Italian Riviera: San Remo, Portofino & Genoa

Genoa
 HISTORY
Two marble-carved lions crouch flanking the stairs leading to the entrance of Genoa's monumental cathedral of San Lorenzo. Their proud features are marred by graffiti - cartoonish scribbles rendering their expression more pathetic than fierce. They're an apt metaphor for the city of Genoa itself, which can be a challenging one for tourists. During two millennia of tumultuous history, Genoa has seen its fortunes rise and fall. At its pinnacle, the city - center of the Genoese Republic - had unparalleled wealth and economic and political power. French historiographer Fernand Braudel wrote of the city, "If ever a diabolically capitalist city can be said to have existed before the capitalist age in Europe and the world, then it is Genoa, opulent and sordid at the same time."
From these heights Genoa would plunge over successive centuries, losing hegemony, then autonomy, and finally prosperity. Today, in a region fabled for pristine beauty and the authenticity and persistence of old-world ambiance, Genoa stands apart as gritty and modern. But it is a city in the grip of evolution. There is much that is decrepit and shabby, and much that exemplifies the worst attributes of modernity. But there are also the heralds of a renaissance both economic and cultural. The lion that is Genoa may be blemished and humbled, but there is every evidence that with attention and caretaking it is regaining - if not its former brilliant grandeur - at least its dignity and relevance on the world stage.
Perhaps that's why Genoa leave dispirited; others hopeful. It is impossible to leave Genoa unimpressed and without an opinion. is particularly poignant, and important for travelers who hope to leave Liguria with a greater understanding of the region - both what it was, and what it is becoming. Some will
 Ascendance of a Port Town
Genoa is - and has been for millennia - a port town, and the nature of a port is to facilitate trade via access to both sea and land routes. The geography of Liguria is characterized by mountains that plunge steeply into the sea, and that are criss-crossed by deep valleys. Genoa - which sits at the near middle of Liguria's great land crescent - is not only at the epicenter of what, from above, appears as one giant harbor. It is also at the crossroads of land routes that made use of these deep valleys to cut across the Apennines to northern Italy and the rest of Europe.
Trade involves both goods and services and the trade of ideas and influences, so port towns are natural melting pots. Genoa percolated over several centuries, absorbing and incorporating into its indigenous culture influences from the Etruscans, Greeks, Phoenicians, Celts, and Romans that passed through. Roman influence was particularly strong, as the city allied itself with Rome during the Second Punic War, was destroyed by the Carthiginians in 205 BC, and was promptly rebuilt and incorporated into the Empire by the Romans, who recognized the potential of its strategic harbor.
Roman domination of Genoa persisted until the fall of the Empire some seven centuries later. It would take several more centuries, and the defeat of the Saracens in 1148, before Genoa would arise as an independent power. It would also take the Crusades and the start of trade with the Orient, which brought immense wealth to the ruling families of Genoa, and general prosperity up and down the coasts of Liguria. The Genoese dominated the seas, defeating Pisa at the Battle of Meloria off Livorno in 1284 and the Venetians in a battle off the coast of present-day Croatia in 1298. By the start of the 14th century, Genoa's reach into the Orient was long, with trading posts, harbors, and storage depots in Constantinople, the Black Sea, Armenia, Syria, and North Africa. It also owned Corsica and part of Sardinia.
Through various means and with mixed success - the western Riviera was much less easily dominated than the Eastern - Genoa was also expanding its territory throughout Liguria. As its influence spread, the city continually upgraded and expanded its system of defensive walls. Ninth-century walls were replaced in 1155, and between 1320-1346 the Mura Vecchie - a third ring of walls - were built. Within these barricades, the medieval city grew not so much through demolition as through the repurposing of older buildings, which contributes to the character of today's Centro Storico and its honeycomb maze of carrugi - narrow alleyways.
This first golden age of Genoa collapsed during the 14th and 15th centuries. Trade had enriched the leading families, but wealth and power - and the greater game of global politics - had also sewn the seeds of division. The Fieschi, Montalto, Grimaldi, and Guarchi families, collectively known as the Guelphs, supported the Pope, while the Doria, Fregoso, Adorno, and Spinola families - identified collectively as the Ghibellines - allied with the Holy Roman Emperor. For 20 years, internal war raged within the Republic, and in 1339 the first doge was imposed by an anti-noble movement. Factions within Genoa appealed for foreign aid, and between 1353 and 1499 Genoa, always preserving nominal independence, would in turn be ruled by Milan and France. A Genoa stripped of many of its previous overseas holdings - Sardinia, Corsica, and the eastern Mediterranean - was subjugated to France until 1507.
Importantly, Genoa and its wealthy families continued to amass wealth and to be leaders in trade throughout these periods of political tumult. Their vast experience in international business transformed them from merchants to bankers and experts in contract negotiation. It was at this time that Andrea Doria - a legendary figure in the history of Genoa - entered the scene.
Having secured his fortune and naval credentials in the first years of the 16th century, helming his own independent fleet and vanquishing the Barbary Corsairs on the Western Mediterranean, Doria was appointed governor-general of the galleys of France by Francis I, who was at war with the Hapsburg Emperor Charles V of Spain over control of territory in Italy, Navarra (Spain) and Burgundy (France). For nearly five years he served the interests of France and Clement VII, a Medici Pope who had aligned with the French king against the Empire. But in 1528 he abruptly changed sides and entered the service of Charles V. In exchange for inclusion in Spain's political and economic system, Doria won for Genoa assurance of the Republic's autonomy and territorial integrity, and was himself appointed doge. A social constitution was created wherein the old and new nobility were incorporated into a system of 28 alberghi led by the main families, a move which effectively passified opposition and strengthened the Republic.
With this switch in loyalty came an upswing in the fortunes of Genoa. Poised with the establishment of the Banco di San Giorgio in 1408 to become a world financial center, the Republic now became bank to the Spanish kings, helping them to finance activities in the New World.
Gold is born in the Americas, passes through Spain, and dies in Genoa.
~ 17th-century saying
Thus began Genoa's second golden age. Wealth from trade paled in comparison to the riches accumulated through finance, and money poured into a variety of public and private projects. Doria - whose rule until his death at the age of 93 was undisputed, save for a conspiracy by the Fieschi family that was (brutally) suppressed in 1547 - built the Palazzo del Principe, the closest thing to a royal palace ever constructed in the history of the Genoese Republic. Other leading families of the day petitioned to create a private district away from the cramped medieval city center, and in 1551 the Strada Nuova (today's Via Garibaldi) was initiated. The palaces were constructed and sold between 1558 and 1583, with proceeds from the sale used to finance a variety of public works, including new roads and squares.
Other projects from this period include reconstruction of the 14th-century walls (now the 'Old Walls'), the redesign of the dome and presbytery of San Lorenzo, the renovation of Palazzo San Giorgio, construction of the Palazzo Ducale, and erection of the "New Walls" along the mountain ridges and shoreline from the Lanterna to the Bisagno River. Around the city, private villas were constructed, many of which were deemed elegant enough to participate in the Rolli, a system adopted by the Senate in 1576 to provide hospitality on the occasion of state visits.
Genoa, with its character and opulence, attracted visitors from all over Europe, including the Dutch artist Peter Paul Rubens, who was particularly enamored of the palazzi of the Strada Nuova. He undertook a collection of reliefs, drawings, and plans, published in 1622, that were intended as models for the construction of similar residences in the thriving commercial cities of Holland.
 Inevitable Decline
Like so many empires and cities of magnificence before it, Genoa eventually fell from its rarified position. Or, perhaps it's more useful to characterize its political decline as part of a cyclical redistribution of power and influence. In Liguria's fragmented history, individual valleys, villages, and towns were under control at any given time by an assortment of commissaries, feudal lords, military captains, and podests (local administrators appointed by the Republic). Some were Italian in origin, some from nearby realms. The unification of so many areas during the second golden age of the Genoa Republic was unusual.
The winds of change were blowing during the 17th and 18th centuries. In France, Louis XIV, the Roi Soleil (Sun King), ascended the throne and inaugurated his doctrine of Absolute Monarchy. With it came expansionist intentions that ran up against the might of the Genoese navy on the Mediterranean. Initially, the French pressured Genoa to dismantle its fleet, but when it refused, a bombardment ensued between May 18 and 28 in 1684. Overwhelmed by the strength of French opposition, Genoa capitulated and successive decades would find the city increasingly under the influence of France.
Close on the heels of the American and French revolutions of 1776 and 1789, Genoa broke the rule of the doges and aristocracy, proclaiming itself the Democratic Ligurian Republic in 1797. But this period was short-lived. Witnessing the meteoric rise of the Emperor Napoleon, probably sensing the futility of resisting the tug of the growing Empire, and perhaps expressing affinity for his roots (Napoleon's ancestors had originally hailed from Sarzana, and Corsica had once been a Genoese possession), Genoa and its territories accepted annexation in 1805. This would be profitable, above all, for La Spezia, which became an important naval base and saw its population and prosperity increase steadily.
The cycle of power redistribution quickened its pace, and Napoleon's rule came to an end in 1815 following the defeat of his army by the crushing strength of the Russian winter. Genoa then joined the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia as the Duchy of Genoa, but not without internal opposition. As a movement for Italian independence grew, Genoa became a center for activism that was spreading through Liguria. The freedom fighters Giuseppe Mazzini, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Goffredo Mameli and Nino Bixio - names immortalized in Italy - were Ligurians. Following the establishment of the Risorgimento between 1849 and 1859, Garibaldi waged a campaign to overthrow the Bourbons in Sicily and Southern Italy, and in 1861, Liguria entered the Kingdom of Italy under Vittorio Emanuele II. The era of powerful states, versus independent city-states, had begun. Genoa would cease to be independently powerful, its fortunes now tied to development and events that were involving the whole of the country.
 A Modern City
It was during this time that Liguria first came to the attention of European - at first, primarily British - travelers. In 1855, Giovanni Ruffini, an Italian writer, published (in English) Doctor Antonio, a novel set primarily in the peaceful, flower-scented western Riviera city of Bordighera. This view of the Ligurian coastline, with its mild winters and balmy summers, flowers, vineyards and olive orchards, enchanted wealthy Britons. Fleeing the wet, cold English winters, they flocked to the seaside villages. Many built, or bought, the sumptuous villas and gardens that are now so characteristic of the region.
Concurrently, the Industrial Revolution brought change to Genoa. A regional railway system was inaugurated, connecting Genoa to the neighboring northern city of Milan, to Ventimiglia on the French border, and to the harbor city of La Spezia in the east. Just as once before the development of a road network increased the value of the port, so now the easy transport of goods to Genoa via the railways did the same. Between 1872 and 1882 the port was extensively expanded and renovated to handle the boom in trade. Increased trade meant more job opportunities and a swell in population. The city grew, annexing six coastal communities to the municipality.
Fought on battlefields that were relatively far away, the First World War, which Italy entered in 1915 on the side of France and Britain, did not have a massive impact on Genoa. But in its aftermath, the region as a whole saw significant population shifts as immigration to the United States began in earnest. Genoa became a city of farewells, the most important point of embarkation for ships traveling to America. For many migrs, their parting memory of Italia was of the Lanterna lighthouse standing proud over the port of Genoa. The immigration drain still affects Liguria, especially its mountain cities which were steadily depopulated due to a dearth of employment opportunities. Job seekers moved to the coast, or caught the boat to the US.
Throughout their history, Ligurians have behaved independently. The region's long history of geographic isolation, and Genoa's political moderation (a byproduct, perhaps of worldly exposure thanks to its trading history), created a temperament to challenge the status quo. This would be important in the years after WWI, when Fascism was sweeping the country. In Genoa, there was organized opposition, which gained momentum after Mussolini pledged allegiance to Hitler and joined WWII on the side of Germany in 1940. The resistance hardened after the 1941 bombing of Genoa by the British, and probably saved the city after Italy changed sides in the war and joined the Allies. A fighting infrastructure was already in place and could quickly respond to the German army, which attempted to destroy the port's shipyards and other industrial installations - the backbone of Genoa's economy - in 1943. In April of 1945, the Genoese Resistance launched a successful uprising against the German garrison in advance of the arrival of Allied troops.
Since the end of the War, changes in Genoa have been primarily cosmetic, economic, and cultural. The Cristoforo Colombo International Airport was inaugurated in 1962, followed by massive work on the Ligurian highway network, including the infamous elevated stretch that mars the waterfront. By the 1970s, Genoa was in marked decline. Though the port - the most important in the country - retained prominence and solvency, ensuring jobs for thousands of workers and underpinning the city's economy, Genoa as a whole was falling into an advanced state of disrepair. The carrugi (narrow streets) of the Centro Storico were crime-ridden, the honeycomb of streets and decrepit old buildings a hive of illicit and malicious activity. Whole segments of the city were abandoned by those of even moderate means, and the truly wealthy ensconced themselves in exclusive districts and developments on the periphery of the city. Visitors to Genoa were few and far between, put off by the city's nefarious reputation.
In part, it was the Doria family that again came to Genoa's rescue. They were at the forefront of a movement to revitalize the city and broaden its appeal to tourists; logical, since tourism was and remains the bulwark of the Italian Riviera's economy, but with 80% of tourism dollars going to the small coastal cities. The year of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's discovery of the Americas, 1992 was chosen as the target date for the unveiling of a host of improvements and renovations to be made to the Porto Antico. The waterfront as we see it today - with its restaurants, hotels, cultural attractions, and Europe's most widely-acclaimed aquarium - is the fruit of nearly a decade of planning and hard labor, begun in 1984.
Many Genoese feared a sort of cartoonish, Disneyland-like exploitation of the port's history and charms. But the Porto Antico is now a source of pride. And it has certainly had a positive impact on tourism to the city. Newly reawakened in the consciousness of Europe and the world, Genoa began to be singled out for the types of events and honors that, before, generally fell to modern capital cities. In 2001, it hosted the G8 summit - admittedly, with mixed success (violence erupted between police and protesters and the police forces were later widely criticized for their harsh suppression of protest activities). But even this notoriety was advantageous. Genoa was in the news in live, living color and people all around the world marveled at how beautiful the renovated port and its backdrop of palaces and princely architecture were. In 2004, Genoa, along with Lille in France, was named the European Capital of Culture. With the distinction came funds from the European Union, which have been reinvested in renovation projects all around the city. Buildings are being scrubbed clean, pedestrian-only streets cordoned away from traffic, public transportation improved.
Is Genoa on the eve of a third golden age Quite possibly. The fortunes of such magnificent but once-crumbling cities as Prague and Budapest have been reversed by the tide of tourism and the money that follows. And Genoa, with its aura of mingled intrigue and prestige, its glorious palaces, beautiful port, and proximity to the spectacular Riviera coastline, is well situated to be a tourism magnet.
In the meantime, Genoa is confronting itself, its newfound prominence and its ancient role as a crossroads for cultures and peoples in flux. Visitors will notice the Africans and Asians peddling goods on the waterfront and pocketed into nearly homogenous communities along such streets as the Via Pre. They'll see the long-distance centers where cheap rates are posted for calls to the Middle East, South America, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. They'll wonder, as Genoa is wondering, how and whether it will incorporate these people - and these languages, tastes and customs - into a new Genoa that is as inclusive, unique, and proud as La Superba has been at the height of its glory.
 GETTING THERE
By Plane: Genoa is home to the Aeroporto Internazionale Cristoforo Colombo, conveniently located on a man-made peninsula four miles from the city center (see www.airport.genova.it). There are no direct flights to Genoa from the United States, however. If you're looking to fly direct from the US to Europe, you'll need to use Milan's Linate and Malpensa airports (two hours northeast, connection to Genoa by train or commuter airline, see www.sea-aeroportimilano.it), or the Aeroport Nice Cote D'Azur in France (2 hours west, connection to Genoa by train or commuter airline, see www.nice.aeroport.fr).
By Train: Genoa has two main train stations, and trains departing or ariving will generally stop at both stations. Genova Piazza Principe (GE P.P. on the trenitalia.it website) is in the historical center opposite the Palazzo del Principe and handles the bulk of Genoa's train traffic. Genova Brignole (GE BRIG on the website) is located in the modern, eastern section of town. Departures from Brignole station might require a change of train at Principe before continuing on to your destination. For more information, see www.trenitalia.it.
By Car: Genoa is easily reached by car. Arriving from the western Riviera, drivers travel the A10 autostrada. From the Eastern Riviera, the A12.


 Resources
 www.genovatouristoffice.com
 www.apt.genova.it
 www.genovatouristboard.net
 Tourist Offices: Porto Antico, Ponte Spinola, 010.248.711, fax 010.246.76.58; Stazione Ferroviaria Principe, Piazza Acquaverde, 010.246.26.33; Aeroporto C. Colombo, Genova-Sestri Ponente, 010.601.52.47
 BEING THERE
So crammed with palaces, cathedrals, and other medieval dwellings that the buildings sport trompe l'oeil frescoes rather than stucco embellishments, Genoa at first seems to have too much of everything - people, traffic, trash, noise - crammed into too little space. Especially if you're arriving after a sojourn in one of the peaceful coastal villages, Genoa is an assault on the senses. It's one of the (many) reasons why tourism to the coast is so popular - where do you think the Genoese go when they need a break from the city's bustle?
That being said, Genoa is poised to give the opulent rediscovered Eastern European cities of Prague and Budapest a run for their money. As layers of grime are, literally and metaphorically, cleaned away, Genoa is emerging as a hip destination for in-the-know travelers.
Retain perspective and take it slow at the beginning. One excellent advantage of the Porto Antico is that it is tailor-made for tourism. There is very little to offend here, and much to enchant. But don't confine yourself to the port - use it as an oasis of calm, a place to regather your energy for excursions into the heart of the city.
The Centro Storico is by turns gritty and grandiose. It's also where the process of gentrification has taken hold as artists and students, drawn to the formerly rough and tumble neighborhood for its cheap rents, reinvented the spaces around them and drew new businesses to the area. It is bounded by the streets Via Balbi, Via Cairoli, Via Garibaldi, Via XXV Aprile, and Via San Lorenzo, and fronted by the Ripa, the colonnaded waterfront. Within these confines are enough riches and wonderments to satisfy the most avaricious of admirers. The warren of narrow streets, some so slender that neighbors could reach out their windows and shake hands, were also the scene for centuries of intrigue and chicanery, artistry and innovation.