“Sometimes there’s no map when you go to new places, you have to make unexpected turns, but the beauty is these places are new.”

Christopher Hawke

After my wonderful visit to Treviso, it was time to head west across the country and head to Genova, or as we call it in the US – Genoa. When I left on the train in the morning, I was wondering if I was making a mistake. I didn’t know much about Genova other than it is the 6th largest city in Italy, a major port city, Christopher Columbus was born there, and the pesto and focaccia are the best you’ll have in Italy. Should I have selected Verona or someplace different?

For me, this journey was personal. I come from a family of immigrants, I am 100% Italian, and I am 50% first generation American, 50% second generation. When my family members decided to go to the US over the years they all left from Genova, including my dad in the 1950s. I wanted to go to the city where he stood on the docks as a young man and boarded a ship to sail across the ocean to live with his aunt and uncle, and to start a new life. I wish before he passed I had asked him more questions about his journey, you always think you have more time, until you don’t. I wonder if the European Union were in existence when he was younger and he had so many other countries open to him would he have still made the voyage? Given our current environment would he still make the same decisions he did in the 1950s? I’ll never know.

From Treviso it took 3 trains, but it was easy. First the regional train back to Venezia Mestre, then a high speed train to Milano Centrale, then the InterCity train to Genova Brignole Stazione. It took about 5-hours in total, but I napped, listened to a book, and watched the countryside fly by my window. From the station my Airbnb was about a 10-minute walk, and the owner met me at the building to show me around the apartment and answer my questions.

As soon as I stepped out of the station all my fears about whether or not I made the right choice vanished instantly. I was captivated by the beauty of the buildings, the bright colors, the wide sidewalks, the park across from the station, all of it. I felt like I stepped into a city in France due to the architecture and colors. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given it’s proximity to France and the influence and control France had on this region in the past. The architecture is a mix of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque styles depending on where you are in the city and when the building was constructed.

Once I dropped my bags off, I immediately set out for a walk along the piers to find Stazione Marittima. Previous research told me this was where my dad set sail from. The piers are what you would expect, with an amusement park type vibe, a few seedy looking characters, street vendors, and there was quite a bit of construction I had to navigate, and above is a highway that bypasses the city, which I would guess wasn’t there when my dad was here. I found the station, but since the area is still used by cruise ships I couldn’t get near the building without a ship pass, but I was still happy I found it, and stood there for a while just looking at the building knowing my dad was there with me.

I continued to walk along the streets and just take in the sites. I had no idea what I was looking at, but I wasn’t worried since I signed up for a “free tour” with Free Walking Tour Italia. I found I have the best luck with this company, and I have never been disappointed, so I take their tours when they have them in any city I visit. I ventured down a tiny side street across from what I later learned was the Doge’s Palace, as a tiny inviting patio for an aperitivo caught my eye. It became my “go to spot” at the end of each day, the Bistrot degli Specchi. It had the perfect location for people watching, yet off the main road so you weren’t bothered much by the foot traffic.

I treated myself to dinner at Zeffirino Genova since I hadn’t yet been to a grocery store, and my Airbnb was fully stocked with coffee, breakfast treats, milk, and snacks, so I wasn’t in a rush. My beef tartare was delicious as was the wine the waiter selected for me. I would eat here again, but honestly, you can get great meals for much less around the city. At this restaurant you are also paying for the atmosphere and attention you receive.

The next morning was the tour. Only three of us signed up, it was great, a private tour! Our guide was fabulous and because we were a small group, she got us samples of both pesto and focaccia. At first I thought the pesto shop was some tourist place, given they had an electronic mortar and pestle in the window, but when I tasted the pesto, it was delicious, and in this small shop, Pestobene, you can select a fresh pasta and they will cook it for you and top it with pesto. I went back for lunch. I wanted to bring home a jar of the pesto, but it has no preservatives so it will only last two weeks even without opening the jar. The focaccia was also delicious, and I noticed locals eating the shop’s focaccia on the train the next day, so when I returned from Camogli I went and got a few pieces for dinner. The shop is Focaccia e. She also took us by a sandwich shop, Gran Ristoro, and told us it was the best sandwich shop in town and there will always be a line there. We passed by some cafes with amazing desserts in the window. I know they say Bologna is a food lovers paradise, but honestly, Genova is very good too.

Besides food I learned about the history of various churches, a brief history of Genova, Marco Polo wrote his book here or I guess I should say he dictated his stories to a romance writer while they were both imprisoned in Genova, they have a “red light” district as “all port cities do” according to our guide, and so much more. She also took us to an antique store and a clothing store, both in former palazzos that still retain the original architecture both inside and out. The Duomo di Genova is very interesting. I read it was built between the 12th and 14th century, consecrated in 1118. Our tour guide gave us the helpful hint to walk down the center aisle, stop in the center, and look towards the door you walked in. It is dark, displaying a Gothic style. Then turn around and look at the alter, completely different with beautiful colors of the Renaissance period. I bet most visitors don’t notice that unless told.

It was the most informative 2.5hrs spent walking around the old town, and we ended on Via Garibaldi or Strada Nuova. This street along with the Palazzi dei Rolli are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Rolli” are a list of 42 palaces built in the 15th and 16th centuries located in the city. The list was created in the mid-1500s and was used to determine who would host various dignitaries visiting the city. If you were selected, you could not refuse. The most famous palaces on Via Garibaldi are Palazzo Bianca, Palazzo Rosso, and Palazzo Doria Tursi. Many of the palaces are now museums or public offices, and you can visit some. The street is narrow, yet impressive. After the tour ended, I strolled Via Garibaldi, then took a tram up above the city, and ventured to a panoramic view point. There is also an elevator at the view point that I believe originates near Via Garibaldi, but I liked my little adventure strolling the streets of Genova through the local neighborhoods.

I had wanted to go to Portofino, but decided given the number of cruise ships I saw in port, I knew some were headed there, while others to Cinque Terre, so I opted for another seaside village, Camogli. It was an easy train ride from Brignole Stazione, and then a 5-minute walk from the station into the main area of Camogli. There are a few beautiful hotels and B&Bs in this town, but I will warn you, there are no elevators in this old train station. The beaches are small stones and rocks, but you can rent chairs and umbrellas. In Camogli you can hop on the ferry to Portofino and other destinations. I spent a few hours in town, strolling the streets, sitting on benches admiring the gorgeous sea views, and had lunch with a table overlooking the water. It made for the perfect seaside adventure, and a nice break from the city. Here is little PSA, you need to carry your passport with you at all times. No, a picture will not suffice, and the fines are steep. While waiting for the train at Brignole Stazione, the police were randomly asking people for their travel documents. If you are a non-EU citizen this is your passport. They were not profiling, they were asking young, old, men, women, and all different ethnicities. You can leave it in your hotel safe, but you will get a fine, and it could be up to €2,000, although I doubt they charge that much often. In some places they do take credit cards, but typically cash, and if you can’t pay the fine you can be taken into custody until your identity is proven. I always carry my passport with me. If it gets stolen, I have photos back in my hotel room and I’ll call the embassy and deal with it.

By now I’m sure you can tell I loved Genova! It was such a surprise, and there is still so much more to explore in the city that I need to return for another visit. Before my next trip I will do some research to find those hidden gems I missed this time, and perhaps make my way to Portofino. After seeing the beauty of the Liguria region, I want to explore more of it. Next stop, Torino!

Arrivederci! 413 Girl 💕