ITALY - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 349

A boat tour of the city's harbor is a great way for visitors to acquaint themselves
with Genoa. Tours by boat leave from the aquarium, in the old port area, daily at
1400. Organized boat trips from the Maritime Building may be arranged ahead of
time. The tour runs every hour starting at 0930 and ending at 1730/1800 (or later,
depending on the number of people asking for the trip), when a minimum of 10 per-
sons is present. To reach the departure quay, proceed by bus or on foot to Piazza
Caricamento, following the yellow signs to the aquarium. Cross the road and enter
the old port area. You'll see the aquarium on your right. The tour boats are berthed
just beside the aquarium building. Visit www.battellierigenova.it . Tickets €8.00.
Most visitors link Genoa with Christopher Columbus (1451-1505). This asso-
ciation begins as you leave the Piazza Principe Station fronted by Piazza Ac-
quaverde, where a statue stands in honor of Columbus. A part of the city bus tour
takes you to the Church of San Stefano, where Columbus was baptized, and in-
to the Piazza della Vittoria—a vast expanse of lawns where the three ships of his
fleet, the Niña , Pinta , and Santa Maria , are depicted in grass and flowers.
Plan a walking tour of Genoa. Depart Genova Piazza Principe Station and follow
Via Balbi to Via Cairoli, which connects with “the street of Kings”—Via Garibaldi. At
the end of Via Garibaldi, turn right (south), and proceed to the city's center, Piazza
de Ferrari. From this point, you can continue along Via XX Settembre to the park in
front of the Brignole Station or return on foot to the Piazza Principe Station by turn-
ing south and walking along the harbor. Both tourist information offices have maps
to assist you in the walking tour. Be certain to include Genoa's great aquarium.
The Aquarium, built in 1992 for the Columbus celebrations, is one of the biggest
in Europe and should not be missed.
The city of Genoa lies beside a fine natural harbor at the foot of a pass in the
Italian Apennines. It rivals Marseilles as the leading European port on the Mediter-
ranean. Genoa's harbor facilities, which were damaged heavily during World War
II, have been expanded and modernized. Shipbuilding is the leading industry of
Genoa.
Ever since its birth, Genoa's calling has been the sea. Genoese ships transpor-
ted Crusaders to the Middle East and returned laden with booty. Genoese mer-
chants, profiting from the newly created demand in Europe for goods from the
Middle East, expanded their operations throughout the Christian world. Genoese
forts and trading posts soon spread throughout the Mediterranean and Aegean
Seas, creating a rivalry between Genoese and Venetians. Ask the tourist office for
hours and information on the sea and navigation museum called Padiglione del
mare e della Navigazione in the Porto Antico Area.