|
Genoa: The Casbah of Italy
Architect Renzo Piano has called Genoa a "secret, inward-looking casbah city." Even to Italians, Genovese are a mystery. Where Florence, Venice, and Rome love to show off the treasures from their pasts to visitors, Genoa doesn’t much care about strutting its stuff to attract tourists. The great Genovese families—Dorias, Fieschi, Spinolas, Grimaldis—indulged in conspiracies and intrigues to match the rest of Renaissance Italy, but have been outside the historic spotlight that shines on the Medicis, Sforzas, and Estes. The centro storico is the largest preserved medieval city center in all of Europe. It is the original home of pesto, the concoction of basil, garlic, and olive oil that has become a gourmet standard in kitchens around the world. But, as Piano noted, Genoa is a secret city, and the Genovese are more inward looking than other Italian urbanites, so much of its history and culture have been left in the dark like treasures stored in an attic.
Genoa lies in the center of the Italian Riviera, with the chic towns of Bordighera and San Remo to the west and Portofino and San Remo to the south all within a half hour trip by car or train. And like the rest of coastal Liguria, the province which it serves as capital city, Genoa is a combination of steep mountainsides and thin coastal strand. As a result, Genoa is built in the vertical. The metropolis of today looks down on the nineteenth century city, which in turn sits above the medieval centro storico, near the harbor that dates to the sixth century.
Though they now serve mainly as banks, the palaces that line Via Garibaldi are reminders of the wealth and power that this 16th century city-state once wielded. These palazzi, along with the city’s museums and many of the historic buildings near the port have been restored as part of Genoa’s promotion as a City of Culture by the European Union in 2004.
The best way to see Genoa is to get lost. In the centro storico this is not at all difficult: the streets are tiny and winding that you will lose your bearings in no time. This is not a problem: If you want to stop being lost, just head downhill and you will wind up at the harbor. But don’t do this too soon; the most memorable experiences in the medieval labyrinth will be unexpected encounters as you wind through narrow streets made dark and mysterious by the towering ancient buildings on either side.
In the evening, join locals on a walk along the Lido, the seaside promenade line with cafes and restaurants. Walk far enough and you will end up in Boccadasse, a fishing village that the new millennium seems to have passed by. Or take a trip a little further afield; with the Riviera on either side of Genoa’s boundaries, you can install yourself at one of the many seaside resorts within easy travel distance of the city.
Genoa has been a seafaring center since before Roman times. The city that spawned and then rejected Christopher Columbus has always been a significant Mediterranean port. It remains so today, second only to Marseilles in marine commerce. In spite of the importance of the sea to its economy and history, however, Genoa neglected its harbor for many years. Until, that is, the five-hundredth anniversary of Columbus’s first voyage hovered on the horizon—which is when the city decided to rehabilitate the port and create a tourist attraction.
And so we come back to where we started. Renzo Piano was hired to direct the port’s rebirth, and he succeeded in spade. Genoa’s port now houses the largest aquarium in Europe, a naval museum, a children’s museum, two marinas, and a relaxing palm-studded park with plenty of benches.
Though Genoa spent 2004 in Europe’s spotlight as a City of Culture, it is likely to cede the spotlight its Florentine, Venetian, and Roman cousins and quietly return to the shadows once more. This is not a bad thing, if you are a traveler looking for something different but still Italian. Genoa’s secrets will still reside in its casbah streets, and that is good news. |
|
Making the Most of Your Money in Europe
The economy being what it is, traveling in Europe is more costly than it was a couple of years ago. Still, you can go abroad without breaking the bank by thinking through some money-saving strategies both before you go and once you’re there.
Unless you plan to stray far from the beaten path, plan to do most of your travel between itinerary points by train. Travel by train is cheaper than either domestic airfares or car rental. Check before you leave to see if a rail pass will save you money—this isn’t always the case, it depends on your itinerary.
Avoid the temptation to use taxis. Most European airports have good public transportation options into their adjoining cities. And once installed, use buses and subways instead of taxis; it’s cheaper and a lot more entertaining because of the great people-watching!
If you are going to rent a car, make your reservation before you leave home to get a better deal. Check rates again right before you leave to see if any new, lower rates have been introduced in the meantime. Unless you will be making long highway trips, rent the least expensive car category. Manual transmission cars rent for significantly less than those with automatic transmissions, so if you can drive a stick shift you can drive for less.
As far as your accommodations, save money by getting a room with a shared bathroom instead of a private one. And remember that the more nights you stay, the more likely you are to get a discount on your room, so consider staying put in one spot and taking day trips rather than bouncing from hotel to hotel. And avoid making telephone calls from your room, especially long distance ones. Get a calling card before you go and use public phones for your communications.
Breakfast may be included with your room, but double check. If the hotel wants to charge extra for a continental breakfast, it probably won’t be worth it. In this case, you will invariably be able find a café for your morning meals. For other meals, you can save by going light for lunch; shop in bakeries and food stores, then go on a picnic. At dinner, order the house wine by the carafe (or half carafe) rather than the bottled choices. Stick to cafes and bistros if you want to eat light in the evening; more formal restaurant may expect you to order all the usual courses.
The local Tourist Information Office is a great source of information on special events, concerts, arts festivals, and other doings that might be free or inexpensive. Some museums offer one evening a week free. Outdoor or church concerts are often free and quite good. Also check with your hotel staff, who are often more in the know about interesting goings on than the tourist office.
In many cities, you can get a ringside seat to same really good people-watching for the price of a glass of wine or cup of coffee and a seat outside. Because you will rarely (if ever) be rushed to leave or to order more, this is one of Europe’s most cost-effective sources of entertainment.
Finally, when it comes to shopping for souvenirs, think twice. Thanks to the Internet so many goods are readily available from home that once could only be bought on location. So before you buy those Florentine leather gloves, that Murano figurine, or that Waterford crystal vase, remember that you will be able to get most of the items you covet from the comfort of your own home. |