You could see Camogli, but it will take you almost two hours R/T by train. Your son might like this town, rather than spending the whole time in Genoa. Forget Portofino, Camolgi is lovely. Richard

P.S. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/camogli or http://www.fotogian.com/camogli.html

thanks!

There is a lot to see in Genoa itself. You will be right in the center of the city, if I am not mistaken, close to the Aquarium. There are great museums Palazzo Blanco and Palazzo Rossi, the Christopher Columbus house. It is also a great city to just wonder around the streets.

thanks so much, rainyday.... that is great to hear. I was going to research what to see, especially related to Christopher Columbus. My plan right now is to head right out to Camogli and return to do Genoa in the afternoon so I won't be stressed about missing the boat's departure. This is on a Monday so I hope there will be museums etc open in the afternoon.

There is a beach in Genoa that looks very similar to Camogli, with 16th century architecture around it. It actually reminded me of Cinque Terre.

do you remember the name, rainyday..... or roughly where it is?

Nervi is very close to Genoa; see this photo:


http://tinyurl.com/32vymjz

RainyDay is probably thinking of Bocadasse. I would get a taxi there and back if you want to go.

If your son is interested in history, I think spending your time in Genova could be very rewarding. I would skip the Acquarium in the old port in favor of the "Museum of the Sea"

http://www.initaly.com/regions/liguria/seamuseum.htm

http://en.ligurien-netz.de/168/liguria-sights/galata-en.html

because Genoa is all about the sea: Shipbuilding and seamanship what made the city wealthy and powerful, and to this day Genoa is one of great ports of Europe and one of the great shipbuilders of Europe. Chistopher Columbus is part of that story, and so is Marco Polo, who was imprisoned right in the port.

For a history buff, I also suggest including the prison tower of the Palazzo Ducale, the cathedral of San Lorenzo with its unexploded British bomb inside (on the right as you enter).

As for seeing Camogli, you realistically need 90 minutes to get there from your cruise ship (allowing for unforeseen glitches), an hour to enjoy the town and then an hour to get back by train (I would get off at Brignole station to head for sights). If you found yourself running late, there are always taxis in front of the Camogli train station. It will cost you roughly 70 euros to get back to Genova.

To make a trip to Genoa rewarding, it is really wise to invest in advance in a guidebook and map.

wow, that picture of nervi is really whetting my appetite, eks!

and zeppole, that is just the kind of information I am looking for.... thank you so much!

Hi ncounty, I think zeppole is right, it is Boccadasse. There is an old piazza, church, and a seawall. I wish I could remember. I asked my Genovese friend to text me the name of that beach, we'll see if she responds.

Here is a good link about Genoa:
http://wikitravel.org/en/Genoa

thanks rainyday!

Here's a picture of Boccadasse:

http://digilander.libero.it/PALEOROBY/foto%20album/images/Genova%20Boccadasse..jpg

In Boccadesse, there are two highly regarded gelaterie, just steps from each other. One is called Amedeo, the other is Costa Guilio.

If you decide to go Nervi, you can have a tasty cheap lunch of focaccia al formaggio -- a very thin pizza-like dish, with both a bottom and upper crust, filled with a runny cheese -- at a seaside restaurant called "La Marinella". It's steps away from the train station on the seaside promenade jutting out over the water:

http://www.hotelmarinella-nervi.com/

I assume that when you come into the port or leave it you will get a panoramic view of Genova, and there a few things to notice. Many of its historic medieval walls are still visible crowning the hills, and in the port itself is La Laterna, the lighthouse that is the symbol of the city. The site of the lighthouse dates back to 1126, when the lamp was lit by burning hay. By 1300, they were using olive oil to light the lamp, a practice which continued until the lamp was electrified. At times the lighthouse was also used as a prison, and one of the lighthouse keepers was an uncle of Christopher Columbus. (Genova's airport is visible from the seaport, and is named after Christopher Columbus.)

In the 19th century, Genova became one of the most important ports of departure for Italian immigrants to the Americas. Genovese stonemasons, bankers and engineers played key roles in the building of San Francisco, with its steep streets and cable cars (Genova has them too). Genovese anchovy fisherman also gravitated toward the northern California coast, and the tough blue-cloth trousers they characteristically wore -- genes blu -- were refashioned by Levi Strauss into cowboy duds and re-named "blue jeans." You can still see fisherman in and around Genova (all the way to Camogli) wearing the original "genes blu."