A few years ago, Genoa was far more grit than glamour — a way station to more fabulous places like Cinque Terre and its industrial port was among the more forgettable spots along the Italian Riviera. However, a complete restoration of its seedy waterfront, combined with an influx of young, well-funded entrepreneurs, has made Genoa a city bustling with cosmopolitan wine bars and restaurants.
Head to the Piazza delle Erbe, which is a small square hidden amid the labyrinthine alleys that snake through the city’s medieval quarter and it is home to no fewer than a half-dozen bars, two restaurants, a pizzeria and a gallery. Anyone who thinks Genoa is still a grimy port town hasn’t set foot inside Mua. It is a place where Genoa’s beautiful people gather, with decor taken straight from some chic Italian design store: walls awash in gleaming white, high-backed brown leather chairs, tables propped up by thin stem-like legs.
Parts of Genoa’s old city still look like the Middle Ages. There are cobblestone alleyways, so narrow that you can stretch out your arms and touch buildings on either side of the street. Spend some time there and get lost and don’t miss the San Lorenzo Cathedral, which dates back to the ninth century, in the heart of the old city.
If you decide to go Delta and United are among the airlines that fly to Genoa from New York with a connecting flight usually in Europe. Genoa is small enough that you can walk pretty much anywhere in the city center. And when your feet get tired, it’s easy to hail a taxi.
Source: misha