I apparently am going to have to revise my impressions of Genoa.
A little more than ten years ago, the port of Genoa was entirely renovated by world-famous architect Renzo Piano, another illustrious Genoese, to mark the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery.
Expo 1992 was also hosted here that year. One of Piano's additions included "il Bigo", a surreal steel construction with a glass elevator that provides visitors with a breathtaking view of the city.
Now,
More than €230-million have been spent on embellishing the city and on
organising 150 special events and conferences marking its status as European
City of Culture 2004.
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SAIL BACK IN
TIME TO PROUD GENOA
Independent
On Line
December
8, 2003
Genoa, Italy - The scent of adventure and of the big wide world still permeates the Italian port city of Genoa.
It was already like this back in 1451, when its most celebrated son, Christopher Columbus, was born. Here, while admiring the Mediterranean Sea, the great adventurer probably first thought of setting sail to seek a western passage to India.
These days, most tourists only stop in Genoa for a short time, while waiting to board ferries that will take them to the nearby islands of Sardinia and Corsica.
This is a pity. For "Genoa the proud", as it is often referred to by Italians, truly deserves a more thorough visit.
Visitors
to Genoa should start their tour of the city from its main train station
The
city is busy making itself beautiful for the coming year, when it will
become a European Culture Capital, along with its French cousin Lille.
There are road works everywhere and scaffolding still envelops many of its medieval buildings. But the city centre has already been closed off to traffic, and face-lifting operations are beginning to produce results.
Visitors to Genoa should start their tour of the city from its main train station, where an imposing statue of Columbus is there to greet them.
From here, they are advised to explore its medieval centre, where narrow alleys conceal beautiful courtyards and open up to grandiose piazzas. Street musicians and stands where fresh fish and fruits are sold add to the allure.
Majestic medieval buildings, some of them up to seven storeys high, look over fashionable shopping streets like Via Balbi, Via Cairoli and Via Garibaldi.
The 1 000-year-old Cathedral of San Lorenzo and Columbus's home are also here. Nearby Palazzo Ducale, once home to the city doges, is only a short walk away from the port, one of the largest in the Mediterranean.
Ten years ago, the port was entirely renovated by world-famous architect Renzo Piano, another illustrious Genoese, to mark the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery. Expo 1992 was also hosted here that year. One of Piano's additions included "il Bigo", a surreal steel construction with a glass elevator that provides visitors with a breathtaking view of the city.
Locals come here for their Sunday afternoon strolls, while visitors might also wish to visit its old cotton mill, which now hosts cinemas, shops and restaurants. The city's most famous recipe is, of course, "Pesto alla Genovese", a green pasta sauce made with fresh basil leaves, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Other tourist attractions include one of Europe's biggest aquariums, "Children's City" - Italy's largest playground - and la Lanterna. The 76-metre tall lighthouse is still the city's main symbol.
On the other side of Genoa, which composer Richard Wagner once described as "incredibly beautiful, glorious and characteristic", lush hills adorned by medieval fortresses and pastel-coloured homes spread.
More than €230-million have been spent on embellishing the city and on organising 150 special events and conferences marking its status as European City of Culture 2004.
These include exhibitions of works by Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens, an international jazz festival and concerts honouring Niccolo' Paganini, the famous violinist who was born here in 1782.
Sapa-DP Published on the Web by IOL on 2003-12-08
IOL
: Sail back in time to proud Genoa
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