Genoa does not loom large in the imagination of visitors to Italy as a must-see destination. Even as far as Liguria goes, you are most likely to prioritize seeing Cinque Terre or Portofino before setting your sights on the region’s capital city. That goes some way to explain how, in my nearly quarter of a century of coming to Italy practically every year, I had not set foot in Genoa until the recent November trip.
Somewhat unexpectedly, the historic center of Genoa – by some measures, it is the largest in Europe – loosely reminded me of one of my favorite places in the world, Venice. Minus the canals, of course. The vehicular-traffic-free maze of narrow alleyways – called caruggi – that connect lovely small piazzas presided over by impressive churches and palaces projects a vibe of simultaneously finding oneself directionally lost and on the verge of the next exciting discovery. That type of vibe inevitably infuses a walk around La Serenissima, and my amble around Genoa approximated that to a degree. A few street perspectives can hardly convey the feeling; you’ll have to trust me.
The wall chapels known as Madonnelle – in their vast majority, they depict the Virgin Mary – appear on many caruggi corners. Given that the surrounding buildings are frequently in need of TLC, the altars have a beautifying effect in addition to their votive purpose.
One of the main wider streets in the historic core is Via Garibaldi. It is a prime example of Le Strade Nuove – the late-16th century urban redevelopment of the heretofore medieval city – and home to the largest concentration of Renaissance and Baroque palaces known as Palazzi dei Rolli that form the primary basis for Genoa’s World Heritage recognition.
Palazzo Rosso, on the left in the above perspective, is one of the most magnificent of these residences, punctuated by splendid ceilings.
There is also a painted mezzanine – a low-ceilinged “second-and-a-half” floor.
The red façade of Palazzo Rosso provides the background for the next few shots.
These are all perspectives taken in the garden of Palazzo Bianco, across the street from Palazzo Rosso. Its own interior is mostly bland, and the rooms house various art collections (which is true for a number of Rolli). The garden must be the most notable feature of Palazzo Bianco.
From here, you can also see the upper terminal of one of the elevators connecting the historic center with the hilltop quarter of Castelletto.
We will find our way up there eventually.
If you buy a combined ticket to visit Musei di Strada Nuova, in addition to exploring Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco, you will also walk through the nearby Palazzo Doria Tursi.
Aside from the inner courtyard, Palazzo Doria Tursi does not have many notable interior features. It is primarily a decorative arts museum. Its main highlight is a dedicated Niccolò Paganini room, headlined by his Il Cannone violin, a 1743 Guarneri.
Genoa has both a Palazzo Ducale and a Palazzo Reale, recalling different periods of the city’s history and governance. The former houses a cultural foundation and was not on my target list, but the latter boasts one of the most regal interiors in town, including a ballroom that evokes Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, minus the crowds.
As in any other royal palace, you find plenty of additional stately rooms and outstanding pieces of furniture, art, and decor.
In a separate section of the palace, an exhibition dedicated to Saint George – venerated throughout Italy but also expressly the patron saint of Genoa (as well as of Milan and, to a lesser degree, of Venice) – showcases quite a collection of depictions of him and his signature dragon-slaying deed created in different eras.
The ticket to Palazzo Reale combines access to another Rolli, Palazzo Spinola.
This is another grand aristocratic residence, rivaling Palazzo Rosso in ceiling paintings, and exhibiting quite a lot of additional components of the living space.
Remnants of old frescoes and a staircase with antique maps are the bonus features that may anoint Spinola as the most impressive of the palaces I visited on the day. (It is also home to the National Ligurian Gallery, which was closed for refurbishment.)
This indifferent perspective along Via Bensa at the northwest edge of the historic core of Genoa is nonetheless a reasonable illustration of its topography: the buildings up there are part of the aforementioned Castelletto, they rise in a number of layers, and a vehicular tunnel runs underneath.
Turning left on the same spot, we take in Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato, one of the most impressive churches in Genoa.
The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is also a majestic piece of ecclesiastical architecture. Surprisingly, it faces a comparatively small square and is hemmed in by surrounding buildings. One of the “new streets” runs by the side of it.
Piazza de Ferrari is one of the calling cards of the city, a monumental open space with an iconic fountain in the middle.
And no, it is not related to Ferrari of automotive fame. The square is named after Raffaele De Ferrari, the Duke of Galliera, a wealthy Genoese who donated a lot of money to the city’s modernization in the late 19th century.
The childhood home of one of the most famous Genoese of them all, by the name of Cristoforo Colombo, is located just a couple of blocks down the street on the right in the above perspective. I had it on my tentative itinerary, but with five palaces featuring on the list as well, I ultimately decided that one more museum visit was one too many for a single day.
To the left of the above perspective stands Teatro Carlo Felice, an opera house that originally opened in 1828, was largely destroyed by repeated Allied bombings during World War II, and was fully rebuilt and reopened only as recently as 1991.
The masks decorating the entablature running around the building are worth a study all by themselves.
As promised, at some point, I found my way to the terrace of Belvedere Castelletto, so that I could observe the city from an elevated viewpoint. The sun was directly in front of me, but even without that impediment, I have to admit that Genoa’s roofline is a bit of a jumble, with few easily recognizable landmarks and quite a few prominent modern-times edifices that I wish I could as easily remove from the perspective as I do with stray passersby.
Nonetheless, you may recognize Palazzo Rosso in the right lower corner…
… and guess that this is the cathedral and its tower in the middle of the next close-up.
In the southeastern direction are the parts of Genoa’s center crowned by the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Carignano. Those precincts were too far away to include in a day-long walking itinerary.
And a view of the marina and the port, watched over by Lanterna di Genova lighthouse.
A couple of perspectives from the waterfront, including a venue space known as Festival Suq and the former prison of Palazzo San Giorgio with its astoundingly painted façade.
And the sunset behind the marina and the lighthouse.
Like any city of a reasonable size, Genoa no doubt can sustain more than a single-day attempt to explore. I hardly did it justice with roughly seven hours of an intraday visit. It will have to be added to the long list of other places that I had limited time to see and would want to come back to.
One day, hopefully.
This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Genoa.