Genoa

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On 1 September 2010 we visited Genoa, a major port located on the north west coast of Italy, the region of Liguria.  It's a town with a lot of attractions.  Unfortunately we were only one day there.  I'll tell things we've done and try to list out others worth a visit.

The train from Milan took about two hours.  It climbs mountains and moved slowly during the last 20 minutes.  We started with Villa del Principe. It is a rich and sumptuous noble house owned by Andrea Doria.  He convinced the emperor Charles V to grant independence to Genoa.  His art collection includes tapestries, frescoes, stuccoes, portraits and furniture.   The garden has lots of plants with bright and appealing colours.  The entrance fee was €12 including a modern audio guide, a iPod which categorised information nicely.


Stroll along Via Garibaldi and Via Balbi your eyes will be delighted with many lavishly decorated mansions and old palaces.   Worth of mention is the Renaissance and Baroque Rolli Palaces which were added to the list of UNESCO in 2006.  Genoa is an innovative town.  A little room at one of the palaces takes you through the Rolli Palaces.  Stand on any of the 3 designated spots.  On the wall are images of the palaces.  Stretch your arm, move it right or left to navigate along the palaces.  Circle your hands like telescopes and put in front of your eyes.  Stay at the spot of interest, then you can zoom into the interior of the building. It's amazing!


Don't miss the stunning 13th century San Lorenzo Cathedral with a black and white striped marble facade.  It is admirably beautiful.  The interior is huge and shows a lot of art pieces.


Not far away is the beautiful square Piazza di Ferrari and the theatre.  Very beautiful buildings decorate the square and enhance the attraction.  In the middle is a big fountain.  It alleviated the heat in the high summer.  Citizens, tourists dotted the square.  It's full of life.


Close to the seaport is a promenade, colourful and artistic buildings fighting to get your attention, loads of stores, park, a walking path along the port to glance the beauty.  Along the way, you won't miss the spectacular Biosfera (Biosphere), a dome-shaped greenhouse.  Within itself is a tropical environment with exotic birds, plants and colourful butterflied.  A bit further is the oldest lighthouse in Europe, a symbol of Genoa.

Other site visits points include the aquarium, one of the largest in Europe.   Over 500 species of fish and mammals live there. 

For culture, Genoa has many superb museums.  Some of them are housed in splendid palaces.  One is Palazzo Spinola, with a great collection of Renaissance art made by Van Dyck, Rubens and Caravaggio.

If I visit Genoa next time, I won't miss Boccadasse (click for a view and be stunned of its beauty).  It's a fishing village keeping its old character with loads of fishing boats on a stoney beach.

Another not to be missed activity is strolling along the Passeggiata di Nervi, a little hike along the coast with sights of beautiful houses and extraordinary villas.
Location: Genoa, Italy

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