The Lanterna is Genoa's lighthouse, but that undersells it. Rising above the western side of the port, it has guided ships for centuries and still serves as the city's most recognisable symbol. In a place built on maritime power, the tower feels less like a nautical accessory than a statement of identity.
The walk out to the lighthouse gives a different view of Genoa: cranes, ferries, warehouses, sea walls, and the old city squeezed behind them. The small museum and climb are worthwhile when open, but even from outside the Lanterna helps make sense of the city. Genoa is not a polished postcard port; it is a working harbour with a long memory.