Genoa ~ A Historical Gem
The violins on which Niccolo Paganini made musical history are on display a short walk from our hotel. His statue at the entrance of the Genoa’s concert theatre is even closer.
A few blocks in the opposite direction one can visit Christopher Columbus’s house. Well, technically it is the 18th century rebuild where his home stood. He played as a child on the ground we now trod as tourists.
Paganini, born in 1782, came along a few centuries after Columbus’s birth in 1451. Both are famous sons of this port city on the Ligurian Sea.
The city - Genoa, in English, and Genova in Italian - was a vibrant, powerful maritime republic from the 11th century until 1727. Even though 16,000 of its buildings were completely destroyed or severely damaged in World War II bombings, there remain magnificent structures throughout the city that have withstood the centuries. Each seems to have a story to tell.
Take our hotel, for example:
If only the walls could talk, we say, as we make our way to our room at the Bristol Palace. This 1905 art nouveau hotel welcomed the rich and famous as guests before being taken over by Nazi troops to serve as their command post during World War II.
Among the famous pre- and post-war guests was Alfred Hitchcock who stayed twice while filming movies here. It is believed that the hotel’s magnificent marble elliptical stairway was the inspiration for his film, ‘Vertigo’.
Had we not taken this trip to Genoa, Italy, I can say with certainty, that I wouldn’t have researched Paganini’s contributions to the musical world, nor to the bombing of this city during WWII.
But travel has opened our eyes to so many places in the world that are just a bit off the mainstream tourist map yet they are teeming with history. I find that we are enjoying places like Genoa with its historical gems even more than the overtouristed destinations like Rome and Venice.
One of our favorite glimpses into history was at its Mercato Orientale. It was named for being near the city’s eastern gate, porta orientale. Operating in the same city center location as when it opened more than a century ago, it continues to offer residents a selection of fish, meat, produce and fruit.
Our stay in Genoa is part of a trip we are making along the Ligurian Sea. Traveling by train, we’ll be visiting Menton, France, Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Nice, France before flying back to Greece and our expat home there.
One of the reasons we moved to Europe was to learn more about its countries and their histories through travel.
I don’t think I realized at the time how addictive that can be. The more we learn, the more we want to know; the more we explore, the more we want to go.
I loved this Jackie, and you are so right about so many European destinations making us aware of history we may not otherwise pay attention to. Always something new to discover. Would love more details about your train travels in France.
Love the history and, of course, the photos!
We were in most of these spots last June, but didn’t make it as far as Genoa.