After I exploring Genoa a bit on my own, I was looking forward to learning more once the OAT Northern Italy tour got underway. For reference, here are a couple of maps. The first the territory covered by the OAT Northern Italy tour with the Italian Riviera Pre-Trip Extension. For context, the second map shows the regions of today’s Italy. We’d be visiting these regions: Liguria, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto.
Our first activity was a morning walk with our tour leader Elena and local guide Cristina. According to Cristina, although Genoa is an affordable city to live in, its population is declining, a phenomenon that many European cities are experiencing as the birth rate remains low. At one time, Genoa was at the center of the industrial revolution and the economy was based on industry but the majority of the population now works in the service sector. Revitalization of the old port, which took place in 1992, has made tourism a more important source of revenue. Nowadays, many enormous cruise ships stop in Genoa.
As we walked from the hotel towards the historic center, Cristina noted that Genoa’s port and the adjacent historic center suffered significant damage from Allied bombing raids during World War 2. One building that was spared was St. George’s Palace. I had noticed its colorful façade the previous day. The palazzo, dating back to the 19th century, was built to house a Genoese bank named for St. George, one of the four protectors of the city. The building was restored in 1992, and the frescoes I had admired are replicas of the originals. In one of the frescoes, St. George is depicted slaying a dragon.
We passed by the lovely Palazzo Croce de Marini whose first floor is now occupied by a shop selling antique books. The building dates back to the second half of the 16th century.
One of our first stops in the historic center was at a small shop named Pestobene, where we sampled freshly made pesto sauce. This culinary specialty has long been associated with Genoa. It is traditionally made by hand using a mortar and pestle to crush the fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts and salt before adding grated cheese and olive oil. To make pesto sauce in large quantities, this shop uses a motorized mortar and pestle.
The nearby yellow and green building is a typical townhouse from 700 or 800 years ago. The medieval stone façade was covered up when it was restored in the 17th or 18th century.
We turned down one of the many dark narrow streets in the historic center on our way to the cathedral. People of different social classes would often occupy the same building, with the wealthier families residing on the more expensive upper floors which received more light.
Cristina told us that the striped façade of the cathedral reflects a Moorish influence, which I suspected. The cathedral’s bell tower was a 16th century addition.
Since two cruise ships were in town, there was a mob of people entering the cathedral. I’m glad I had visited it yesterday. However, she called our attention to something I hadn’t previously noticed. In 1941, during the Second World War, the cathedral was struck by an English bomb which pierced the ceiling but failed to explode.
On this visit, I noticed
I also spent some time in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist which contains relics of the saint. The chapel dates back to the mid-15th century. It’s filled with sculpture including a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary by Andrea Sansovino.
Finally, I’m grateful to Cristina for telling us about Cardinal Boetto, Archbishop of Genoa, whose statue stands in the cathedral. During the Nazi occupation of Italy, he gave clandestine assistance to Jews and anti-Fascists. He was posthumously honored by Yad Vashem as one of the Righteous among the Nations for saving over 800 Jews.
Of course, Cristina led us down the Strade Nuove to see the 42 famous palaces (Palazzi dei Rolli) from the late 16thcentury. Often referred to as an open-air museum, it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grandest palazzo on the street, built by the Grimaldi family, now houses Genoa’s city council.
Heading back towards the port, we walked through a maze of caruggi, the narrow streets of the historic center. I’m glad we stopped along the way to taste two types of focaccia, a specialty of Genoa, because I was getting quite hungry. Redolent with high quality extra virgin olive oil, it seemed to melt in my mouth.
In fact, since our walking tour was coming to an end, I joined a fellow traveler for a lunch break before continuing our explorations. Marilynn and I chanced upon a quiet and charming restaurant (no tourists in sight!), the Locanda Spinola, where I tried freshly made chestnut pasta served with a sauce of fresh tuna, olives, and tomatoes.
The restaurant was just around the corner from the Palazzo Spinola, one of the 16th century palazzos that was the residence of a series of noble families. Now owned by the state, it is open to the public as a museum. The palazzo contains frescoed rooms, elaborate furnishings that changed over the centuries, and an impressive art collection.
One of the most famous works is this equestrian portrait of an important Genoese nobleman which was painted by Peter Paul Rubens around the year 1606.
The vaulted ceiling of this salon is covered with frescoes that were done in 1625.
There was a private altar on each floor of the palazzo. A priest would come everyday to celebrate mass.
This is how the kitchen looked in the 19th century.
After a brief rest at the hotel, Elena led our group through the historic district to the Liberty style elevator that brought us up to an area of Genoa called Spianata Castelletto. (Liberty style is Italy’s version of Art Nouveau.) Once we stepped out of the elevator, we found ourselves in a cool, quiet residential neighborhood far above the hubbub of the city below. From the expansive open terrace shaded by umbrella pine trees (the source of pine nuts), we enjoyed sweeping panoramic views of Genoa and the surrounding area in the early evening light.
Soon afterwards, our group gathered for a multi-course welcome dinner at a traditional Genoese restaurant in the old port area. I dined on cheese- and herb-filled ravioli with walnut sauce, a frittura of squid and vegetables, and a semifreddo al caffè (a chilled dessert that's softer than ice cream). Everything was excellent.
My stay in Genoa was almost over. I came to the city without any particular expectations and I’d been pleased by what I found. I was already excited about our next destination. In the morning, we’d be departing for the Italian Riviera.
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