Genoa is not what it used to be in the 16th century but it’s not by chance that the city is referred to as a Western Bazar, with its historic center made up of alleys, cable cars, caruggi (alleyways) and many, many shops.
The old and even ancient shops are so many and so full of stories to tell that there is even an association that aims to protect this uniqueness, telling their stories to tourists and new generations alike.
Walking around Genoa means getting to discover these businesses that have really contributed to the history of the city. These are not just shops, but real institutions that have been in business for more than seven or eight decades and where you can find the atmosphere of yesteryear and the same passion of yesteryear.
The historical shops of Genoa, which in Genoese we call vecie botteghe (old stores) usually preserve original furnishings, tools, equipment and signs and that’s why visiting them is a real leap into the past.
Some are eateries such as fritterie (hole-in-the-wall eateries which serve all kinds of fried food) or ancient tripperie (eateries serving tripes), but among them there are also candy shops, pastry shops, tailors, clothing and footwear shops and even pharmacies.
It is a world to discover and to be conquered by.
Genoa has been able to preserve the charm of the historic shops like only few other Italian cities thanks to a commission made up by the Municipality, the Chamber of Commerce and the trade and craft associations of Genoa which have been promoting the Register of Historical Shops for over 10 years and, as of now, there are 14 shops recognized as historic by the abovementioned commission.
As I previously mentioned, it is like traveling back in time…For example, there is a tripperia which has been cooking tripes since 1890 and the shop has remained untouched by modern times.
There is also a small restaurant which used to be a salt storage room then transformed into a trattoria in the early 1800s which still retains the original floor and the wood-burning oven where the exquisite pasqualina pies (spinach, ricotta and hard boiled eggs) and the famous farinata (chickpea flatbread) are cooked. In this place, you can enjoy an excellent typical lunch while admiring the ancient vaults and its original 19th century furnishings.
These shops, workshops and eateries proudly display plaques given to them by the commission to testify their authenticity.
The workshops which belong to this register keep alive traditional techniques for blowing glass, producing stamps and working wood.
I have recently read that they must have these following two requirements in order to qualify for the register of the old botteghe: they must conserve some original and still functional architectural elements, furnishings, equipment or historical instruments, having preserved the documentation that testifies the history of the business related to the context in which they operate and they must have been in business for at least seven decades.
Old bottega
But stepping back in time it is possible in many places around Genoa.
Some neighborhoods are so quiet, and their alleys are so narrow, that virtually no car can go through so it’s like walking around heaven.
In particular, there is a small neighborhood, not far from the old town and the city center, where the street names seem to come out of a fairy tale because they can be translated into ‘Strawberry alleyway’, ‘Plum street’, ‘Almond alley’ and ‘Milk chocolate way’…
This neighborhood is called Carmine an its alleys and streets climb uphill, among private gardens and flowered balconies, away from the traffic of the city thanks to its narrow alleys.
Carmine is a magical place that I would recommend to include in any itinerary to truly discover an unusual Genoa just a few steps from the center.
This place is not an usual destination for Genoese people who don’t live in the area but it’s lovely also because there is a park nearby with gardens, waterfalls and even larger meadows where you can have the thrill of finding yourself face to face with deer and goats you can feed a few blades of grass.
