Genova

We headed to Genova, my boyfriend and I a few weeks ago now. Why Genova? Well, it’s famous for focaccia and pesto, is that reason enough? We arrived and it was beautiful, it's a small seaside town by the sea with gorgeous architecture. We only spent the weekend and our plan was to eat as much pesto and bread as we could physically manage. Who would have known that it would be so difficult to find restaurants that serve pesto? Nowhere, I repeat nowhere sold the apparently famous pesto! Disappointing to say the least. 

But by luck we stumbled across Savô a so called “gourmet pizza” place. I’m so pleased we didn't find anywhere else because we had the best pizzas ever! We thought the restaurant was full until we were shown downstairs where there was no one. We had half the restaurant to ourselves, it was perfect! We may not have had pesto or focaccia bread in its purest form, but we did enjoy a pesto pizza and a focaccia one - amazing is the only word to describe it! 

Not only was the meal to die for, but our hotel - Hotel Le Nuvole Residenza d'Epoca was incredible. Well, first of all we nearly didn't find it, we finally asked someone where it was, and realised that we had been stood in front of it for about 10 minutes without even realising it. Finding it was one thing, but how to get in was the next. Who would have thought that finding a buzzer would be so difficult. We contemplated calling each and every one of the names registered on the doorbell and then when we eventually opened our eyes there was a plaque purposely for the guests of the hotel.

The hotel was a mix of modern and old, with huge Italian paintings covering the walls in one corner and a modern photograph in the other. It was pretty cool to say the least. The thing that got me truly excited was the free food. There was free focaccia bread, apple tart, biscuits and tea and coffee. It was like being in a candy shop! We spent most of our time in the dining room taking full advantage of all the freebies. The breakfast was a feast too, we must have spent most of the morning filling our boots before waddling out of the hotel. 

A weekend away was just what we needed, and Genova was the perfect place!

Things not to miss in Genova:

• Discover the old city, taking a stroll through a maze of cobblestoned passageways.

• Visit the Palazzo Reale, if you only get to see one of the palaces make it this one!

• Visit the aquarium, one of the largest housing more than 5000 sea creatures.

• Take a stroll along the sea front.

• Eat a pizza in no other than Savô!