Some are famous like Nervi, with its promenade and fishermen houses, others are unknown even to many Genoese.
One of the latter is the Quartiere del Carmine with its market.
It’s in the heart of Genoa, but suddenly you will find yourself in another world made of colors and silence.
It is a perfect location because it is a stone's throw away from the old town and some of the main attractions in the port area.
The area is really quiet, green, with few people around and beautiful typical houses painted in bright colors.
Strolling through its quiet and picturesque alleways, you will get to the Mercato del Carmine (Carmine’s market).
It took its name from the square that hosts it, in the Ligurian capital.
The indoor market is located inside an Art Nouveau structure from the 20s, built in wrought iron and glass, which closely resembles beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in France.
This is an architectural style which is not so common in Italy but it matches perfectly with the neighborhood because it’s elegant and yet delicate.
The Mercato del Carmine reopened its doors after years of dilapidation and abandonment, revitalized by the renovation of a group of young Genoese architects, in name of a more intelligent organization of spaces and low environmental impact, with natural ventilation and an hydraulic heating system installed under the flooring.
The key ‘ingredients’ of the market are the sale of local produce, the valorization of local specialties and the artisan supply chains, other than a focus on reduction of waste with daily auctions of unsold produce, immediately before closing, to sell at a low cost highly perishable food.
At Carmine’s market, you also have the possibility of consuming the products of the counters on site as chairs and stools are available for market goers.
The market hosts a fruit and vegetable counter, a cheese counter, a butcher's shop selling cold cuts, a wine shop offering regional wines, a fishmonger's and a bar & restaurant open until midnight with traditional dishes based on typical and seasonal products.
It also hosts an event area for shows, concerts and book presentations. Yet, few tourists have heard of the Carmine Market, unlike structures rehabilitated in the following years, so it’s mostly the hang out of locals.
It’s the second time the market reopens after the first attempt failed because of poor management.
Next to the market, a raw milk vending machine from a local farm has been installed and, since its installment, it has been experiencing a boom in requests for fresh dairy products so new products have been added, namely cheese and butter.
The fruit and vegetable counter offers samples to passers-by so you can try how fresh the produce really is before making your choice.
They can even prepare smoothies and freshly-squeezed juices to drink on-the-go.
The restaurant on site experiments with authentically local cuisine, offering customers the opportunity to personally choose meat and fish from the adjacent counters.
You can also choose the pasta of your choice and the sauce and they’ll prepare it right on the spot for you.
I really enjoy eating here in Spring because you can see the s unlight coming through and it’s not too hot like in the Summer period when it feels a bit like a greenhouse due to the glass roof.
Cheese counter
This is the Italian model of the gastronomic market, used for the sale, but above all for the consumption on site of local specialties, until late at night.
