Genova (Genoa in English), population 550,000+, 1.5 million in the greater metropolitan area, as a port city, from the Middle Ages until Napoleon (yet again) it was one of the Mediterranean power houses, Genova was a republic made wealthy by naval commerce. Its historic centre streets are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It’s probably most famous as the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

Other than its art museums, I had not done a lot of research about Genova before arriving here. After being in smaller locations with mostly pedestrians, what strikes me first is the noise of Genova. The streets are wide, motorbikes are numerous and the trucks are big.

We went on a market shop and cooking class. Mercato Orientale Genova or MOG is the city’s oldest market blocks from our hotel.

From MOG we walked to Daniela’s house near Brignole station. The area is characterized by Fascist era architecture.

We cooked potato gnocchi with pesto sauce, polpettone and tiramisù. Polpettone is a mix of mainly green beans, a bit of mortadella, onion, eggs, mashed potato, parmigiano cheese, marjoram and nutmeg; topped with bread crumbs and baked. It was served with a salad and was quite light.

The recipe uses cagliata a ricotta-like cheese instead of mortadella.

Gnocchi making

A small antipasto followed by the polpettone which I failed to photograph:

The gnocchi with pesto

Forgot to take a photo of the tiramisù until after I ate the whole thing.

Daniela gave us suggestions for what we might do and places to eat—but the next day or later. We were not going to need much dinner.

We waddled slowly back to the hotel. The view looking towards the sea.

Piazza della Vittoria, built in the 1930s.

Arco della Vittoria is a memorial to the fallen of WWI.

In the distance, a garden for Christopher Columbus’ three ships. Usually they are filled with flowers but work was going on to change the flowering plants.

Near the restaurant where we ate the night before, you can take an elevator to get to the upper level.

A self serve 24 hour bookstore.

A black and white marble portico.

As usual we were so full after our lunch, we did not want dinner. We went to an art supply store where Scott splashed out on a set of watercolour paints.

Then went for an aperitivo near the church of Santi Andrea e Ambrosio and did some sketching.

Above Palazzo Ducale.

The cafe had spray bottles of water to “dissuade” pigeons.