1. The old town in the city center is interesting, generally in a good condition and surprisingly large,
and the old buildings (for instance the palazzi) are beautiful
2. Wandering aimlessly in the characterful little side streets (caruggi)
3. Great coffee (especially espresso)
4. Not as many tourists as in other great Italian cities
5. A lot of palm trees, despite being in North Italy
6. The sea breezes, and the exciting bustle of the port
7. Learning about the city’s fascinating and complex past
8. Delicious fish and seafood in the restaurants
9. At first glance Genoa can seem ugly, but when you explore the city a little your opinion invariably
improves. Still, it’s true that the city has seen better days, so discovering its hidden charms requires
a little patience
10. Seeing the house where Christopher Columbus was born, and the oldest lighthouse in Europe,
the Lanterna
11. The village-like character of the Boccadasse neighborhood (it used to be a fishing village)
1. Horrendously difficult (borderline impossible!) to find a parking space in the city. Genoa
sometimes seems very disorganized
2. A lot of historic buildings deserve renovation
3. Some streets and even whole neighborhoods are dirty and dilapidated, with a depressed
atmosphere and bad smells. There are some streets which at night (or even on a Sunday afternoon)
don’t feel safe, and street lighting is often lacking (certain side streets leading off the Porto Antico
particularly stick in my mind)
4. Easy to get lost while driving in the narrow streets. Too many cars in too little space.
5. The wares sold in the Porto Antico aren’t very exciting, and at night some troublemakers in the
local bars can make it dangerous
6. The ugly, industrial outskirts and the many anonymous tower blocks
7. A lot of prostitutes by day and night in the side streets of the old town, and the activities of the
(mostly Roma) pickpockets
8. It’s very hard to find a restaurant open before 7:30 or 8:00 in the evening.
9. Motorists, moped users and cyclists all tear about like maniacs, seriously endangering the safety
of humble pedestrians
10. The beaches around Genoa aren’t so pleasant – they quickly fill up, and the water is dirty
11. Rats, drug dealing , junkies