Day 4: Genoa

May 14 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

Travelogue: Day 4 From Turin to Genoa – Thunderstorms, Tunnels and a Taste of Liguria

We left the campsite in Turin yesterday under brooding skies, after a night punctuated by thunderstorms, lightning, and relentless rain. The road to Genoa—two hours through flat plains, rising hills, and a ribbon of tunnels—eventually delivered us to the campsite at Villa Doria, perched above the city.

Setting up the awning took longer than planned (a good hour of faffing), leaving us just enough time—or so we thought—to make our 2:30pm walking tour. Genoa had other ideas. The city was further off than expected, and we arrived late. Thankfully, the wonderfully accommodating Lorenzo shifted us to the 5pm slot, giving us time to drizzle (quite literally) around the area.

Lorenzo’s tour was a joy: part theatre, part history, full of local charm. Genoa revealed itself through its showy facades—attempts at grandeur masking threadbare pockets—and its intoxicating street food: pesto, olive pâté, fried seafood with chickpea chips, and warm, oily focaccia. A visit to the legendary 80-year-old gelato maestro sealed our happiness with scoops of artisanal delight.

We ended the tour in a tucked-away wine bar, sipping local red and white wines, before setting off (on foot, bravely) up what felt like a thousand steps to the Castello viewpoint. The view over Genoa’s port, with the city lights flickering below, was stunning. Only afterwards did we discover there was a lift. We took it down.

Back at street level, the city fountains danced in the evening light, and we wrapped up the day with a pizza, a beer, and a wild (but oddly joyful) taxi ride back to the campsite with a brilliant female driver who navigated Genoa’s chaos better than we ever could have. Worth every cent of the €40 fare.

Sleep was... mixed. I started in the tent, only to be serenaded all night by the neighbour’s heroic catarrh. Back into the van I went, rejoining Gill, and we finally drifted off for a better rest, waking around 8.30am—ready for another adventure.

Today: Santa Margherita Ligure and a boat to Portofino. But that’s a story for tomorrow.Read more