Boccadasse

Boccadasse is a former mariners' hamlet tucked into the smart Albaro district at the eastern end of Genoa's seafront, where a tiny pebble cove opens between rocky headlands. Pastel fishermen's houses in ochre, pink and terracotta stack tightly above the shingle, their shutters fading in the salt air, while wooden boats are drawn up on the beach exactly as they have been for generations. Visitors come to wander the few narrow lanes, sit on the pebbles among the boats, and watch the waves break against the breakwater. There is little to do in the conventional sense; the pleasure is in the atmosphere and the light, and an unhurried visit takes around an hour. The cove is reached on foot along the seafront Corso Italia from the city, a pleasant walk of around forty minutes, or by city bus. Boccadasse is famous for its gelaterie, and eating an ice cream on the beach is the classic ritual; a handful of trattorias and bars serve seafood and aperitivi overlooking the water. The village is busiest on summer evenings, weekends and at sunset, when both locals and visitors gather; weekday mornings are far quieter. Sunset is the photographer's hour, when warm light floods the pastel facades and the boats are silhouetted against the sea, while a higher angle from the lane above the cove captures the whole huddle of houses. Swimming is possible from the small pebble beach, though it is cramped in high season. As one of the most photographed corners of Liguria's regional capital, Boccadasse offers a pocket of fishing-village charm without leaving Genoa, and combines easily with a stroll along Corso Italia or a visit to the nearby Nervi parks and promenade further east.