Genoa: Palaces, Port and a Maze of Lanes
Genoa is the capital of Liguria, on the north-western coast of Italy, and one of the great ports of the Mediterranean, a city of marble palaces and steep alleys that rise from the harbour into the hills. For centuries it was the centre of a maritime republic, and the wealth of its merchant families is still visible in the Strade Nuove and the Palazzi dei Rolli, a group of Renaissance and Baroque palaces inscribed by UNESCO in 2006. Genoa is also the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, and the city's seafaring spirit runs through its streets.
The historic centre is among the largest medieval quarters in Europe, a labyrinth of caruggi, narrow lanes where light barely reaches the ground, opening suddenly into small squares and the striped black-and-white facade of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Via Garibaldi lines up the grandest palaces, several of them now museums. Above the harbour, the Lanterna, the city's historic lighthouse, remains a symbol of Genoa, while the funicular to Righi gives views over the whole sweep of the port.
Old Port, Pesto and Focaccia
The Porto Antico, the old port, was transformed by architect Renzo Piano and is now the city's lively waterfront, home to the Aquarium of Genoa, one of Europe's largest, and the Galata Museo del Mare, which tells the story of Mediterranean seafaring. The Genoa International Boat Show brings the sailing world to the harbour each autumn. Just east of the centre, the fishing hamlet of Boccadasse, with its pastel houses and small pebble beach, offers a quiet escape and a gelato by the sea.
Genoese food is world-famous. Pesto genovese, made with basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and cheese, is traditionally served with trofie pasta. Focaccia, soft, salty and glistening with olive oil, is eaten at breakfast, and farinata, a thin chickpea pancake baked in a wood oven, is a classic street snack. Pandolce is the traditional sweet cake. A hotel group could build its Genoa story around these tastes, with stays in restored palaces and views across the working harbour.
Read the full Genoa guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitGenoa.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.