Trip Report - Genoa
We were talking to a cab driver who was from Florence (our next stop after Genoa) - he said “Florence is very, very beautiful - in Genoa, we hide our beauty so you have to look for it.” At first glance, the city might seem a bit gritty, but it has much beauty to offer. The people are wonderful and seem genuinely tickled that you are visiting La Superba, as Genoa is known.
You will definitely get your cardio in walking around Genoa. The city is built hanging off a cliff over the ocean and it seems like wherever you go, it’s uphill.
We stayed for three nights at the Hotel Astoria, which is a few blocks away from Brignole Train Station. It is a gorgeous hotel — absolutely immaculately appointed, big modern rooms (but a charming turn-of-the-last-century elevator with an upholstered wooden bench) and very helpful staff. It is also very well-priced especially given the caliber of the hotel. Highly recommend.
We ate very well but two restaurants in particular stood out for their exceptional quality without breaking the bank - Rosmarino and Le Rune. Phenomenally delicious food that emphasizes regional specialties and local ingredients, with warm, welcoming hosts. Do not miss these if you travel there.
-Google Maps is not your friend here. The old part of the city is a warren of extremely narrow streets with tall buildings where most cabs cannot venture, and the satellite cannot find you to tell you where you are. A cab inadvertently dropped us one alley over from our destination, and had it not been for a very kind young Genoese woman, who took time out of her way home to walk us to the restaurant, we would have been wandering around for some time. Carry a paper map if you can and study Google maps when you are in an open plaza where the “blue dot” is more likely to accurately reflect your location.
I at first felt a little self-conscious about asking the restaurant to call us a taxi after dinner, but soon realized it’s common practice as you cannot hail a cab from the street in Italy. There is a cab stand at the Piazza Ferrari next to the big fountain.
When it rains in Genoa, it can be like someone turned on a fire hose or it can hardly rain at all. When the forecast says it will be rainy, check a weather app with radar (I like Wunderground) to see what the size and intensity of the storm is and plan accordingly.