Driving through Liguria, an overnight stay in Genoa and a ferry crossing to Barcelona. The next stage of our journey from Istria to Andalucía turned out to be rather more memorable than we’d anticipated.

Our journey from Istria to Andalucía was turning into quite an adventure. After seven years living in Croatia, we were heading towards a new life in southern Spain, revisiting places we’d loved, discovering new ones and generally trying to make the most of what was a very big change in our lives.

We’d already driven through southern France and into Spain in September 2023, and although it’s a beautiful route, we fancied doing something different this time. So, rather than spending more days in the car, we decided to take the overnight ferry from Genoa to Barcelona. At just over €500, the crossing wasn’t cheap, but we reasoned that we’d save ourselves a considerable amount of driving, additional accommodation and general exhaustion. And the prospect of leaving the car behind for a few hours, enjoying a decent dinner and getting a good night’s sleep was enormously appealing. As it turned out, not everything went quite according to plan…

driving through liguria to genoa…

Leaving Bologna behind, we drove through the beautiful countryside of Emilia-Romagna before crossing into Liguria. The landscape was lush and green, dotted with little hilltop towns, almost always with a campanile rising above the rooftops. Even in early July, the roads were surprisingly quiet and on some stretches, we seemed to be the only car for miles.

As we travelled further west, the scenery began to change quite dramatically. The softer countryside gave way to mountains, some of them scarred by enormous quarries, exposing great pale sections of rock. It was quite exhilarating driving through this landscape, with the mountains towering above us and the occasional glimpse of a little village clinging to the hillside. Eventually, we began descending towards the coast, curving around the bay at Camogli, somewhere we’d visited years earlier and remembered with enormous affection. And there were those beautiful pastel-coloured buildings, still lining the waterfront, looking every bit as lovely as we remembered.

It was a reminder of just how fortunate we’d been to have Italy practically on our doorstep for the previous seven years. Little did I know quite how much that thought would come back to me later in the day.

arriving in genoa: a little italian chaos

After years of relatively rural living, arriving in Genoa was quite an experience. It’s a huge, bustling port city and we managed to arrive right in the middle of rush hour, which ordinarily would have been enough to send us into a state of mild despair. But, strangely, we loved it. Scooters were whizzing past us, police cars and ambulances were screaming through the streets, traffic police were attempting to impose some kind of order and pedestrians seemed to regard moving vehicles as something of an inconvenience rather than an actual danger. All of this accompanied by the relentless July sun beating down on the city.

It was hot, noisy, chaotic and absolutely exhilarating. After the peace and quiet of Istria, there was something rather wonderful about being back in the middle of a big Italian city. Unfortunately, we weren’t in Genoa for a leisurely city break. We had a ferry to catch the following day, so our priorities were fairly straightforward – somewhere comfortable to sleep, somewhere safe to park and somewhere good to eat. Preferably without having to get back into the car.

an overnight stay near genoa’s port

We made a slightly unusual hotel choice for us and booked a Holiday Inn. Not normally somewhere we’d gravitate towards, but its proximity to the port, secure parking and restaurant made it seem the sensible option. We knew we’d be tired after the drive and didn’t particularly fancy navigating Genoa again in search of dinner. And what a good decision that turned out to be.

Our room was on a high floor, overlooking the city and port, with a cracking view of the sunset. The hotel itself wasn’t going to win any awards for its interior design, but everything was comfortable, straightforward and exactly what we needed. The restaurant, however, was something else entirely. We’ve come to expect excellent food in Italy, but even so, this surpassed our expectations. I can still remember my seasonal vegetable soup and the trofie al pesto, both absolutely gorgeous and accompanied by excellent local white wine. Sometimes the places you expect the least from turn out to be the most memorable.

After a very good night’s sleep, we were feeling rather pleased with ourselves and ready for the next part of the journey. Our ferry was scheduled to depart at noon, so we had plenty of time to get to the port, check in and settle ourselves on board. Or so we thought…

taking the car ferry from genoa to barcelona

We’d booked the crossing to Barcelona as an alternative to driving through France, but had we investigated a little more thoroughly, we’d have discovered that the ferry continued onwards to Tangier. Given that we were heading towards south-western Andalucía to look at houses, we could potentially have travelled further by sea and then crossed back to Spain, saving ourselves a considerable amount of driving. However, we’d already made our arrangements and, with hindsight, I’m rather glad we did. The journey south from Barcelona turned out to be another adventure, taking us through places we might otherwise never have discovered. Anyway, back to our scheduled noon departure. Which didn’t happen.

For reasons that were never particularly clear to us, the ferry was delayed by around four hours. Unfortunately, we’d already checked in and joined the queue of vehicles waiting to board, which meant spending an increasingly uncomfortable afternoon sitting in a sweltering car. In Genoa. In July. By the time boarding finally began, we were more than ready to get out of the car, although there was one final challenge to negotiate. Vehicles were directed into the depths of the ferry, where drivers had to drive forwards and then perform a very, very tight reversing manoeuvre to get the cars facing the opposite direction.

It was pretty chaotic down there and I was enormously relieved not to be the one behind the wheel. Once we’d finally parked, we grabbed our bags and headed upstairs, delighted to leave the car behind.

leaving italy behind

As we finally sailed out of the Bay of Genoa, I found myself feeling unexpectedly sad. Much more so, strangely, than when we’d actually left our home in Istria. I think the business of leaving Croatia had been so all-consuming that there hadn’t really been time to reflect on what we were leaving behind. There’d been packing, organising, goodbyes and the excitement of what lay ahead, but suddenly, watching the Italian coastline disappear, it all felt very real. For seven years, Italy had been such an easy part of our lives. We could cross the border almost on a whim, whether for a weekend away, a shopping trip or a few days exploring somewhere new. We’d become so accustomed to having it on our doorstep that I think we’d started to take it for granted. And now, sailing away from Genoa, I realised that I had absolutely no idea when we’d be back. It was a surprisingly emotional moment, and one that has stayed with me.

dolphins in the bay of genoa

And then, just as we were settling into the journey, Italy gave us a rather wonderful farewell present. Dolphins! Seven years in Istria and not a single dolphin sighting. Yet within half an hour of leaving Genoa, there were five or six of them, swimming and leaping through the water, following the wake of the ferry. We stood watching them appear and disappear among the waves, absolutely delighted. After the heat, the delays and the sadness of leaving Italy, it was a magical moment and one of the loveliest memories of the entire journey. Not a bad farewell, really.

life on board: our cabin, dinner & a night at sea

We’d booked an internal cabin designed for four people, although quite how four people would have managed comfortably in there is beyond me. It was small, boxy and rather claustrophobic, so we decided we’d spend as little time in it as possible. The upper deck was beautiful as we left port, but once the ferry gathered speed, the wind became fierce and sea spray was whipping around us. Eventually, we admitted defeat and retreated indoors, which conveniently coincided with the opening of the restaurant.

Now, I’d been rather dismissive of the ferry’s advertised à la carte restaurant. I mean, an à la carte restaurant? On a car ferry? But then I’d forgotten one rather important detail. It was an Italian ferry. And the food was magnificent. We ordered pasta and pizza, both delicious, but I spent much of the meal watching the fish dishes arriving at neighbouring tables and wishing I’d been a little more adventurous. I’d assumed, quite wrongly, that the fish would be frozen and rather uninspiring. What appeared on those plates was anything but, and I was thoroughly annoyed with myself for not ordering it. Next time, I’ll know better.

Eventually, we retired to our little cabin, where sleep was rather fitful. Every unfamiliar noise seemed magnified and at one point we must have encountered some fairly choppy water, as the ship became noticeably more turbulent. However, I obviously managed to get some sleep because the next thing I remember was the crackling of the tannoy, with announcements in French, Italian and English informing us that we’d soon be arriving in Barcelona.

arriving in barcelona & beginning our spanish adventure

By 9am, we’d disembarked and were navigating our way out of Barcelona, passing the Christopher Columbus monument at the bottom of La Rambla as we began heading south. After everything that had happened over the previous few days – leaving Istria, revisiting Italy, the long drive, the ferry delays and those wonderful dolphins – we were finally in Spain. And somewhere ahead of us was a new home. We didn’t know exactly where it would be, what it would look like or quite how our lives were going to unfold. All we knew was that we were heading towards Andalucía, with a list of houses to view and a completely new chapter of our lives waiting to begin. It was exciting, a little daunting and, after everything we’d experienced on the journey, rather wonderful.

would we take the genoa–barcelona ferry again?

Absolutely, although perhaps with slightly different expectations. The ferry was a welcome alternative to a very long drive and having the opportunity to rest, enjoy a good meal and spend a night away from the road was a definite advantage. The four-hour delay was frustrating, particularly as we’d already checked in and were sitting in the car, but delays can happen with any form of travel.

If we were making the journey again, I’d certainly consider booking an outside cabin. Our internal one was perfectly adequate for sleeping, but if you’re not particularly fond of enclosed spaces, the extra cost might well be worthwhile. I’d also approach the restaurant with rather more confidence. If you’re travelling on an Italian ferry and there’s fish on the menu, don’t make the same mistake I did! And, of course, it’s worth looking carefully at the available routes before booking. We’d completely overlooked the possibility of continuing towards Tangier, although as things turned out, we were very happy to have travelled through Spain from Barcelona.

Our crossing was in July 2024, so the price we paid, departure times and onboard arrangements reflect our experience at that time. If you’re considering the same journey, it’s worth checking current ferry schedules, prices and routes before making plans.

Without hesitation, we’d do it again. Perhaps not the four hours sitting in a sweltering car, and perhaps with a slightly more comfortable cabin, but everything else has become part of a journey we remember with enormous affection. And those dolphins? Well, they were worth the trip alone. Sometimes, the journeys between places turn out to be every bit as memorable as the destinations themselves.

Originally published in 2024. Revised and updated October 2026.