Genoa - Hidden corners of palaces, alleys and sea

At first glance Genoa can look like a tangle of harbour, flyovers and dark alleys. Look more closely and you find a city of many layers: palaces built by wealthy merchant families, terraces high above the water, and corners where the noise suddenly falls away.

This wander takes you to places that are often mentioned only in passing. Pack comfortable shoes, because Genoa is steep and almost every good view has to be earned a little.

The street of palaces

Via Garibaldi, once called Strada Nuova, was laid out in the sixteenth century as an address for the republic's most powerful families. Today palaces with ornate facades, courtyards and grand staircases line the street. Several of them, together with other houses in the city, belong to the "Palazzi dei Rolli", recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some palaces house museums, while others can at least be admired from the entrance. Do glance into the courtyards, which are often lovelier than the street outside.

Alleys, steps and lifts

The old town is one of the largest medieval city centres in Europe. Its narrow lanes are called "caruggi", and small shops, workshops, churches and back courtyards follow one another along them. Getting lost is part of the experience, and sooner or later the way usually leads back down to the water.

Genoa has one more trick: funiculars and public lifts carry you up the hillsides. From the viewing terraces above the old town you can take in rooftops, cranes and the open sea in a single glance.

A fishing village in the city

To the east lies Boccadasse, a small fishing village that the big city has long since caught up with but which has kept its character. Colourful houses crowd around a tiny cove, boats rest on the pebble beach, and in the evening locals sit on the sea wall.

• Come early in the morning or at sunset, when the light is at its best.
• Enjoy an ice cream or an aperitif right by the water.
• Combine your visit with a walk along the coastal promenade.

Quiet places of remembrance

The Staglieno cemetery is a sight in its own right. Arcades and tombs with elaborate nineteenth-century sculpture spread across wide hillsides, a monument to Genoa's middle class. The visit is calm and thoughtful, even without any knowledge of art history.

Parks and cliffs in Nervi

On the eastern edge of the city lies Nervi with its gardens and villas. A seafront walk runs high above the rocks, with cliffs on one side and palms and flower beds on the other. It is a gentle place for a stroll before you head back into town.

The harbour with fresh eyes

Around the old harbour, ships, warehouses and the "Lanterna" lighthouse remind you that Genoa was a sea power for centuries. A walk along the quays joins history with the daily life of a port that is still very much at work.

If you explore the city with children, take one part per day: palaces in the morning, alleys at midday and the sea in the afternoon. A short ride on a harbour boat is also popular, since from the water the city looks like an amphitheatre nestled against the slope. Add the smells of sea, fresh bread and herbs, and you understand what makes Genoa so unmistakable. Genoa rewards anyone who takes their time and now and then turns down a side street. Leave a few free hours in your plans to drift through the alleys without a goal.