Posted on March 23, 2010 by Fiona Hilliard

The thing that strikes you when you see Genoa for the first time is the higgledy-piggledy layout of the city.  In fact, it’s probably easier to find a needle in a haystack than a stretch of flat pathway in Liguria.  As you can probably imagine, stilettos are a no-no and Genoa car hire can be a tricky affair.

And now for a word-picture of Genoa: The cityscape is characterised by its tall, narrow buildings, faded palaces, delicate hanging gardens, cloud-puncturing church spires and flaky remains of the town’s original walls. Impressive painting, eh?

More than likely, the first place you’ll find yourself is in the main shopping streets, which plunge into Genoa’s old town.  If you can drag yourself away from the stylish boutiques for a moment at least, you’ll be privy to a wealth of fascinating attractions in the tangle of shady pedestrian alleys.  In fact, don’t be surprised if you think you’ve been transported back to the city’s heyday of cloak and dagger intrigue.

Winding your way down to the base of the old town, you’ll arrive at the old port and revamped docks.  Take some time to check out the flashy cruise liners, cute fishing boats, ferries and yachts.  The waterfront area has been completely regenerated by local architect Renzo Piano. A panoramic elevator and glass biosphere are also now in place.

A weekend should suffice for seeing all the sights that Genoa has to offer.  They say ‘no pain, no gain’ and this is definitely the case when it comes to seeing Genoa at its best.  Your feet might ache for an hour or so, but the memories (and photographs) will last a lifetime.