Set in the heart of the Ligurian coastal bow, Genoa fascinates travellers with the charm of its many faces. Maritime republic, city of trades, temple of finance, first Italian port, cradle of cantautori, industrial town…Along the centuries identities have continually evolved, leaving visible traces of this restless dynamism in the layout of the city - the façades of noble palazzi show a palimpsest of added storeys, porticoes and loggias, in a landscape of slate, old-fashioned shops and votive shrines.
Genoa, an invitation: get on board (Porto Antico) the ferries that sail along the coast and discover the city profile from the sea: Medieval towers, skyscrapers the vastness of the modern port to the west, the elegance of residential suburbs to the east, and - in the background on the hills – the grandeur of the city walls, protecting Genoa in their embrace. The verticality of the place is on full display from Spianata Castelletto, along Circonvallazione a Monte. From the city centre a beautiful Art Nouveau lift will take you to this splendid belvedere. The town at your feet, your eyes will sweep from the Lanterna to the hills of Carignano and Albaro, the centro storico in between, a mosaic of roofs, hanging gardens, terraces, churches and sumptuous palaces. Behind you the hills, traversed by elegant 19th century corniche roads and by winding creuze, ancient alleys leading to convents and city doors.
Start your tour in the historical centre, an intricate network of carruggi. In the Middle Ages the aristocrasts set their quarters in the area, controlling their boundaries with pugnacious tenacity. From Piazza De Ferrari, steep San Matteo leads your steps to the contrada of the Doria. Piazza, palazzi, chiesa: the traditional structure of noble settlements is intact in this corner of history, surrounded by eminent buildings and by the black and white façade of the church of San Matteo.
The area represents Genoa’s historical core. A few steps separate you from via Tommaso Reggio, flanked by the archbishop’ palace, the ancient Palazzetto Criminale and the cathedral cloister. Dedicated to San Lorenzo, the Cathedral represents – in its structures and decorations – the epic of European cathedrals. The exterior is an alternation of Romanic and Gothic elements (an intriguing mix you are to find in the interior, too), a symphony of black and white stripes, multicoloured marbles, Roman ruins, statues, portals and loggias.Via San Lorenzo, a pedestrian road rich in déhors and shops, links the city centre and the Porto Antico. Get to Piazza Matteotti and enter the most ancient section of the town.
The collina di Castello was the settlement of cautious Liguri tribes looking for shelter against the threats of the coast. Nevertheless, the call of trade (“Genuensis, ergo mercator”, said a Medieval proverb) proved to be stronger than the fear of invasions, fostering the development of the centre towards the sea. Vicoli, palaces and churches tell the history of Genoa: the religious complex of Santa Maria di Castello, with its beautiful frescoed cloisters); Sarzano, at the summit of the hill, where ancient religious and monastic buildings host – among others – the Museo di Sant'Agostino (Ligurian sculpture and architecture); Porta Soprana, part of the early medieval city walls. Last but not least, the thick network of carruggi (Canneto il Lungo, Ravecca, San Bernardo, Pollaioli…) brought back to their original splendour by complex restoration works. These narrow alleys treasure a universe of delicatessen: chocolate manufacturers, bakeries, “fainotti” (friggitorie, fried food shops), tiny groceries crammed with spices and teas, and a thousand others botteghe...