dventure Guide The Italian Riviera San Remo, Portofino & Genoa Amy Finley HUNTER HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818 % 732-225-1900; 800-255-0343; fax 732-417-1744 www.hunterpublishing.com Ulysses Travel Publications 4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec Canada H2W 2M5 % 514-843-9882, ext. 2232; fax 514-843-9448 Windsor Books The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJ England % 01865-361122; fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-58843-577-6 © 2006 Hunter Publishing, Inc. Manufactured in the United States of America This and other Hunter travel guides are also available as e-books through Amazon.com, NetLibrary.com and other digital partners. For more information, e-mail us at iv n Contents Contents Introduction 1 How to Use this Book 2 Websites 3 The Top 10 Adventures 4 Practicalities of Travel 5 When to Go, Where to Go 5 When to Go 5 Where to Go 8 Riviera di Ponente 8 Don’t Miss on the Riviera dei Fiori… 9 Don’t Miss on the Riviera dei Palme… 10 Riviera di Levante 10 Don’t Miss on the Riviera di Tigulio 11 Don’t Miss on the Cinque Terre & Riviera dei Poeti 11 Setting the Stage 12 How to Get There 13 By Plane 13 By Train 14 Things to Know About Train Travel in Italy 14 By Car 15 Car Rental 16 Things to Know About Driving in Italy 16 Getting Around 17 Practical Details 18 Travel Documents 18 Money & Banking 18 Tipping 18 Telephone 19 To Dial Italy from the US or Canada 19 To Dial the US or Canada from Italy 19 Emergency Phone Numbers 20 Holidays 20 Stamps & Post Offices 20 Voltage 20 Language 21 Cuisine of the Italian Riviera 21 Ligurian Specialties 21 Wine & Cheese 25 Slow Food 27 Contents n v Genoa 29 History 29 Ascendance of a Port Town 30 Inevitable Decline? 33 A Modern City 35 Getting There 38 Resources 39 Being There 39 Museum Pass 40 Porto Antico 41 Acquario Genova 43 La Città dei Bambini 46 Bigo 46 Biosphere 46 Palazzo San Giorgio 46 La Lanterna 47 Centro Storico 48 Palazzo del Principe 48 San Giovanni di Prè 50 Via Garibaldi 51 Via Balbi 62 Palazzo Reale 62 Palazzo dell’Universitá 64 Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola 64 Piazza Banchi 67 Casa di Mazzini 68 San Siro 70 Albergo dei Poveri 70 Cathedral of San Lorenzo 71 Piazza San Matteo 73 Church of Saints Ambrogio & Andrea 74 Palazzo Ducale 75 Basilica di Santa Maria di Castello 76 Embriaci Tower 77 Sant’Agostino 77 Porta Soprana 78 Modern Genoa 79 Teatro Carlo Felice 81 Palazzo & Museo dell’Accademia Liguistica di Belle Arti 82 Via XXV Aprile 83 Museo d’Arte Orientale Edoardo Chiossone 83 Via XX Settembre 85 Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria 86 Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Villa Croce 86 Castello d’Albertis 87 Only in Genoa 88 vi n Contents Via di Prè 88 Greenery & Views 88 Cable Cars, Lifts & Electric Trains 88 Staglieno Cemetery 89 Nervi 89 Boat Tours 89 For Active Travelers 90 Swimming 90 Ice Skating 90 Hiking the Castle Walls 90 Riviera di Levante 93 Portofino Promontory 93 Camogli 95 Getting There 98 Resources 98 Being There 98 Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta 99 Castle Dragone 99 Museo Marinaro Gio Bono Ferrari 99 Only in Camogli 100 Sagra del Pesce 100 San Rocco, Punta Chiappa & the Tonnare 100 For Active Travellers 100 Hiking 100 Diving 101 San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte 101 Getting There 102 Resources 102 Being There 102 The Abbey 103 Cristo degli Abissi (Submerged Christ) 103 For Active Travelers 104 Hiking 104 Portofino 105 Getting There 106 Resources 107 Being There 107 Chiesa di San Giorgio 108 Castello Brown 108 Santa Maria Assunta Oratory 109 For Active Travelers 109 Beaches 109 Sailing/Boating 109 Bikes/Scooters 110 Hiking 110 Contents n vii Only in Portofino 110 Shopping Like a Superstar 110 Tying the Knot 110 Santa Margherita Ligure 111 Getting There 113 Resources 113 Being There 114 Villa Durazzo 114 Basilica di Santa Margherita d’Antiochia 115 Castle 116 Oratory of Sant’Erasmo 116 For Active Travelers 116 Beaches 116 Diving 116 Sailing/Boating 117 Only in Santa Margherita Ligure 117 Fish Market 117 Parco del Flauto Magico 117 Paraggi 118 Rapallo 118 Getting There 119 Resources 120 Being There 120 Castel 120 Cathedral of SS. Gervasio e Protasio 120 Church of Saint Stefano and the Civic Tower 121 Museo del Merletto 121 For Active Travelers 121 Golf 121 Tennis 122 Fishing 122 Biking/Scooters 122 Only in Rapallo 122 Sanctuary of Nostra Signora di Montallegro 122 San Michele di Pagana 123 Zoagli – Levanto 123 Zoagli 124 Getting There 125 Resources 125 Being There 125 Madonna of the Sea 125 The Promenade 125 Sem Benelli Castle 126 Only in Zoagli 126 Silk Workshop 126 For Active Travelers 126 viii n Contents Hiking 126 Diving 127 Tennis 127 Chiavari 127 Getting There 129 Resources 129 Being There 129 Cattedrale di Nostra Signora dell’Orto 130 Piazza Mazzini 130 San Giovanni Battista 130 Palazzo Rocca 131 Only in Chiavari 132 Antique Market 132 Campanino Chairs 132 Macramé 132 Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie 132 Valle d’Aveto 133 For Active Travelers 133 Beaches 133 Pool 134 Biking/Scooters 134 Tennis 134 Boating 134 Horseback Riding 134 Lavagna 135 Getting There 135 Resources 136 Being There 136 Basilica dei Fieschi 136 Casa Carbone 136 Only in Lavagna 137 Torta dei Fieschi 137 For Active Travelers 137 Diving 137 Boating 137 Sestri Levante 138 Getting There 138 Resources 139 Being There 139 Basilica Santa Maria di Nazareth 140 Church of San Nicolo dell’Isola 140 Rizzi Gallery 140 Ruins of the Oratory of Santa Caterina 141 Only in Sestri Levante 141 Punta Manara 141 Val di Vara 141 Contents n ix For Active Travelers 142 Horseback Riding 142 Boating 142 Mountain Biking 142 Tennis 142 Canoeing 143 Moneglia 143 Getting There 143 Resources 144 Being There 144 Church of Santa Croce 144 Oratory of the Disciplinati 144 Only in Moneglia 144 Olive Oil Tasting 144 For Active Travelers 144 Beaches 144 Levanto 145 Getting There 145 Resources 145 Being There 145 Church of Sant’Andrea 146 Town Walls 146 Only in Levanto 146 Bonassola 146 For Active Travelers 146 Surfing 146 The Cinque Terre 147 Getting There 149 Resources 149 For Active Travelers 149 The Trails 149 Diving 150 Kayaking/Canoeing 150 Monterosso 150 Being There 151 Gigante 151 Church of San Francesco 152 Church of San Giovanni Battista 152 Castle 153 Only in Monterosso 153 Lemon Festival 153 Anchovy Feast 153 Vernazza 153 Being There 154 Santa Margherita d’Antiochia 155 Defensive Fortifications 155