Genoa: underrated Mediterranean gem
Genoa boasts beautiful palazzos, art, and cathedrals — plus marvelous pesto!
Looking for a less crowded alternative to Italy’s major tourist centers? Want to enjoy superb Italian food and visit beautiful palazzos without worrying about crowds? Head to Genoa.
The hilly city of Genoa, Liguria region, Italy
Genoa has it all. Beautiful architecture and an extensive, fascinating central city core demonstrating its tradition of finance, seafaring and exploration. Not to mention the fact that the Genovese can claim as theirs one of the world’s greatest culinary inventions — pesto sauce!
We discovered the delights of Genoa thanks to MSC Cruises. Our 7-day Med cruise on Meraviglia departed from Genoa (we plan to write about the cruise and ship soon). Eager to escape the nightmare circus that the US news has become, we arrived in Genoa early and had a wonderful time.
Genoa looks a bit like an ancient version of San Francisco. Hilly terrain and bluffs overlooking the Mediterranean make for invigorating city walks. Ambling on major streets, we’d suddenly come upon narrow passages and sidewalks plunging or climbing to more unseen surprises. Like Venice, this city makes it easy — and rewarding — to get lost strolling the scenic streets.
Palazzos
We recommend visitors start their Genovese explorations in the lively and lovely center of the city which boasts high-end designer shops and other retailers. A short walk uphill from the city center takes you to a neighborhood of palaces, many of them World Heritage sites. These homes showcase remarkable architecture, not to mention the fabulous art collections they contain.
At the time these dwellings were built, Genoa lacked an official government palace. Wealthy families built these amazing buildings in part to rotate hosting duties for visiting ambassadors, royalty and other dignitaries. Think of it as a historical “embassy row” of sorts made up of private palaces.
A single ticket will get you into three of the buildings, Palazzo Rosso, Palazzo Bianchi and Palazzo Tursi. In the first, the owner’s family portraits by Van Dyck are on display, as is other art that looks right at home in this palace. We confess that Palazzo Rosso got the bulk of our attention, due to an acute, immediate need for pasta and pesto which interrupted our visit.
A Caravaggio painting in Palazzo Rosso.
A tiny gallery inside Palazzo Bianchi contained 20th century photos from Genovese photographers. We thought about our MMOB members when we saw photo of the Italian liner Rex under construction before her launch in 1932. She once held the prestigious Blue Riband for a record Atlantic crossing of 4 days 13 hours.
Short-lived Italian liner Rex at her launch in 1931. Rex was docked off Koper for safekeeping, but sunk by the British RAF in 1944.
Cathedrals
Genoa’s San Lorenzo Cathedral is clad in the beautiful gray and white striped marble prevalent in Northern Italy. The active Piazza in front of the building is testament to the fact that this is not a museum city like Venice but the vibrant economic and cultural hub of the region.
Genoa’s San Lorenzo Cathedral
In contrast, San Pietro in Bianchi is a modest little building. A church was proposed for the location, but the merchants already in place there balked. The two sides compromised by placing the church atop the market, building the entrance one floor above street level. A perfect symbol of the importance of both church and commerce in this financially savvy city.
San Pietro in Bianchi, built one level above the street.
We’ve promised ourselves that we’ll go back to Genoa for the leisurely walks, historical sites, and perhaps an opera performance. But most importantly…pesto sauce!
Our Cruise Expert Adam Martindale can hook you up with a cruise that calls on the port of Genoa or originates there. This is a huge embarkation point for MSC Cruises, and many other Mediterranean cruises call on the port.
