As any Genovese will proclaim, “Si deve conoscerla per amarla” —you have to know Genoa to love her. A city of grit and grandeur, Genoa (JEH-no-va; pop. 600,000) has little in common with neighboring beach towns, except of course impeccable focaccia and pesto. The ugly port and large monuments are the most apparent features of the city, but much of central Genoa is a hidden maze—the narrow, tangled vicoli by the port are full of stores, churches, and charm. The world-famous aquarium and the nearby miniscule fishing village of Boccadasse (where people still speak zenese, an Italian dialect) attract travelers in the know, but truth be told, most Italians will look at you funny if you say you spent time in Genoa on purpose. Like, for fun. So most travelers just pass through, using the city as a base for exploring the spectacular Ligurian coast. Those who do stick around come to appreciate Genoa as the historic port whose rich intellectual history, financial success, and distinctive culture may just have the rest of Italy a little bit jealous. And we’re not just saying that. This place has class.
Flights: Cristoforo Colombo Internazionale (☎ 010 60 151), in Sesti Ponente, sends flights to European destinations. Volabus #100 runs to the airport from Stazione Principe (every hr. 5:40am-10:40pm ...more
Genoa has two train stations: Stazione Principe, in P. Acquaverde, and Stazione Brignole, in P. Verdi. From Stazione Principe take bus #18, 19, or 30, and from Stazione Brignole take bus #19 or 40 to Piazza ...more
Rooms are scarce in October, when the city hosts a wave of nautical conventions. Some budget lodgings in the centro storico and near the port rent rooms by the hour for reasons best left uninvestigated ...more
A dish prepared alla Genovese is served with Genoa’s pride and joy—pesto. The genovesi put it on just about everything and claim that Ligurian water is why true pesto can only be made from ...more
The eerily beautiful centro storico is a mass of narrow, winding streets and cobblestone alleyways bordered by Porto Antico, Via Garibaldi, and Piazza de Ferrari. Remember that walking alone after hours ...more
Genoa’s new Cineplex, V. Magazzini de’ Cotone, at Molo Vecchio, shows American movies dubbed in Italian. (☎ 010 89 90 30 820; www.cineplex.it. Box office open M-F 4-10:30pm, Sa 2:15pm-1am ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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