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Genoa
Those of us who remember our history books recognise Genoa as
the birthplace of famous explorer Christopher Columbus. Always an
important port-city in Italy, for decades Genoa languished behind
Rome, Venice and Milan as the tourists passed it by.
This changed dramatically after the European Union nominated
Genoa as the European Capital of Culture in 2004. Cruise ships
docking in the Porto Antico are now bringing visitors by the
thousands, and travellers in Italy are making time in their
itineraries to spend several days on holiday in Genoa.
This tourism renaissance is well-deserved, as there are many
beautiful and fascinating tourist attractions in Genoa. The
medieval district is filled with stunning marble churches and
stately palaces, grouped around scenic plazas like the Piazza San
Matteo and the Piazza Dante. Visitors should be sure to look for
the famous frescoes of the Church of Sant'Agostino and the fanciful
Gothic carvings of the Cattedrale San Lorenzo. The Via Garibaldi
has a number of impressive Baroque buildings.
There are many interesting museums in the city, dedicated to
everything from cultural and natural history to the navy,
cathedrals, and royalty of the city's past. There are no fewer than
five art museums in Genoa as well.
Though it is Italy's largest medieval town, Genoa's present is
just as vibrant as its past. The streets are always buzzing with
life, and visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to
restaurants, shops and entertainment. The Porto Antico on the
harbour front has been rebuilt from a utilitarian dock to an
entertainment area with museums, cinemas, restaurants, and one of
the biggest aquariums in Europe along the pretty promenade.
Genoa makes a good base to explore the other towns along the
Italian Riviera, including Portofino, Cinque Terre, Rapallo and La
Spezia.
Information & Facts
Eating Out
Among the many delights that Italian cuisine has brought to the
world, Genoa can claim two as its own: the city was the birthplace
of pesto sauce, traditionally made from herbs, olive oil and pine
nuts. It is used in abundance on pizzas and pastas in Genoa, so
there are plenty of opportunities to sample Genovese varieties.
The other invention now known worldwide is foccaccia, a kind of
flat oven-baked bread topped with olive oil and white wine (or
whatever you want to pile on). Foccaccia is staple fast-food in
Genoa - a relatively filling and cheap snack to grab on the
run.
There are many excellent restaurants in Genoa. Many charge a
fixed rate per person, and are open from 12:30 to 3pm for lunch and
7:30 to 10pm for dinner; however, you'll find many cafes and
trattorias that stay open in the afternoon. The Old Town area of
the city has many good restaurants (like Trattoria Sa Pesta), and
there's also a good selection in Porto Antico, down by the
harbour.
Language
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is
understood in the larger cities but not in the more remote parts of
the country.
Money
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency, which is divided into
100 cents. Those arriving in Italy with foreign currency can obtain
Euros through any bank, ATM or bureaux de change. ATMs are
widespread. Travellers cheques can be exchanged with ease in the
large cities, not so in the smaller towns. Credit cards are
accepted in upmarket establishments and shops around the cities.
Banks are closed on weekends, but tend to have better rates than
casas de cambios.
Shopping
Shopping in Genoa is as elegant an experience as in any other
city in Italy. Bargain-hunters will have their choice of luxury
boutiques, antique stores, gourmet food shops and department stores
- in addition to a plethora of souvenir and gift shops.
For those looking for high-end purchases, the best fashion shops
in Genoa can be found along the Via Settembre, Via Luccoli and Via
San Luca. Souvenir-hunters will love the handmade lace and carved
olive wood in the shops lining the medieval-style Via Soziglia.
There is a large shopping centre near the Genova Sampierdarena
train station called Fiumara, which has a variety of shops and is
near restaurants and entertainment venues like bowling alleys and
pool halls.
Popular Genoa souvenirs include the intricate silver and gold
jewellery made in the area, as well as Ligurian ceramic
pottery.