Blue Jean

Genoa
In the 1800s the workers at the busy Italian port of Genoa wouldn't be seen dead without their sturdy blue denim work clothes. Perfect for the tough conditions in the capital of the Liguria region, which remains one of the biggest ports in Italy.  When this workhorse of a garment found its way across the Atlantic to the early American gold prospectors they were spotted by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davies. They added studded pockets to the trousers to carry the gold nuggets, the Genoa clothing became 'Jeans', and the rest is history. 

Genoa, Liguria, Italy

It's a story which echoes our first impressions of la Superba (The Proud One) as a tough, no-nonsense industrial city port that is practical and sometimes brutal - See the concrete maze of motorways carving through the industrial heart of the city. But also streetwise and fashionable, and capable of delivering striking moments of clarity such as the beauty of the Cathedral di San Lorenzo or the serenity of the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno. Genoa was our first stop as we toured the Italian Riviera in Liguria, and you can safely say we fell in love with the city.

The Port of Genoa from La Laterna

The airport at Genoa is a small but efficient and we were quickly through security with our bags already waiting for us, so we could jump straight into a taxi to take us across town through the industrial port front via snaking concrete slipways. We were staying in an apartment in Foce, which is a very pleasant district a short walk from the city centre and equidistant from the seafront and Brignole Station, so a perfect base for exploring.

Genoa, Liguria, Italy

The city centre of Genoa is very compact and easy to explore on foot. It does have a small metro system that comprises of just 8 stops which is useful for reaching some of the city sights that are a little further afield.

Piazza Ferrari, Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Any tour of Genoa should start at the Piazza Ferrari, a square in the financial district that links the modern and historic centres of the city. The piazza is surrounded by impressive art nouveau buildings and has a large ornate circular fountain, just recently restored. A short walk away is the distinctive Cathedral di San Lorenzo, instantly recognisably by its Gothic stripes, and is guarded by a pair of wonderfully mournful lion statues. Also nearby is the famous Via Garibaldi, the most beautiful street in Genoa is a cobbled thoroughfare lined with a host of elegant palaces.

The palaces of Via Garibaldi

Genoa is a city that rises steeply from the sea so has some fabulous vantage points, and an easy way to access the upper levels of the city are via the Ascensore, which are public lifts. There's one at Castelletto Levante which will take you from the centre of the city to a panoramic terrace which will help to give you a sense of the layout of the city and its modern port.

Porto Antico, Genoa

The old port, Porto Antico feels like the heart of the city. The busy harbour area (Metro stop San Giorgio) sits adjacent to the large industrial port and boasts a large aquarium, an intriguing looking biosphere, a docked submarine, a large old wooden ship, and lots of places to eat from high end restaurants to hole-in-the-wall eateries selling fresh fried seafood. There is certainly plenty going on! But it still retains a relaxed, laid-back feel which makes it a nice place to wander around in the sunshine.

The Lions of Cathedral di San Lorenzo

To the east of the city is the seafront promenade of Corsa Italia which is a sumptuous pedestrianised area that meanders past the beaches and Lidos of Albaro all the way to the small fishing village of Boccadasse. Along the way we accidently discovered the lighthouse at Punta Vagno which is always a nice surprise on our travels.

The lighthouse at Punta Vagno

Boccadasse is a picturesque village of brightly coloured houses surrounding a small pebbled beach and harbour. It's a very popular place to walk to and make sure you reward yourself with either a focaccia or an ice cream, or both! I can heartedly recommend the Stracciatella ice cream from Antica Gelateria Amedeo, quite possibly the best ice cream I've ever had.

Boccadasse, Liguria, Italy

The symbol of Genoa is the imposing La Lanterna lighthouse that sits in the centre of the industrial port. To get there take the metro to the Dinegro Station and head towards the sea front and you'll soon come across the raised promenade walkway that cuts through the industrial harbour and the concrete flyovers to take you to the lighthouse. 

 La Lanterna lighthouse, Genoa

The dedicated walkway is full of great facts about La Lanterna. It is the oldest working lighthouse in the world and the tallest on the Mediterranean, and when you look up, boy is it big! The lighthouse is positioned on a huge, elevated piece of rock standing proud above the harbour before two huge towers built on top of each other complete this frightening structure.

 La Lanterna lighthouse, Genoa

At the base of the lighthouse are gardens and a memorial to the British soldiers who died clearing mines in the harbour it overlooks. There are 172 enclosed steps to the viewing platform of the first tower and once you get there you will be rewarded with incredible views of the city. 

 La Lanterna lighthouse museum, Genoa

It's from here that you can really grasp the sense of the cityscape and how the seafront is dominated by a labyrinth of intermingling roads and motorways. You can't help but think back to the devastating collapse of the Morandi Bridge in 2018. It was a disaster which left 43 people dead and almost 600 people homeless as the busy Genoa crossing came down in a storm as a result of poor design and lack of maintenance.

Under the busy link roads at Port Antico, Genoa

Genoa is famous for its pesto and you can't visit Liguria without trying the fabulous Trofie Pasta Genovese, a simple but delicious dish comprising of pesto, potatoes, green beans and pasta. Your lunch options are also excellent with great value focaccia available everywhere.

We ate a lot of Trofie Pasta Genovese!

The Mercat Orientale is a good option for refreshments when exploring the city centre. Alongside the traditional city market stalls there is a busy food hall offering a good variety of eateries. 

The Mercat Orientale, Genoa

The old city is a maze of alleyways, the Caruggi di Genova. Head for the bustling Piazza Delle Erbe which is host to lots of busy bars and restaurants and explore the myriad of narrow streets running off the square to discover more great places to eat and drink.

Caruggi di Genova

A place that has long been on my wish list of places to visit was the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno. It was there that the photographs of the tomb and the angel that respectively adorn the record covers of the last Joy Division album Closer and single Love Will Tear Us Apart were taken. The cemetery is on the outskirts of the city, reached by following the dry Bisagno River and includes walking past the football stadium, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, home to Genoa CFC and U.C. Sampdoria. It's a very pleasant fifty-minute walk from the city or the number thirteen bus will also get you there.

The dry bed of the Bisagno River, Genoa

The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe and is a beautiful celebration of death on a grand scale. The gardens are set on a hillside and adorned with rows and rows of ornate and remarkably lifelike statues and sculptures. Long, covered porticos of ornate tombs surround huge tree-lined graveyards adorned with marble graves and sculptures. A central grand staircase leads to Pantheon, more porticos and even more incredible sculptures.

Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno, Genoa

The Appiani family tomb that adorns the cover of 'Closer' was designed by an Italian Sculptor, Paernio and is a startling portrait of grief and anguish. The beautiful grieving angel of the Ribaudo family tomb was sculpted by Onorato Toso and appears on the 'Love Will tear Us Apart' sleeve.

Closer

Having grown up in generation when record sleeves were meticulously pored over and studied, to see these two remarkable sculptures in real life was a really big thing for me. The light on the marble brought these figures alive in a quite extraordinary way, and I found the whole experience a celebration of life, rather than mortality.

Love Will Tear Us Apart

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Genoa which kicked off our tour of Liguria. The city has a fabulous atmosphere and buzzes with the background noise of scooters and sirens that is prevalent in all the major Italian cities. 

Scooters, Genoa

Obviously as the home of pesto the food options are excellent, the old port and alley ways are great to explore as is the lovely seafront, and it boasts a stunning lighthouse as the symbol of the city. Perfect. Now we were heading the short distance east along the Italian Riviera to the seaside town of Rapallo.