Two separate incidents involving cruise passengers visiting Genoa, Italy have once again raised questions about safety in areas frequented by tourists arriving by cruise ship.

The latest incident happened on Wednesday morning when a 14-year-old French girl, who had recently disembarked from a cruise ship with her family, was attacked near Via Gramsci, close to a metro station in Genoa's historic center.

According to Italian media reports, the teenager was punched in the face by a woman believed to be around 25 years old. The reasons behind the attack remain unclear. The victim suffered abrasions and received medical assistance at the scene but did not require hospitalization.

Authorities reported that the suspected attacker initially fled before returning to the area. She was later identified by the victim's family and arrested after resisting police officers. Witnesses described her as being in an agitated state.

The incident comes just weeks after police announced arrests in connection with a violent robbery and sexual assault involving two cruise tourists in the same part of the city.

In that case, an American man and a Colombian woman who had arrived in Genoa on a cruise ship in November 2025 were allegedly followed, surrounded, and attacked near the Old Harbour and Via Gramsci during the early morning hours. Investigators say the woman was punched and knocked to the ground before being sexually assaulted by two members of the group, while her companion was beaten and robbed.

Last month, authorities arrested eight suspects aged between 20 and 40. According to investigators, the group consisted of five Egyptian nationals, including one who was reportedly in Italy illegally, and three Italian citizens. Italian media reported that many of the suspects were homeless, drug users, and known to local law enforcement, with some having previous criminal records.

While Genoa remains one of Italy's most visited cruise gateways, welcoming hundreds of thousands of cruise passengers each year, the two incidents have drawn attention to security challenges in some areas surrounding the port and historic center.

Most cruise visitors experience Genoa without incident, but the attacks have generated concern because both cases involved tourists shortly after disembarking from cruise ships and occurred near routes commonly used by visitors exploring the city independently.