ITALY BLOG SEPTEMBER 12th, 2025 - GENOA

 

9/12/25– Where has the time gone? Almost two weeks into the trip and I can feel everything start to slow down a bit. Our bodies are wearing out from all the stairs but we are still excited to explore another day.

We leave the hotel around 10:30am and walk ten minutes to Palazzo Reale. Built in 1618 for the Balbi family it’s one of the grandest of palaces in Genoa. Of course we are immediately met with stairs to take us to the top floor, and once there, we see how elaborate the place really is.

Room after room is decked out with chandeliers and ceiling murals that make us gasp. And then there’s the hall of mirrors which completely takes us by surprise. More rooms follow with each one more tantalizing than the last.

From open foyers and thrones to bedrooms, I feel instantly teleported back in time trying to get a grasp of how it must have been to live in such a lively palace. The museum (as they call it) only covers one floor but the 12 Euro ticket allows entry to another palace we’ll visit later.

A few minutes down the road we run into the Sontissimo Annunziata del Vastato basilica (mouthful). This church is quite large and free to enter, but I begin to notice Sharece not being herself. Turns out the stairs at the palace drained her and she needs to go back to the hotel. We sit down to rest and recollect our thoughts before deciding that I will continue on alone. I’m not the happiest about this, but this is our last day in Genoa and Sharece insists. What am I supposed to do… not go?

We say our goodbyes for the moment and I start my walk toward Belvedere Castelleto. My GPS says 11 minutes but I see a shortcut through the car tunnel ahead, so I trot along without any worry that I’m steering Sharece the wrong direction. 

Half way through the tunnel I see double doors that bring me to an elevator, which looks and sounds like an old time, wooden one, and low-and-behold it brings me exactly to where I need to go with a grand viewpoint of the city. Now it’s not as great as the one yesterday on top of the cathedral but it’s something.

I make my way down the hill and pass Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace) for a quick photo before getting a text from Sharece that she has the key to get into the building but not our room key. Oof! I’m only five minutes away so I attempt to come back only to get another text that our hotel host is able to let her in. Ok, staying out a little longer it seems now.

I then venture over to Palazzo Spinola which is the one included in the first ticket purchased earlier. This is a smaller palace turned into an art museum. It also has a few floors to walk up so I’m happy Sharece didn’t have to power through this.

I return back to the hotel for a bit to unwind and spend time with my honey. That little bit turns into several hours of watching a show and waiting until sunset to see the pier. Unfortunately the sun is hidden by the clouds the entire time, but still able to enjoy the walk, see a pirate ship and get some food.

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