Whether you are headed to Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin or Florence, here at the Sportsman we have you covered in our series of in-depth travel guides. We aim to provide useful information for those who are new to travelling to Serie A games, giving the football tourist a list of tips to ensure their trip is a successful one.
Situated less than 100 miles away from Milan on the Ligurian coast, Genoa provides an ideal location for a football-centred weekend away. Named European Capital of Culture in 2004, this city has been nicknamed La Superba (the proud one) due to its rich history and impressive landmarks, and deservedly so.
Direct flights to Genoa’s Cristoforo Colombo airport may prove to be expensive from UK airports, but plenty of trains run to the city from Milan or Turin, an option which may prove to be cheaper via budget airlines. For example, flights to Milan Malpensa from Manchester airport can be found for just £25 one way, then a coach transfer to the Milan central train station costs around €5. A train to Genoa will take under two hours and tickets are priced at between €10 and €20.
As is common on the peninsula, two teams share the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, meaning that during the season there will be a game to watch almost every weekend. The stadium, more commonly known as Marassi is home to both Genoa and Sampdoria. The former is the oldest club in Italy founded by Englishman in 1893, whilst the latter are a young club, having been established in 1946 with the merger of Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria.
Despite the obvious differences between the two, both sets of fans create a superb atmosphere inside the stadium, which shows a remarkable resemblance to an English ground with its square sides. The Derby della Lanterna – named after the city’s 12th century lighthouse – provides one of the best fan experiences in Italian football, and is certainly a must-see in the Serie A calendar.
Hotels are plentiful in the streets around Brignole station, which is within walking distance to the stadium and the city’s excellent subway system. Albergo Argentina on Via Gropallo provides friendly, central and reasonably priced accommodation, the rooms located as part of a bigger building.
After a 20 minute walk up the steep hill, the magnificent Marassi will become visible across the river. Places to eat and drink around the stadium are plentiful and tickets can be purchased before the game except for the derby, where you must buy a ticket online before securing travel arrangements. As with all Serie A matches, don’t forget your passport as you will need it to buy a ticket and to enter the stadium.
Whilst the stadium may be within walking distance of the station, it is a good idea to use the excellent subway system to move between the main tourist sites around the city. You will do plenty of walking in between the stops as it is!
Best served by the San Giorgio metro stop, Porto Antico is like the city’s two football teams, a fusion of the old and new. Including the largest aquarium of its kind in Europe, the area is also home to eateries and bars serving up local cuisine, a much better option than some of the chain restaurants also located along the harbour.
The most well-known of the local specialities is Pesto Genovese, always served with the distinctive trofie pasta. Also worth a try is Foccacia di Recco which – nothing like the traditional version of this bread – consists of two wafer thin layers of dough with an Italian cheese sauce melted in the middle.
The cruise ships that dominate the coastline won’t block out the view of the aforementioned lighthouse that gives its name to the Genoa-Sampdoria derby. Standing majestically across the bay, this oldest working lighthouse displays the city emblem of St. George and is a sight to behold.
For football fans though, a visit to the port cannot be complete without a tour of the Genoa CFC museum. A snip at just €5 to enter, this modern museum contains a myriad of artefacts relating to the varied history of the club. The highlight of this is undoubtedly a display of documents relating to their English roots, including their first owner James Richardson-Spensley and first Coach William Garbutt.
Relaxing, interesting and visually stunning, Genoa contains all the key ingredients for a superb weekend of football.
