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    Genoa Travel Adventures
    Genoa Travel Adventures
    Genoa Travel Adventures
    Ebook99 pages1 hour

    Genoa Travel Adventures

    By Amy Finley

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    About this ebook

    A detailed guide to every aspect of Genoa: history, culture, foods, restaurants, hotels, sightseeing, things to do - written by an author who knows the place intimately. Two marble-carved lions crouch flanking the stairs leading to the entrance of Genoa's
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHunter Publishing
    Release dateAug 1, 2009
    ISBN9781588437716
    Genoa Travel Adventures

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      Book preview

      Genoa Travel Adventures - Amy Finley

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      Introduction

      The scent of herbs and pines, the startling blue of the sea. The brilliant white of cliffs tumbling into the depths, the bronze of suntanned skin. The sound of pounding surf, the chiming of church bells. The sight of mountain peaks that break the clouds, the chill of an alpine breeze. All this, and more, is the Italian Riviera.

      Pinned between the mountains and the sea, on a steeply-sloped crescent of land stretching from the French border to Tuscany, the people of the Italian region of Liguria - commonly known as the Italian Riviera - developed a character and unique way of life. The area is small - only 170 miles long, and 23 miles wide at its widest point. Some historians and sociologists have theorized that the geography of Liguria had a profound psychological impact on the people who lived there. They reason that the limited landmass - with the sea on one side and daunting mountains on the other - had an island effect, compelling the Ligurians to take to the sea as fishermen, traders, explorers, and sailors. To be sure, among their number is perhaps the most famous explorer of all time, Christopher Colombus.

      This predilection for seafaring and commerce enabled Liguria's principle city, Genoa - once capital of the Republic of Genoa - to amass unparalleled riches and astonishing political power between the 12th and 18th centuries. An old saying holds that, Gold is born in the Americas, passes through Spain, and dies in Genoa. The city's fascinating history is filled with intrigue as its leading families used murder, marriage, might, and manipulation to secure their personal fortunes and the global ascendancy of the Republic they ruled as oligarchs.

      This is the backdrop against which travelers encounter the Riviera and emerge with an appreciation not only for its natural splendor - more than half of Liguria is protected park land and the coastal areas are carefully and deliberately stewarded - but also for its interdependence. Each town of the Riviera is an actor in a larger drama that has been playing for centuries. In the past the storyline centered on the prestige and ambition of the Genoese Republic and its influence in the world. Today it is a story of reinvention to reap the rewards promised by global tourism, while maintaining identity and integrity.

      How to Use this Book

      Every traveler has a different definition of adventure. Some seek adrenalin-pumping thrills or to push their physical limits. Others find challenge enough in the goal of relaxation and leaving the stress of daily life behind. Then there are those for whom the pursuit of new knowledge and experience is the ultimate reward and the ultimate adventure.

      I myself find places all the more fascinating when I understand how they came to be as they are. A ramshackle building comes alive when you know the tale of its former glory, the scenes and passions that transpired within its walls. Genoa is like that. The story of Genoa is all-important to understanding the story of the other villages and how they knit together. To travel on the Italian Riviera is to pass through a region that was once the unlikeliest power center of all Europe. A tiny fragment of coastline, it logically should never have become the player it became. But its intrepid sailors and shrewd power mongers - not to mention the hearty common folk who literally hewed a livelihood from the inhospitable soil of a thousand cliffs - gathered wealth and prestige for Liguria. Consider that the entire country of Italy had five Maritime Republics (though history remembers only four), and that two of them - Genoa and Noli - were located on the Riviera, so close together you can now travel from one to the other in less than an hour by car.

      I find the Italian Riviera to be the ideal vacation spot. Loads of history, urban and natural environments, beauty, activity. Every day is an adventure.

      The Italian Riviera has something for every kind of traveler, and this book aims to help you get the most out of every location. The presentation of each town follows the same format.

      Introduction and history (to help set your perspective).

      Getting there (practical information about transportation).

      Resources (websites you might want to check out, location of the tourist office).

      Being

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