Italy 2012: Genoa: Somewhere between Venice and St. Petersburg

It was hard to say goodbye to the Cinque Terre and my lovely little hotel by the sea, but it had to be done. Genoa was waiting.


My not-so-hard earned "Cinque Terre Trekking" t-shirt.

As soon as I stepped out of the Brignole Centrale Train Station, I knew it was going to be a beautiful place to spend the next 24 hours. A short walk from the station, the Hotel Astro is on the 5th floor of a stylish old building filled with lawyers, psychologists and other businesses. I was told I would be in the La Marinara room (each room has a different motif to the décor). Yes. I was sleeping in the sea. I think I might have nightmares of the lobster and crabs hanging on the wall in front of my bed.

Don't think I have ever slept with plastic crustaceans on the wall before...

I collected my strength and headed out to explore a bit of Genova’s old town. My hotel is located on XX Settembre  - one of the main shopping districts in town. Immediately, I was reminded of Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg. Since so much of that city was designed by Italian architects as well, it is not surprising how familiar it felt. Being a major port city, like Venice was, Genoa also has a lot of eastern influences in their windows and embellishments.The best of both worlds.


The city felt 100 times safer and more inviting than when I strolled through Naples a few days earlier. My walk took me past Ferrari square (there was also a Corvette square), down Lorenzo Street and onto the harbor. I guess I should not have been surprised to find a pirate galleon tied up to the dock – considering the Cinque Terre's reputation.

The street outside my hotel - Via XX Setembre, Genoa.

Building by the harbor with beautiful frescos.

A galleon ship in Genoa's harbor.

 I donned my tourist cap (figuratively, not literally) and hopped on “Il trenino pippo, il primo a Genova”. Well , maybe not THE best, but it was the cheapest and the tackiest little tour train I could find. It gave a good overview of the city and I was able to get better oriented than with just a map in hand. I found a little church, San Pietro in Biachini. The entire exterior was covered in fresco paining, as was the building behind it.

San Pietro Church

Lions outside San Lorenzo Cathedral.

I then traced my steps back to San Lorenzo Cathedral to admire the black white stonework and rather sad looking lion. I found THE best gelato at Fruit and Nut – pistachio, tiramisu, and chocolate chip. I am glad I waited until Monterosso for my first taste of gelato, it will be hard not to try some in  Milan now. Genoa, the home of Christopher Columbus and a town I would like to spend more time in the next time I am back this way.