Liguria Review is a guide to one of Italy's most remarkable regions. Despite being relatively small in size compared to the other 19 official regions of Italy, Liguria has an enviable array of riches waiting to be discovered. Within its confines it can boast the famous Cinque Terre with some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, glamorous seaside towns such as Portofino, Sanremo, Portovenere and Lerici, dozens of beautiful hill towns and the city of Genoa, steeped in maritime history. The aim of the site is to point visitors in the direction of the best places to visit, provide useful travel information and cultural insight. If you're planning a trip to Liguria and you can't find what you're looking for on the site, please feel free to drop me a line and I'll be happy to help. My name is Dion Protani, the creator of the Italy Review series of websites and you can reach me at info@italyreview.com.
HERE'S SOME OF WHAT YOU CAN FIND ON LIGURIA REVIEW!
Liguria In - FocusThe birthplace of Christopher Columbus and once known as "La Superba"; Genoa is a city whose distinguished history has been shaped by the Ligurian Sea upon whose shores it sits. Genoa's origins can be traced back as far as the 4th century BC, its name deriving from a Latin word for "door", but it was during medieval times that the city first came to prominence on the world stage.
At the beginning of the 12th century Genoa's "Golden Age" began, during which it would become a powerful maritime republic, seeking trade with the east along the Silk Roads and battling for - |
Galeone Neptune, Genoa
|
- naval supremacy against rival republics such as Venice, Pisa and Amalfi. The Genoese also played an active role in the Crusades, in the process building strategic alliances in an attempt to see off their rivals. Despite some significant military successes such as the Battle of Meloria in 1284 where the Genoese navy destroyed the Pisan fleet, and the Battle of Curzola in 1298 where they inflicted a resounding defeat on the Venetians, later reverses against Venice at Pola in Croatia and Chioggia (Veneto) in 1380, marked the beginning of a gradual decline in Genoa's fortunes and particularly its military prowess.
The medieval period closed with Genoa establishing itself more upon financial rather than martial success with the emergence of the San Giorgio banking syndicate. Soon after the birth of the Republic of Genoa in 1522 one of the city's favourite sons, Andrea Doria, came to power. Later years saw conflict with Piedmont, France and Austria with Genoa's independence eventually ending in 1815 when it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Later still, Genoa played an important role in the Risorgimento (the period of Italian unification); not only was it the birthplace of one of the Risorgimento's chief protagonists, Giuseppe Mazzini, but perhaps more significantly it was the place from which Garibaldi led his "Thousand" to help the uprising in Sicily, the first major stepping stone along the road to eventual unification.
During World War Two Genoa saw heavy bombardment which lay waste to much of the city; heralding a period of serious decline. After many years of suffering there was eventually a glimmer of hope in 1992: the 500 year anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America; a period of heavy investment which saw the redevelopment of areas like the port with locally-born and world-famous architect, Renzo Piano, instrumental in its design. Further investment occurred in the lead up to 2004 when Genoa was the European City of Culture, providing a boost to tourism and a legacy which continues today.
Main Sights
The majority of Genoa's many sights can be found within the Centro Storico (Historic Centre), the Porto Antico and the area known as the Strade Nuove (New Roads) to which (along with the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli) Genoa has owed its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006.
The area close to the port with its tangle of tight, narrow streets known as "carruggi" is where you can really feel the everyday atmosphere of the city. So close to each other are the buildings on either side of the streets that they feel almost as if they're on top of one another which really adds to a feeling of hustle and bustle, further heightened by the presence of markets, shops, bars and restaurants.
The Porto Antico is a much wider, more open space with its Piazza Caricamento; from this square you can visit the many sights of the port including La Lanterna, a medieval lighthouse which is the symbol of Genoa, or many of the city's new icons built by Renzo Piano such as the world-famous Acquarium, the adjoining Biosphere or the 60 metre high revolving panoramic lift known as "Il Bigo"; its huge white masts representing Genoa's maritime heritage. You can also go back in time and visit a full-size reproduction of a 17th century galleon, "Galeone Neptune".
The Centro Storico of Genoa is the largest medieval centre in Europe and home to some of the city's main sights such as San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Palazzo Ducale and the beautiful Chiesa del Gesù. For many people, the Piazza de Ferrari is the real centre of the city and from here you're just a short walk from the more modern streets such as Via XX Settembre with its porticoed shopping areas where you'll find some of the city's best cafès.
The most important streets of Le Strade Nuove are Via Garibaldi, Via Balbi and Via Cairoli. Within these streets you'll find a series of grand Palazzi from the 16th and 17th centuries, prominent among which is the Palazzo Rosso a huge museum and art gallery. There are also some beautiful churches close by such as the Chiesa di San Siro.
Transport
Genoa is one of the best connected cities in Italy in terms of transport options: it has its own international airport (Aeroporto Cristoforo Colombo) just 10 km from the city centre and reachable by train in 25 minutes. There are two main train stations allowing easy passage to Italy's other major cities but also to the beautiful inland and coastal areas of Liguria; despite the tragic bridge collapse of 2018, the city is also well-served by motorways with Nice in France just over 2 hours away. By sea you can sail to and from Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica or occasionally to Barcelona in Spain. Getting around the city is helped by trams, a metro system, buses and funicular railways but it's not too big that you can't walk to all of the main sights.
The medieval period closed with Genoa establishing itself more upon financial rather than martial success with the emergence of the San Giorgio banking syndicate. Soon after the birth of the Republic of Genoa in 1522 one of the city's favourite sons, Andrea Doria, came to power. Later years saw conflict with Piedmont, France and Austria with Genoa's independence eventually ending in 1815 when it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Later still, Genoa played an important role in the Risorgimento (the period of Italian unification); not only was it the birthplace of one of the Risorgimento's chief protagonists, Giuseppe Mazzini, but perhaps more significantly it was the place from which Garibaldi led his "Thousand" to help the uprising in Sicily, the first major stepping stone along the road to eventual unification.
During World War Two Genoa saw heavy bombardment which lay waste to much of the city; heralding a period of serious decline. After many years of suffering there was eventually a glimmer of hope in 1992: the 500 year anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America; a period of heavy investment which saw the redevelopment of areas like the port with locally-born and world-famous architect, Renzo Piano, instrumental in its design. Further investment occurred in the lead up to 2004 when Genoa was the European City of Culture, providing a boost to tourism and a legacy which continues today.
Main Sights
The majority of Genoa's many sights can be found within the Centro Storico (Historic Centre), the Porto Antico and the area known as the Strade Nuove (New Roads) to which (along with the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli) Genoa has owed its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006.
The area close to the port with its tangle of tight, narrow streets known as "carruggi" is where you can really feel the everyday atmosphere of the city. So close to each other are the buildings on either side of the streets that they feel almost as if they're on top of one another which really adds to a feeling of hustle and bustle, further heightened by the presence of markets, shops, bars and restaurants.
The Porto Antico is a much wider, more open space with its Piazza Caricamento; from this square you can visit the many sights of the port including La Lanterna, a medieval lighthouse which is the symbol of Genoa, or many of the city's new icons built by Renzo Piano such as the world-famous Acquarium, the adjoining Biosphere or the 60 metre high revolving panoramic lift known as "Il Bigo"; its huge white masts representing Genoa's maritime heritage. You can also go back in time and visit a full-size reproduction of a 17th century galleon, "Galeone Neptune".
The Centro Storico of Genoa is the largest medieval centre in Europe and home to some of the city's main sights such as San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Palazzo Ducale and the beautiful Chiesa del Gesù. For many people, the Piazza de Ferrari is the real centre of the city and from here you're just a short walk from the more modern streets such as Via XX Settembre with its porticoed shopping areas where you'll find some of the city's best cafès.
The most important streets of Le Strade Nuove are Via Garibaldi, Via Balbi and Via Cairoli. Within these streets you'll find a series of grand Palazzi from the 16th and 17th centuries, prominent among which is the Palazzo Rosso a huge museum and art gallery. There are also some beautiful churches close by such as the Chiesa di San Siro.
Transport
Genoa is one of the best connected cities in Italy in terms of transport options: it has its own international airport (Aeroporto Cristoforo Colombo) just 10 km from the city centre and reachable by train in 25 minutes. There are two main train stations allowing easy passage to Italy's other major cities but also to the beautiful inland and coastal areas of Liguria; despite the tragic bridge collapse of 2018, the city is also well-served by motorways with Nice in France just over 2 hours away. By sea you can sail to and from Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica or occasionally to Barcelona in Spain. Getting around the city is helped by trams, a metro system, buses and funicular railways but it's not too big that you can't walk to all of the main sights.
THINGS TO SEE IN LIGURIA
In this section you'll find the very best things to see in Liguria. Among the highlights are the incredible villages of the Cinque Terre, the historic city of Genoa and a whole host of Seaside Towns.
|
LIGURIA ACCOMMODATIONIn the Liguria accommodation section you'll find a live search engine where you can choose from thousands of Liguria Hotels as well as general advice on what options are available to visitors.
|
|
|
