Genoa's most famous landmark, the Lanterna, has safely guided ships into its harbour since 1543. Capital of Liguria and more than 2,000 years old, Genoa's colonies once stretched as far as North Africa and the Middle East. The city birthed navigator and explorer Christopher Columbus, who, in 1492, stumbled across a brand new continent, while imperial admiral Andrea Doria led the powerful Genoese navy around the Mediterranean, ousting the French from the city in 1503.

The craggy hillsides of Genoa barely anchor its loyal population's generations-old family homes. Hearty Genoese salami and Ligurian pesto figure heavily in the local recipes, sometimes called "homecoming cuisine", dishes that are said to have been created by lonely wives waiting for their fisherman husbands to return. Genoa's medieval city centre remains wholly intact, and the city's previous status means several palaces cram together to make up the scenery. Most now act as museums and galleries, such as the Palazzo Bianco, which houses Genoa's White Palace Gallery, and the Palazzo Rozza, where the Red Palace Gallery is found. The city's Aquarium is the largest in Europe, and reproduces several habitats for more than 6,000 aquatic animals.