Follow Katie in Genoa
First of all, if you haven’t already seen my triumphant day in Genoa, watch it now:
And now here it how to copy it!
Caffetteria San Luca
As Australians, we make no secret about being coffee snobs. Especially since Benny used to work for one of Australia’s leading coffee companies and became an export in the delicious morning brown. Having said that, we absolutely love the espresso culture of Italy. Whether you’re looking for your standard morning shot of pick-me-up, or are feeling adventurous with your caffeine hit, Caffetteria San Luca is worth a stop.
The incredible creation in the photo above is their Mozart espresso. Think cream, pistachio, and the all important coffee all having a party in your mouth to get your day started. I also tried a delectable shot with ginger and nutmeg - probably not the best choice on a summer scorcher, but I would order it in a heartbeat on a chilly day.
Anti Forna Della Casana
Focaccia is just one of many things that Genoa claims to have done first. With a variety of styles and toppings, I can’t blame them for wanting to own it. Delicious bread with cheese, meat, fresh pesto, olives - what’s not to love! And Antico Forno Della Casana does it best. Load up on their goodies and get yourself to the beach for truly unique and relaxing day in the Italian Riviera. Speaking of which…
Boccadesse Beach
Boccadesse beach is the absolute pinnacle of the Italian beach fantasy. It is small, sheltered, and surrounded by colourful buildings. Adding to that, the water is clear and the perfect temperature in summer to cool off without freezing. Sitting just a short bus ride out of the centre of Genoa, it is by far the easiest beach to visit and you should definitely take advantage of that when visiting. Bring a towel, a sun hat and a bag of focaccia and settle in for one of the best beach days imagineable.
Genoa Cathedral
While I can’t strictly recommend a visit to Genoa Cathedral as we didn’t go in, I can safely say it is worth a gander from the outside. You’ll more than likely come across it while exploring the city given its central location. The unique black and white pattern makes it a striking piece of architecture in a city otherwise dominated by pale pastels. If you do decide to go in, remember to observe the modest dress code. Keep an eye out for the undetonated WW2 bomb!
Antica Friggitoria Carega
These cones of fried seafood are another invention that Genoa is happy to claim. Battered calamari, prawns, even whole tiny fish, with a generous coating of salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon really remind you that your by the sea. The Italian riviera really champions their seafood and at the budget end of the spectrum, you can find these generous portions around the city. Antica Friggitoria Carega have been doing it longer than most, sending it to the top of the list for us. If you’re squeamish on seafood (i.e. prawn shells, fish tails or fish heads), maybe just order the calamari. But hey, when in Rome(Genoa)!
Riposa at Home
Similar to a siesta, I was grateful to learn that Genoa indulges in post-lunch snoozes known as riposas. I highly recommend factoring this into your schedule. Pop home, have a shower, a nap, and refresh yourself before heading out to explore, eat and drink into the evening!
Castelletto
Castelletto is one of those interesting places where you can see the passage of time in some way. To the modern eye, it is prime real estate in the city of Genoa, sitting high above the twisting old city below and looking out to the beautiful blue ocean. I wouldn’t dare consider the price tag of a property in the area. But the origins of Castelletto couldn’t be further away from this. When Genoa’s population continued to expand between the 10th and 20th centuries, the poorer members of society were sent to live up there. The practicality of being down by the port trumped the views before tourism became such a key industry in Genoa.
Most of the time, you can take the free furnicular up from the city. If you have watched our episode, you’ll know that we just happened to want to visit on one of only a handful of days that year where it was closed for maintenance. But hey, it was the perfect opportunity to walk off the fried fish we had for lunch! Allow 20-40 minutes to walk up if you choose to go by foot.
Trattoria Rosmarino
This restaurant had it all. Great food, great wine, angry waiters shouting in the kitchen…
Trattoria Rosmarino came highly recommended to us, and overall we loved it. The food and service that we experienced was all excellent. This is a great place to try the city’s famous pesto simply tossed over pasta, as well as cod and a number of other Ligurian specialties. Bonus points if you enjoy a bit of a show with your dinner, like waitstaff shouting very loudly in the kitchen. But if this is likely to make you uncomfortable, you may need to give this one a miss! It may have been a one off.. but we will never know.
