"Focaccia (con pesto!) Turn down the little Via di Canneto, and you can't miss this focacceria on your left. The line will literally always be out the door, especially in the morning hours. But the wait is worth every minute (and the amazingly kind women working inside move fast!). While Focaccia e Dintorni makes a fantastic traditional focaccia alla Genovese, their extra-thin version smeared with pesto and dotted with oozy formaggio di crescenza is something else all together. Ask for a crispy edge piece (or un pezzo ben cotto in Italian)—the crunch is a great treat!"

"Easter in Genova Easter (or Pasqua, in Italian) is a gorgeous time to visit Genova. Enjoy the delicious breads and cakes made especially for this season, tour the beautiful 14th century Cathedral of St Lorenzo, and enjoy a spring time boat ride to the neighboring seaside villages of Portofino and San Fruttoso."

"Italian and Flemish Renaissance Paintings Built in the mid-1670's, Palazzo Rosso was the private home of the Brignole Sale family until 1874, when Maria (disenchanted with her only remaining son) donated it to the City of Genoa on her deathbed. Although devastatingly damaged during the second World War, it has been lovingly restored, and now houses a large collection of Italian and Flemish renaissance paintings, alongside beautiful stucco and fresco work."

"Lunch in an underground cellar Just steps from the historic Doria Church of San Matteo (with its gorgeous glass mosaic door embellishment), La Buca di San Matteo serves a delicious prix-fix lunch in their beautifully classic sunken dining room for only 20 euro (if pesto is on the menu, go for it -- theirs is exceptional!). Dinner is pricey, so come for your mid-day meal and enjoy the much more cost effective splurge!"

"Hands down, the creamiest gelato in Genoa Hidden down the Vico Superiore del Ferro, this tiny shop is a secret gem. While most gelaterias keep their colorful products out in plain view, luring children in from the street with their mounds of chocolate and mango and black cherry, Gelateria Profumo prefers to hide theirs in shiny frozen silver canisters. And yet tucked inside those containers are some of the most delicious, interesting flavors in town - and hands down, the creamiest."

"Pandolce Probably originating in Persia, Pandolce has been a Genovese staple for centuries - an homage to the incredible amount of global trading that has occurred in this ancient port city. Enjoy one of these delicious fruited cakes from Le Gramole during the Christmas season with a cup of cappuccino and the morning newspaper, and watch the city come alive through the morning sea mist."

"Making candies for nearly 200 years Take one step inside this stunning candy shop and be breathlessly taken back in time - nearly 200 years! Lining the back are glass jars of every color candy, and the front cases are stuffed to bursting with chocolates, gianduja (think nutella), and candied fruits. If you come during the Easter season, make sure you try the Ravioli di Carnevale - small confections made of almost paste stuffed with morsels of chocolate-hazelnut cream."

"Swallow your fear of heights Just remember that these towers have been standing since 1163. They probably won't fall today! But even if you have a fear of heights, do pay the 2 euro to walk up the beautiful interior circular staircases in these ancient towers of the Barbarossa walls (the second recorded expansion of the old city). The views of the mountains at sunset are spectacular."

"Margaritas in Italy! Cocktails are not a huge part of the Italian culture, especially not those involving tequila. But at Bar Les Rouges, the three brothers who own the bar mix up one amazing margarita (They even come to your table asking you to sample which salt you want on the rim. Go for the smoked one, it's perfection!). Housed in a dimly lit and slightly crumbling 16th-century palace, this is one of the most romantic spots in town—a perfect date night out."

"Pesto If you have had pasta al pesto genovese (the delicious combination of fresh or dried pasta, potatoes, green beans, and pesto sauce) anywhere other than in Liguria, I challenge you to come to Il Marin for chef Enrico Panero's play on the Italian staple. Tucking pesto (made from the basil of Bra) into hand-folded tortellini, placing them gently on a bed of mashed potatoes, and bathing it all in a buttery glaze, you just might never go back to any bottled pesto again. Come after sunset so that you can enjoy your dinner with a bottle of Colline di Levanto DOC and the twinkling lights of the ancient Genoa harbor."

"Cappuccino Alfresco Take your morning coffee in the sunshine, shaded by the the Palazzo Ducale. With quite a few tables, Douce does a busy morning cappuccino/focaccia business, so you can also come later in the afternoon (when it's slightly warmer) to make sure you get an alfresco seat. Just make sure you don't order a cappuccino after 10am—the Genovese are likely to laugh at you. It's espresso or nothing at that point!"