Genoa as 30 day home base.

Thank you for the suggestion of Livorno. Back to the web.

It's a big industrial port city which would work for visiting Liguria, but it is too far from Milan and Lake Como. It would be difficult to be used as a base for that.

A month is not a short time, so it is a good idea to choose a base city hub that is well connected by public transportation (I'm assuming you won't have a car), so that you can take day trips to places which are of interest to you.

I think your best option is to decide which part of Italy you'd be interested in visiting. Could be the north, the south, Sicily, Tuscany, etc. Then, within that region of the country you should choose the best transportation hub, which often coincides with the Region's capital city. For example if it's Emilia-Romagna, then Bologna is the major hub, if it's Latium, then Rome is the hub, if Tuscany then Florence is the hub to consider, etc.

Some of the major hubs I mentioned are major international visitors' destinations. That does not mean you cannot be fully immersed with the local culture and people. There are areas in Rome or Florence, even in or very near the city center, where there are fewer visitors and plenty of locals.

Be aware however that English is not widely spoken outside of tourist areas, especially by people over 40 or 50 without a college education (although some of my friends' English fluency is rather poor in spite of their advanced degrees). So if you stay in areas outside of where international tourists go, you need to have some knowledge of basic Italian. If you need to speak English, generally kids of school age speak better English since English as a Second Language is now mandatory from first grade until the end of high school and often College for many majors, but the longer they are out of school the more quickly they will have forgotten if they don't have to use it in their job (I guess it is true that "if you don't use it, you lose it").

We thoroughly enjoyed our two month stay in Verona several years ago! A charming city that is well connected by bus and train to other gems, big & small.

Thank you all. We are keen on the Liguria area because so many towns and villages are easily accessible. Also Genoa is large enough to explore leisurely in a month's time. Willing to pay for additional accommodation in Milan and or Como. The savings in Genoa is an offset of sorts.
We have been to Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, Amalfi coast and Sicily.

I'm not too fond of big industrial cities like Genoa, although it has areas of interest.
If you would like a less hectic environment consider also areas of Genoa that are just outside of it, yet within easy access to the city center. Genova Quinto, Genova Quarto, Genova Nervi, Boccadasse or Genova Bogliasco are some examples.

Did Northern Italy with Genoa, Bologna, Milan and Torino. Been to 72 countries, many cities and many cities multiple times. I still can't come to grips that Genoa is the only city that i am distrssed that I have to say I did not like. Stayed in an apt in an old lighthouse and live the apt at the port but the city just did not do it for me! Adored Bologna and if you can make that city work, you would be extremely lucky.

Go to Bologna and stay there two weeks. I booked rooms in Bologna in April and got a fantastic September flat (260 euro, 3 nights), as it is supposedly a b--ch trying to get anything good due to constant trade fairs. Visit Ferrara and Parma, adding Modena and Ravenna if they strike your fancy. Stay on Via Bertieri or close to Via Oberdan. Try the evocative and surprisingly vast Museo Archeologico. The restaurants are unsurpassed, and I'm a vegetarian. You will love their wonderful old-world arcades that are everywhere.

I stayed a month in Genova in 2022...was not disappointed. From there I day tripped to Torino as well as multiple towns on the coast like Corniglia, Cinque Terre area etc. Many areas of Genova to explore (very walkable) and very good restaurants. Yes, a more "industrial" town but not as jammed as Firenze or Roma. Unless you are staying in the port area the industrial nature of the city should not be an issue. I stayed in the area of the palaces on a main thoroughfare which was perfect. not far from either train and good bus connections as well. I wish I had visited the aquarium at the port but just didn't get around to it...next time! And I was 71 at the time...Enjoy.