February 2026. Genoa.
Mrs RM could stand the constraints of the weekly Sheffield-Waterbeach-Tunbridge Wells shuffle no longer and booked cheap flights (cheap to us, the cost to the planet is a different issue) to Italy and hoped there wasn’t a call from the in-laws for a few days.
And you know what that means; load of diary entry styled posts that don’t feature opening hours, chewy pints of bitter, and crispy Chinese takeaways.
We flew from Stansted, because we love standing in a queue for 35 minutes for security staff to inspect my (new) shoes.
Nice views over the Alps,
or is it the moon ? My geography is sketchy.
I know this is Genoa’s gorgeous Principe station, though,
our target after a 20 minute bus trip from one of our quieter European airports. Incidentally, lovely passport control staff at Genoa, who laughed when Mrs RM failed to provide a fingerprint for the new EU entry/exit system as they’ve worn away from too much blogging.
I named Italy my favourite country of 2014*, and it’s hard to fault a place whose hotels (B & B chain, reliable) have decided the essentials you’ll need aren’t toothpaste and an iron, it’s crisps and cheap bottles of red.
B & B Hotels is my favourite accommodation chain, if only because there’s so little excess stuff in their rooms that you can’t lose cables and teddy bears, there’s sockets near your ear, and the art is top draw.
This was my fourth visit to Genoa/Genova, a city I’d put in my Top 5 when asked in 2014, so time to see how it compares with all the great places we’ve seen since.
Principe Station is pretty much at the start of the three main walking routes through this magical place; seafront, hectic Via de Pré, and the grand palaces along Via Balbi, which is where we start.
But first, two (2) minutes into that walk, food.
Those flags of St George get everywhere, don’t they ?
We’ve been living off pasta (mainly spaghetti) in Sheffield, as there’s barely time to shop before heading south. The pastas in those little Ugo trattoria that dot central Genoa are something else altogether.
Freshly made behind the counter, served in boxes for under £6, washed down with excellent craft beer from the Ligurian hills.
Mrs RM had the strong one, I wanted the one with a squid on the bottle. Actually, I wanted squid.
I’ll accept that Mrs RM’s Pansoti (ravioli) and my Trofie (the thin twisted one that looks like green beans) don’t look great,
but they were, it was a proper start to a week of carbs.
And it would get worse, with bargains like this;
I don’t think some of these prices have changed since my last trip 12 years ago.
* I forgot to award “Top Country” in 2025, so let’s give it to Transnistria, in case the Russians are reading this.
retiredmartin 
I wondered how you would get on with the new EU entry. The news today is suggesting long queues but I expect that is in the holiday season.
I guessed Liguria correctly but I thought you had gone to the Cinque Terre villages.
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That photo was from Camogli on the way to the Cinque Terre so I’m happy to declare you the winner, Jon.
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Thank you. I think that I was on holiday near there, probably in 2007 and had an amazing day in the Cinque Terre villages. I was staying in Montemarcello and drove to La Spezia where I caught a boat to Portofino. This was the year before Wayne Rooney had his wedding there.
On arrival in Portofino there was a storm and the next boat was cancelled so I took refuge in a cafe. I remember a man selling umbrellas doing well and the lady running the cafe had to rescue the umbrellas on the tables outside from being blown away.
The storm cleared so I caught the next boat to Cinque Terre where I bought a rover ticket for the train back to La Spezia. I visited the villages either by using the train or walking between them. It is a lovely area to visit.
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In general, we’ve had no problem whatsoever travelling around Europe the last few years. Albania was a doddle. The only long queues for passport checks are at Stansted. I’d also say that travel in Europe is much easier than made out, that one issue with finding Albanian bus stops apart.
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Absolutely no queues in Italy, only security checks at Stansted (and a mile walk from plan to passport control).
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“January 2026. Genoa.”
That explains the ‘guess where’ photo recently.
“Mrs RM could stand the constraints of the weekly Sheffield-Waterbeach-Tunbridge Wells shuffle no longer and booked a cheap flights”
Did you fly on different flights or is the plural for the return trip?
“We flew from Stansted, because we love standing in a queue for 35 minutes for security staff to inspect my (new) shoes.”
Hah! The new shoes probably raised suspicions.
“or is it the moon ? My geography is sketchy.”
Not the moon. Moon dust is more of a grey than a (cough) ‘snow’ white. 😉
” lovely passport control staff at Genoa, who laughed when Mrs RM failed to provide a fingerprint for the new EU entry/exit system as they’ve worn away from too much blogging.”
LOL!
And, thank goodness it was a smaller airport. Between new regs in the EU, US (and UK?), international travel is on hold for me for now (apart from Mexico in May).
“B & B Hotels is my favourite accommodation chain, if only because there’s so little excess stuff in their rooms that you can’t lose cables and teddy bears, there’s sockets near your ear, and the art is top draw.”
Totally agree with the socket thingy these days.
Also, (looks down), yup, nice art work!
“But first, two (2) minutes into that walk, food.”
Heh.
“Those flags of St George get everywhere, don’t they ?”
I think those are just old Red Cross flags that ran in the wash.
“Freshly made behind the counter, served in boxed for under £6”
Not sure if that should be ‘served in boxes’ or ‘served boxed’; but I could be wrong.
“washed down with excellent craft beer from the Ligurian hills.
I can’t find anything wrong with that!
“Actually, I wanted squid.”
Shoulda got same takeaway from Chung Hwa before you went to the airport.
“I’ll accept that Mrs RM’s Pansoti (ravioli) and my Trofie (the thin twisted one that looks like green beans) don’t look great,”
Agreed.
“but they were, it was a proper start to a week of carbs.”
Calories during holidays don’t count.
“And it would get worse, with bargains like this;
(looks down)
Blimey!
“I don’t think some of these prices have changed since my last trip 12 years ago.”
(slow golf clap)
Cheers
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Have you seen much of Europe, Russ ?
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We used to fly over to visit family in the 70’s. I spent time with my brother in northern France twice, once with my wife in 2008 (and we did four days in Paris before heading home) and once with my dear old Mom in 2015, when she was 85.
But…
I spent 11 months backpacking around Western Europe from September 1980 till August 1981. I had an open round trip ticket to/from Toronto/Amsterdam. Flew in to Amsterdam, spent a few days, then headed to the UK to spend time with relatives. I had a pair of two-month student Eurail passes (only available to those who lived outside of Europe). That was unlimited travel for two months once you started using one of the passes. I used one from early October and went to Oktoberfest in Munich, then worked my way down to Rome, back up to Florence and Venice, over to the south of France, into Spain and back up to Paris in early December. Went back to England for the holidays, then headed off in early January with the 2nd Eurail pass and headed north above the Arctic Circle via Denmark, Norway, Sweden, then worked my way down to Brindisi. Took the ferry to Greece and stayed there for about a month (including Crete). I then traveled around the UK for the summer; up to Edinburgh, back by way on Loch Ness (and Ben Nevis) and into Wales and whatnot. I budgeted $25 (Cdn)/day when not staying with relatives. That included, food, travel, lodging… and beer. ☺️
Had some, interesting times. 😎
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Brilliant grounding for life that.
Mrs RM did a big inter-rail trip in the summer of 1985 covering similar ground and still treasures the experience.
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“Mrs RM did a big inter-rail trip in the summer of 1985 covering similar ground and still treasures the experience.”
Good for Mrs RM, and I totally agree it was an experience.
Cheers
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Mrs RM’s is now minus finger prints? I still have mine after 40+ years of touch typing. Note to self: must try harder. Enjoy the carbfest and lovely sights.
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I think she must have found them just in time to be let in at Genoa, or else she’s using someone else’s.
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Has Mrs. RM been doing bricklaying. That can cause loss of fingerprints.
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She has lifted bricks in the recent past, as the previous owners of our house had buried a ton of them in the garden.
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You’ve done well there Lana.
Two Staffordians I knew, albeit even older than me, had curtailed fingers from frostbite with working as milkmen through the winter of 1962 to ’63.
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I’m glad that you both have managed to get away from the caring duties for a while. I know from experience how draining it can be.
I thought the launch of the new EU entry/exit system had been postponed, yet again, but obviously not. On my 2019 visit to Guangzhou, China, my fingerprints were taken three times on arrival, despite having them taken at the Chinese Visa centre, near the Bank of England.
I gather that UK citizens will soon be enjoying visa-free to the People’s Republic, unlike visitors to the US of A.
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I just do as I’m told and say “thank you” vigorously. Do they have crispy beef in China or is it a purely English invention ?
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