February 2026. Genoa.
It was actually that first morning in Genoa, leaving the grandeur of Via Balbi and those World Heritage palaces and descending to the noise and colour of Via di Prè,
a half mile of multi-ethnic shops and barbers and even tinier lanes down to the sea,
that I suddenly realised why Genoa was such a wonderful city, as great as Manchester or Naples or Nuremberg,
and I wondered if there was any better way to spend a day than just aimlessly wandering and popping for an espresso, just as Davis Bowie had done around the time of Station to Station.
Genoa gets a lot of cruise ship business, we sailed from here ourselves to Ukraine years back, and it’s a fair bet the gentlefolk don’t spend a lot of time dressed like Bowie exploring the narrow alleys of the Old Town, but as this local confirms, you’re pretty safe in Genoa, as Via di Prè is flooded with the light of shops all night.
And even if you aren’t, live a little.
OK, perhaps avoid THIS street.
Actually, I recommend going up every street that looks inadvisable, some of the best little restaurants are in streets that look like the one housing This & That in Manchester.
As Via di Prè ends, you stumble through Porta dei Vacca and head purposefully onwards towards Genoa’s handpumps.
Honest.
retiredmartin 
That street reminds me of Drum Lane in Northampton.
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Don’t make me wistful, Paul !
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https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2374633,-0.8967466,3a,75y,6.22h,83.14t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sUl2oqDvDFQ5CzQA7g2i6ig!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D6.861934058294054%26panoid%3DUl2oqDvDFQ5CzQA7g2i6ig%26yaw%3D6.221737974940027!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDIwNC4wIKXMDSoKLDEwMDc5MjA2OUgBUAM%3D
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Loving the super fresh fruit 😀
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Literally dozens of shops like that, and I buy my bananas from the Carrefour Express !
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“Dressed like Frank Sinatra”, you surely meant, Martin?
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I haven’t been to Genoa, but it certainly looks inviting. I shall get Mrs PBT’s to check it out, cruise-wise.
I thought Mrs RM was going to sort out your phone camera, and remove the glare from your photos – unless it’s for artistic effect, of course?
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“THE CINQUE TERRE ON THE CHEAP – LUNCH IN CAMOGLI”
(looks up)
Isn’t that the ‘guess where this is” pic?
“In a world before websites and Booking.com, turning up at 4pm with two toddlers without accommodation seems reckless in retrospect.”
Funny how that seemed normal back then. When I did that 11 months of backpacking around Europe I just had Fodor’s Guide to Europe – in book form. 😉
“not that you should drink cappucino in the afternoon, of course.”
Good lord no! Beer is the preferred choice.
“A half hour from Genova Principe on Trenitalia’s clean, cheap and spacious trains, with rain lashing against the coast, and two begraggled tourists looking for a picturesque lunch.”
(looks down)
Yup, definitely thunder heads or some such.
“but like most of Camogli the Frittura Marina was closed, whether for winter or Monday, who knows ?”
Not that where I live is remotely close to the Italian Med, but most non-chain restaurants are closed here Mondays as well.
“Never mind, it’s barely 10 minutes from station to harbour,”
(looks down)
Blimey, they’ve got some curvy streets.
“a colourful (if wet) stroll,”
Time to duck in somewhere for a pint!
“I know it’s a heron, Mrs RM asked ChatGPT.”
(slow golf clap)
“More of that green pasta for me,”
When in Rome…
“Unfussy service in the only proper restaurant bothering to open on a winter Monday. There’s a lesson there.”
But few small business eateries are learning it.
“I’m not sure what you actually do here, beyond eating, watching the waves crash and asking ChatGPT about heron behaviour, but what more do you want ?”
Some venue to have a pint whilst watching all of that?
Cheers
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Ignore the above, wrong post (blush).
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AHEM!
(waves frantically so everyone ignores the wrong post above)
“and descending to the noise and colour of Via di Prè,”
I still say that could be a pic from the 1700s.
“and even tinier lanes down to the sea,”
People were a lot skinnier in the 1700s.
“that I suddenly realised why Genoa was such a wonderful city, as great as Manchester or Naples or Nuremberg,”
First off… (slow golf clap)
(looks down)
THAT is ‘Old Europe’ in a nutshell.
“and I wondered if there was any better way to spend a day than just aimlessly wandering and popping for an espresso, just as Davis Bowie had done around the time of Station to Station.”
Pretty sure Davis*, like me, would opt for a beer vice espresso.
* – Not to be confused the jazz guy, Miles David?
(I’m sure you got the hint by now)
“and it’s a fair bet the gentlefolk don’t spend a lot of time dressed like Bowie exploring the narrow alleys of the Old Town,”
It could become a Thing!
“you’re pretty safe in Genoa, as Via di Prè is flooded with the light of shops all night.”
(looks down)
Agreed!
“OK, perhaps avoid THIS street.”
(looks down)
Agreed!
“Actually, I recommend going up every street that looks inadvisable**, some of the best little restaurants are in streets that look like the one housing This & That in Manchester.”
Blimey, now I’m confused. 😉
“As Via di Prè ends, you stumble through Porta dei Vacca and head purposefully onwards towards Genoa’s handpumps.”
Handpumps?
“Honest.”
If you say so (makes note to check the next post).
Cheers
** I was only robbed once going up inadvisable streets when I roamed Europe. 😏
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