Genoa

Genoa's history as an important naval base and port dates back to Roman times. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Genoa was ruled by Goths, Byzantines and Franks before becoming an independent Republic in the 11th century. Genoa prospered as a big maritime power on the Mediterranean sea and conquered parts of northern Italy, Sardinia, and Corsica, with Venice as their biggest rival. The rise of the Turkish empire and plague outbreaks ended Genoas golden era, after which it fell to France and Milan. Genoas most famous citizen was Christoffer Columbus born there in 1415.

During the height of the Genoa Republic, aristocrats built a group of streets called the Strade Nuove. The streets are the three main roads of the city: Via Garibaldi, Via Balbi, and Via Cairoli. Together with the Palazzi dei Rolli, they have been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These palaces were built in the 16th and 17th century to host notable guests in private residences. Genoa counts a staggering 163 palaces, 42 of which are part of UNESCO Heritage. These Baroque and Renaissance palaces are located all around the city as a testament to Genoas wealthy and powerful past. Most of the palaces have been repurposed as museums, such as Palazzo Reale, offices and hotels.

Genoa is still a major port, and the harbor is used by commercial ships, ferries and cruise ships. Genova also has an airport and can be reached directly by train from Milan. Genoa was built in a small bay, and the city grew it spread upwards on the hills. As a result, many of Genoas streets have a steep incline. But the city center is best explored on foot. The city is famous for high-quality fresh seafood as well as olive oil, focaccia, and pesto Genovese. Tourism in Genoa has only picked up recently, and as a result, there are no tourist trap restaurants, and the city is relatively authentic and free from tourists compared to other big Italian cities, even in summer.