Ligurian Coast Classic: Genoa, Portofino and Cinque Terre, colorful villages and dolce vita

Genoa spreads between sea and hills like an ancient maritime republic, a city of merchants and shipowners whose glorious past can be read in its palaces and alleys. The maze of caruggi, among the largest medieval historic centres in Europe, leads to churches, shops and hidden squares as far as the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. The sumptuous Palazzi dei Rolli of Via Garibaldi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, testify to the wealth of la Superba. The Porto Antico, renewed by Renzo Piano, houses the Aquarium, one of the largest in Europe. The district of Boccadasse, an old fishing village, offers a corner of authenticity by the sea. Ligurian cuisine offers pesto, focaccia and pansoti. Frank and fascinating, Genoa reveals itself to those who know how to lose themselves among its alleys.