what to watch out for, which streets to enjoy and which to avoid at night, how to arrive safely at the train stations, and where to find a well-placed bed on Hostelworld<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Bart Ros<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is Genoa safe for tourists?<\/h2>\n

Yes. The main thing to watch for is petty crime, not violence. The UK government’s Italy travel advice<\/a> says overall crime is usually low, but warns about pickpocketing and bag snatching in city centres, at tourist sights and on public transport (checked October 2026). That applies to Genoa as much as to Rome or Milan.<\/p>\n

Genoa does feel grittier than Florence. It’s a working port city, and the old town is dense, dark in places and lived-in. But gritty isn’t the same as dangerous. Agata, the Genoese writer behind That’s Liguria<\/a>, puts it simply: like any big city, Genoa has safer and less safe quarters. The one usually named as least safe, the Begato housing estate, is far from the old town, with nothing to draw a visitor there.<\/p>\n

A note on crime scores:<\/strong> you may see Genoa’s Numbeo crime index, 45.77 out of 100 in September 2026. It’s based on the perceptions of 119 website users over five years, not police data, as Numbeo<\/a> itself explains, so treat it as a mood check rather than a fact.<\/p>\n

Bottom line:<\/strong> keep an eye on your bag, and skip a few alleys after dark. Then Genoa is as safe as any big Italian city.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Aleksandr Popov<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Which areas of Genoa should you avoid at night?<\/h2>\n

Three streets on the western side of the old town, and the narrow alleys between them. Agata of That’s Liguria<\/a> names them as the places to skip in the evening:<\/p>\n