Anywhere? You Bet!

Just when Camogli - the town of a million steps, focaccia, and pesto - was feeling like home, the week drew to a close and we were off on our next adventure. True to the spirit of “Meet Us Anywhere”, we set off on our way to Budapest, Hungary, to catch up with our friend Susan who is adding a fun weekend to her business trip in that fabulous Central European capital. Because we had a very early flight we would need to spend the night at the Tower Genoa Hotel, just steps away from the Genoa airport.

Just an hour away from Camogli by train, Genoa is a study in contrasts. Within this bustling modern port city (Italy’s largest port), the old city makes it easy to imagine being part of a thriving mediaeval world. We took advantage of the hotel’s complimentary shuttle service into the city center and got a bit of Genoese history from the pleasant driver. A short walk through narrow, cobble-stoned streets took us to Cavour 21 - a classic Ligurian restaurant that was clearly as popular with the locals as with tourists. The hostess’s stock answer was that there would be a 20 minute wait for a table, the atmosphere was bustling and loud, there was a complimentary glass of sparkling rose wine for the waiting patrons who sat on beer kegs topped with all-too-thin pillows. Sure enough, in about 20 minutes we were seated at a table for 4 with other guests - we were immediately reminded of the original Legal Sea Foods in Inman Square. We walked away stuffed for under $30!

Our short stay convinced us that Genoa will be well worth a second visit. Fortunately, we plan to return in mid-November when our nephew Patrick joins us for his first visit to Italy.

Cheese-filled Pasta with Walnut Cream Sauce and Fritta Mista at Cavour 21

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