Best kept secret in Italy
It’s not a big hitter yet, but for culture, food and beauty, the city of Genoa packs a punch Art and antiquity is everywhere, waiting to be discovered
From Rome to Florence and Venice to Pisa, visitors to Italy are spoiled for choice when it comes to great city destinations. It’s fair to say though, that many of those big hitters are so thronged with tourists, a holiday in any of them can often feel like simply moving from one queue to another.
And if you’re lucky enough to have visited all of the major cities in the home of pizza and pasta, where do you go next? Less well-known Genoa could well be your answer. In fact, it could be the best kept secret in Italy.
With a stunning UNESCO world heritage site, a thriving port set in rolling green hills and direct flights from the UK of less than two hours, this vibrant northern destination has much to offer.
It’s Italy’s sixth-largest city and the birthplace of Christopher Columbus but it rarely comes up in a conversation of the best places to visit.
With a big push from the tourist board and plenty to offer the more adventurous visitor, that should hopefully all change.
Part of a triangle with Milan and Turin, Genoa itself is home to more than 600,000 people, so it’s no small backwater. Its centrepiece is Piazza de Ferrari, between the modern centre of the city and the historic old town.
The latter, just off the still active harbourside, is a glorious network of narrow alleys and streets with surprises around every corner.
JOY
You could spend hours, days wandering around this part of the city; it’s a network of historic shops, each with its own fascinating story. Like many of Italy’s great cities, art and antiquity is everywhere just waiting to be discovered.
But arguably Genoa’s greatest selling point is its collection of 42 Unescorecognised palaces in the Strade Nuove area. The Palazzi dei Rolli – palaces of the rolls (lists of mansions that hosted visiting dignitaries) – were collectively made a world heritage site in 2006.
A few have become museums. Others are private homes. Some have been converted into working buildings, such as banks or shops.
These baroque and renaissance buildings are stunning, with tall ceilings and incredible paintings that wouldn’t look out of place in the Sistine Chapel.
And whether you specifically follow a trail of the palaces or stumble upon them by accident while looking for an ATM, it makes exploring Genoa a real joy.
Two of the most striking are Palazzo Spinola and Rosso, both dating back to the 1600s and now museums that are full to the brim with lavish decorations.
You can even stay in one; Palazzo Grillo is a former 16th century palace now converted into a hotel.
This excellent four-star accommodation is perfectly placed within walking distance of the best the historic area has to offer. Like all great cities, though, Genoa isn’t just about the past and in the 1980s it became a centre of high-quality, hi-tech electrical engineering, electronics and aerospace. So it also has a modern business district of glass towers.
The port is Italy’s busiest and the city still maintains a flourishing shipbuilding sector for vessels from small yachts to vast cruise ships.
Of course, no conversation about an Italian destination should avoid mention of the country’s extraordinary food.
Genoa is home to a Slow Fish festival that takes place once every two years and aims to celebrate all things under the sea that end up on your dinner plate. Like all
slow food events, it promotes the importance of sustainability.
The region is home to a number of local specialities, including some familiar favourites. Expect to see pesto and focaccia everywhere, with every restaurant promising their own version of the latter.
For braver souls there’s cappon magro, an elaborate, multi-layered melange of fish and salad covered in jelly. To say it’s an acquired taste is an understatement, but locals are proud of it and it’s likely to appear on most menus. Worth a particular mention is Cavo, a palace turned restaurant with stunning frescos throughout its delightfully old-fashioned set up.
After stuffing yourself silly you’ll need to burn off those calories and, again, Genoa has it covered.
The hills behind the city offer fine views across the Ligurian Sea. After taking a 15-minute ride up the Zecca-righi funicular railway you can spend hours hiking through the lush greenery.
The area is called Parco Urbano delle Mura, or Park of the City Wall, and has military posts from the 17th and 18th centuries. Guided tours run from March to October but all you need is a good map and a sense of direction.
Like much of Genoa, many of the forts are well preserved. It’s this ability to value the past while looking to the future that provides the city’s appeal. Best go soon, before the secret gets out.