Genoa, Port city in Liguria, Italy
Genoa is a port city in Liguria, northwest Italy, squeezed between the Maritime Alps and the Ligurian Sea. The old center spreads steeply from the waterfront up through narrow alleys that wind around churches, courtyards and palaces, while newer districts stretch along the coast to the east and west.
The city grew during the Middle Ages as a maritime republic and controlled large parts of the western Mediterranean through trade and military strength. Wealth from colonies and banking led to the construction of grand family palaces in the 16th century, which later slowly decayed as the sea power declined.
Around the harbor and in the alleys behind the docks, sailors' taverns mix with workshops where fishermen mend their nets and traders sell fresh fish. The city lives by the rhythm of the sea, and people carry their maritime tradition visibly in the way they speak, cook and use public space.
The steep streets in the center are mostly walkable, and comfortable shoes help when climbing up and down through the alleys. Public elevators and funicular railways connect higher neighborhoods with the coast and make access easier without long climbs.
In some alleys of the center, underground passages run beneath houses and connect streets on different levels, once used as escape routes or trading paths. These hidden passages are sometimes still walkable and offer cool shortcuts through densely built slopes.
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