Its name tells a lot: “Genoa” comes from the Latin word “ianua” which means “door” and of course, this town – with its narrow alleys, tighten between the mountains and the sea – is a perfect gateway to know Italy and the Mediterranean.

In a 2017 article, the New York Times praised Genoa as a city full of charm, treasures, and wonders that still have to be discovered by most.

Genoa too often remains off the most famous tourist routes in Italy, but it is “a place of several firsts and superlatives: the first bank, Casa San Giorgio, 1407; the first soccer team, Genoa C.F.C., 1893; the most famous explorer, native son Cristoforo Colombo; and the most notable prisoner, Marco Polo, who was imprisoned in 1298 during a war between Genoa and Venice, then rival republics”.

Genoa has been one the wealthiest cities on earth and a maritime capital of the world for over 700 years, from the 11th to 18th century. Today, with its historic center known as the largest in Europe (actually the most densely populated), Genoa’s old town presents a blend of medieval, renaissance, and baroque buildings that fascinate tourists and visitors.