Carabas

Lunch in Genoa was at Carabas.

Carabas is located at Vico Tana 4/6R.

Lasagne al Ragu--€8.50. This was good but a small portion.

Tripe--€9.50. This was too strong.

Surprisingly, there was no Coperto

2017 10 06

Genoa

The train from Torino to Genoa took 2 hours and 10 minutes and cost €12.40.

We arrived at the Stazione Principe--Genoa's main train station.

Genoa was the boyhood home of Christopher Columbus (there's debate about whether or not it was also his birthplace) and there is a statue honoring him near the Stazione Principe.

At the base of the statue are reliefs of key events in his life. This one depicts him before the Council of Salamanca as he proposed his voyage to the new world.

Continuing down Via Balbi, you'll find the Museo Palazzo Reale--the Royal Palace Museum. It was built in 1650 for the Balbi family then became one of the royal palaces in 1824. The galleries are filled with paintings by Van Dyck & Tintoretto. There is also a Hall of Mirrors and a Throne Room. Admission is  €6.

Further down the street is the University of Genoa. The stairs leading to the entrance are guarded by lions on either side.

Climb the stairs and peek into the inner courtyard.

The Basilica dell'Annunziata is at the end of Via Balbi. The outside isn't anything special but the interior is stunning. There's gold leaf at the top of fluted marble columns and the ceilings are beautifully painted.

Each of the chapels is well decorated.

The buildings in Genoa's historic center are charming. This one features men supporting the structure.

The streets are charming as well. On Via Garibaldi, you'll come across Palazzo Bianco. It was built in the 1530s for Luca Grimaldi and is now a gallery of European paintings from the 12th to the 17th century. Along with the Palazzo Rosso and the Palazzo Doria Tursi, it makes up the Musei di Strada Nuovo collection.

The Teatro Carlo Felice is the main opera house in Genoa.

The Teatro is situated on Piazza dei Ferrari--the central square between historical and modern Genoa.

The Genova sign is on the Piazza dei Ferrari.

Along the walk on Via di San Lorenzo, we found another GROM and stopped for a gelato break. A grande here was €3.30. 

Looking down Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, you'll see the Porta Soprana, the best known gate of Genoa's ancient wall. On one side, the towers are square.

The other side of Porta Soparana are rounded.

Nearby is the ruins of the St. Andrew Cloister.

Next to the cloister is a replica of the house in which Christopher Columbus grew up.

From here, it's a 10-minute walk to the port.

The port area has a lot of things to do.

The Aquarium in Genoa is the largest aquarium in Europe.

"Neptune" was a galleon crafted for the set of Roman Polanky's "Pirates."

Neptune with his trident on the bow of the galleon.

Also in the harbor is the Nazario Sauro submarine S518, now a museum.

In the port, you'll find a mural of immigrants arriving in Genoa.

2017 10 06

Zamy

Zamy is a take-out pasta restaurant, located at Via Carlo Alberto 14.

Choose your pasta and your sauce. I chose Tagliatelle with Tomato & Basil--€5; Tortellini with Ragu Bolognese--€6; Gnocchi with Pesto--€6

We also ordered a Green Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes--€3.30.

We stopped at the Carrefour and picked up Asti--€6.99 and Maschio Sauvignon--€3.49 to have with our pasta.

2017 10 05

ApartHotel Torino.

We stayed at the ApartHotel Torino, located at Via Sant'Anselmo 18. From the train station, it was a 4-min walk to the ApartHotel Torino, so it was very convenient.

The ApartHotel has suites, studios and apartments, most with kitchens.

We reserved the studio, which was spacious and had a balcony.

We had a sitting area but no kitchen or dining table.

The bedroom was spacious

and the bathroom was modern and adequate.

2017 10 05

Grom

Grom is an Italian gelato chain founded in Torino in 2003. It was sold to UniLever in 2015 and it can be found all over the world now.

They sell gelato by the cone and cup, hot chocolate, frappes.

Each month, specials are offered.

Grande--€3.50. Cachi (persimmon), Bacio (chocolate with hazelnut) and nocciola (hazelnut)

2017 10 05

Turin (Torino)

The next day, we took the train to Levanto, transferred to Genoa then to Turin (Torino). It took a little over 4 hours and cost €20.

Torino is the capital of Piedmont and was the first capital of a unified Italy. It was also the capital of Sardinia. After WW II, it was known as the Italian Detroit because Fiat was based here.

Just down the street from our hotel (ApartHotel Torino) was a synagogue. It was heavily guarded.

Old men gather in parks to pass the time.

The Giardino Sambuy is a delightful garden near the train station.

Walk north on Via Roma, one of Torino's main shopping street, towards the Piazza San Carlo.

The Piazza San Carlo is one of the main city squares in Torino. It was laid out in the 16th and 17th century.

The Church of Santa Cristina sits at the southern end of the square.

A Statue of Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy sits in the center of the square.

The Palazzo Carignano was the birthplace of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy.

Palazzo Madama, the first Senate of the Italian Kingdom, in the Piazza Castello.

The Royal Palace, home to the Savoys, in the northern end of Piazza Castello 

The palace is guarded by two equestrian statues.

Next to the Royal Palace is the Royal Garden.

Monument to Emanuele Filiberto

Torino's biggest draw is the Cattedrale di San Giovanni, which houses the Shroud of Turin. 

The interior is stark.

The shroud is rarely on display. You have to be content with a photo of it.

The Shroud of Turin was last displayed in 2015 when several million people viewed it. It went on virtual display on 4/11/2020 in an attempt to end the COVID 19 pandemic.

Walk down Via Po.

Across the River Po, you'll see the domed Church of Gran Madre Di Dio.

Monument to Carlo Alberto in front of Biblioteca Nazionale

Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata on Via Po.

Continuing further down Via Po, you'll arrive at the River Po.

Monumento a Camillo Benso conti di Cavour, another key figure in the unification of Italy.

The Antica Tettoia dell'Orologio di Porta Palazzo--the largest market in Europe.

2017 10 05