Genoa, Italy
01 MUST TRY FOODS
02 BEACHES
03 WHAT TO SEE
04 WHERE TO STAY
05 HOW TO GET THERE
People generally either really love it in Genoa or think it is an incredibly boring place. I happen to really love it, mainly because of the food. This part of Italy, Liguria, and Genoa specifically is known for pesto and focaccia.
The mediterranean sea usually brings to mind beautiful sandy beaches with perfectly tanned Italians, gelato in hand. Genoa is a bit different though. Yes, there are still beaches but instead, there are rocks. While this doesn’t sound pleasing to most people it means no sand in your swimsuit. They also vary in types of rock beaches. Sometimes there are little pebbles or river rocks. Other times they are big cliffs that people climb around on. There are my preferred beach because there are normally underwater caves or arches, plus the water is crystal clear.
There are a lot of hills here so plan to get your exercise because you will always be going up no mater what way you go. This means that there are a lot of great view points you just have to explore the city. At these point you can also see the symbol of the city The Lighthouse of Genoa with a background of the mediterranean.
01 MUST TRY FOODS
Pesto - Pesto is pretty much used for everything here. Once you try it, you will understand why it is FANTASTIC! There are competitions to see who makes the best and most authentic pesto.
Focaccia - Is a sort of flatbread but thicker. You can get it plain or with other things on it like veggies or fish.
Seafood - Because Genoa is right on the sea, the fish is to die for! Everything is really fresh and not outrageously expensive (depending on where you go).
Eataly - Looking over the port is a restaurant/supermarket but not just any supermarket. There are foods and products from all the regions of Italy. It can be hard to find things from another city if you don’t go to Eataly. Back in the day recipes were not even shared between regions.
02 BEACHES
Hint for those who haven’t been to rocky beaches. You can form rock piles to fit your body. If you are climbing on the rocks to find a spot there are normally little caves or shaded areas where you can put your belongings. You are at less risk of having things stolen because no one climbs the rocks unless they are going to lay down as well. All other beaches you should be mindful of your things.
Nervi - Take a quick train ride to Nervi. It can be a little crowded but there is a lovely walkway that runs along the waterline. It runs through several small towns with different places to go swimming, however mainly “cliff” swimming. There are only one or two normally rock beaches and they are very small. People normal climb over the rocks to find a good place to take sun.
Squash Club beach - A 30-minute bus ride from the center there is a couple of beaches that get pretty full during the summer. They are nice if but can be very crowded. Just take the bus to the Squash Club and you will see the beach.
If you have a car, you can go too evermore beautiful beaches. Just drive along the coast towards France, and you’ll see random parking lots. That means down the cliff side there is some sort of beach or area to take sun/swim. There are some sand beaches here, but you have to pay to get into. However, sounding the there are a lot of underrated tunnels and caves. If you have to climb down the side of a cliff to get to it, really worth it! And not as scary as it sounds.
03 WHAT TO SEE
Piazza De Ferrari - In the center there is a spectacular fountain at the top of the two main streets. It is also the connection point to the newer part of the city and old town.
Old town - The streets are smaller, even compared to other Italian cities. This is because back in the day when Genoa was being invaded the townspeople would throw all there furniture and belongings into the alleyways to make a barricade. If you look around in the walls, you can even see bits of random household (or other) things in the walls.
The Port - Around the port, there are some really beautiful points where you can see all the boats coming in. A lot of people go here to walk after dinner. It isn’t always the safest area so just watch your belongings. There is a famous aquarium located in the harbor.
Over looking Genoa - You can see all of Genoa from this point and not main people go here because it can be a bit of a walk. If you don’t want to hike around there is an elevator.
04 WHERE TO STAY
Normally I take day trips to Genoa as I live just an hour and a half away. But I have also found this city to be a great home base for exploring other surrounding towns.
Hotel Astro - If I am not staying with friends, I always stay here. It is on one of the main streets and within walking distance of everything. The guy who, owns and runs the hotel/Airbnb is so nice and very helpful. Every day he offered us different traditional foods (we were the only ones staying there at the time). If you are staying in the hotel (not the Airbnb) each room is decorated differently all done by the owner.
05 HOW TO GET THERE
It is really easy to get to. There are a lot of busses, trains, and blabla cars that pass through Genoa for pretty cheap.
