Milan to Genoa

 We caught a bus from Milan and it headed south across pancake flat countryside for about half of the journey. Then within about a mile the landscape changed drastically and turned mountainous as we negotiated our way on a road that twisted and turned whilst climbing, sometimes through tunnels or over long bridges.

It was fine for a while although we were rolling in our seats. However, we had set off 30 minutes late and I think that the driver was trying to catch up for lost time. The final few miles to Genoa were all downhill on a dual carriageway and he got into the outside lane and descended like a grand prix driver. The only time I have seen anything like it before was when we caught a minibus in Thailand that was driven by a maniac.

We overtook every car on the road, shooting past them and taking up both lanes to do handbrake style turns on the very many switchback corners. 

We arrived in Genoa in a state of mild shock and then couldn't find our hotel. Eventually we realised that it must go through the ten foot high unwelcoming looking door in a very high wall. We couldn't get in but then some people arrived with their own key and we got inside to find a cavernous room with a grand staircase and then a lift.

It was a very strange contraption, but it worked well and eventually we found someone to let us in to our hotel, which took up only about a third of the third floor.

Once inside our room was lovely and spacious and had a balcony overlooking the city. We calmed down and made ourselves at home.

The next morning we started exploring Genoa. It is the sixth largest city in Italy and is by the coast just to the left of the top of the boot shape. It is a port city, the busiest in Italy, with a history of maritime trade over many centuries and has an old town full of beautiful palazzos and narrow streets.

The Via Garibaldi has twelve superb palazzos in one incredible row. It is difficult to show how amazing they were as they are so tall and close together. I was really keen to look inside at least one of them, but it was Monday, the only day of the week that they close.

We continued our wandering and ended up at the seafront and admired the beautiful painted building just above. Maybe there are just too many lovely buildings to appreciate here, but this one was in a bit of a tatty area with cars parked right in front of it. Worst of all though was a busy flyover that stretched out all along the coast spoiling the view and atmosphere of the waterfront.

It was built in the 1960's and was thought a good idea at the time, and it also pedestrianised the area underneath it, but not really in a good way. Back at the hotel I looked at a map because surely it would have been better somewhere else, but with the mountains behind the city and sea in front I couldn't see where else to put it either.

In 1451 Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, and huge crowds of people go to look at the front of his tiny house. We did too but without a guide so I don't know what they say. However, this wasn't really his house, but is an 18th century recreation, and I don't think that anyone knows where in the city was his actual birthplace. Interesting though. 

Then lots more amazing sights and a nice pasta and wine dinner later.