Genoa Cruise Holiday Guide

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).

Euro (€) = 100 cents.

Language

Italian.

Genoa has long been an important commercial and military port. The medieval district of the city holds many treasures, such as the Porta Soprana (the old stone entrance gate to the city), the Church of Sant’Agostino (next to the Museo dell’Architectura e Scultura Ligure), the beautiful Church of San Donato and the Gothic Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Outside the medieval district, Via Garibaldi, where many of the city’s richest inhabitants built their palaces, is a beautiful walk, taking in Palazzo Podesta, Palazzo Bianco (now an art gallery with paintings by Van Dyck and Rubens) and the magnificently decorated Palazzo Rosso (adjacent to Palazzo Bianco and housing paintings by Titian, Caravaggio and Dürer). The nearby resort of Portofino has a small picturesque harbour full of sleek pleasure yachts and luxury clothes shops. Romantic villas owned by the rich and famous perch on the hillside and the Castello di San Giorgio sits high up on a promontory with magnificent views of the Portofino harbour and bay. The beach at Santa Margherita Ligure, just 5km (3 miles) south of Portofino, is an excellent place to swim, with an almost fairytale swimmer’s-eye view of the surrounding cliffs and villas from the warm and crystal-clear aquamarine water.

Clothes, leather goods, including shoes and bags, local produce such as pesto (see below), olive oil, vinegars, cheeses, wine, painted ceramics, lacework, glassware, filigree and antiques. Those hunting antique bargains should be aware that Italy is known for its skilled imitations of antiques, although there are also many genuine items on sale.

Pesto (sauce made of basil, garlic, pine nuts and pecorino cheese with pasta), cima genovese (cold veal stuffed with calves’ brains, onions and herbs), pandolce (sweet cake with orange flavour). The best local wine is Sciacchettra.

Genoa Marittima Station or Genoa Principe FS Station.

Genoa Cristoforo Colombo International Airport.

Europe and Italy

The only hotel located at the airport is the Sheraton Genova Hotel. Hotels in the centre of Genoa convenient for the port include the Columbus Sea Hotel, Astoria Hotel, Bristol Palace Hotel, Europa Hotel and the Golden Tulip Moderno Verdi Hotel.

Italy