Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Genoa
POP 605,000
Contrasting sharply with the elegance of Turin, Genoa is a big crawling port that's almost
Dickensian in places, thanks to its narrow, twisting lanes
(caruggi)
that are more reminis-
cent of the clamour of Morocco than the splendour of Venice. A once-important trading
centre that bred such historic game-changers as Columbus and Mazzini, the city breathes
a cosmopolitan air, with remnants of empire evident in its weighty art heritage.
Deep in the maze of the gritty old town, beauty and the beast sit side by side in streets
that glimmer like a film noir movie set. Old men smoke languidly outside noisy bars and
prostitutes stand like sentries in dark doorways, while on the periphery memories of the
great years echo through the gold-leaf halls of the Unesco-sponsored Palazzi dei Rolli - a
myriad collection of 16th- and 17th-century 'lodging palaces'.
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa ruled the Mediterranean waves during the 12th to
the 13th centuries, before deferring to the superior power of Piedmont. Its crusading no-
blemen once established colonies in the Middle East and North Africa, and its emblematic
flag, the red cross of St George, was greedily hijacked by the English.
Since hosting Expo 1992 and being championed as 2004's European City of Culture,
Genoa has undergone some radical renovations, with its once-tatty port area now hosting
Europe's largest aquarium and one of its best maritime museums.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR EURO
Serial museum-goers should pick up the
Card Musei
(24/48hr €12/16) . The card gives free admis-
sion to 22 of Genoa's museums and discounted access to several more. You can buy it at various mu-
seums, information booths or online at
www.happyticket.it.
History
Genoa's name is thought to come from the Latin
ianua,
meaning 'door'. Founded in the
4th century BC, Genoa was an important Roman port and was later occupied by Franks,
Saracens and the Milanese. The first ring of Genoa's defensive walls was constructed in
the 12th century. (The only remaining section of these walls, Porta Soprana, was built in
1155, although what you see today is a restored version.)
