This is not Venice, as this Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace) is a little more pedestrian in terms of…read moreits rich Genova empire history and wider public use. The only tickets required are for the museum contained within and for the wide variety of cultural events that are held here. And all Gayle and I had to do was walk in from either the street or the Piazza De Ferrari.

The palace itself is very beautiful, with the typical architecture of the region. But what earns…read morethe five stars is definitely the Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera exhibition. I went with low expectations, loving their work but not expecting to see much. Boy was I wrong! They had almost EVERYTHING! Cristina, Frida's sister, loaned so many paintings for this exhibition I was overwhelmed with joy. They had works from every stage of her carreer, reproductions of his murals and many paintings from him as well. They had staged a reproduction of her dresses and they even had the casket she used during recovery from her accident with the hammer and sickle painted on it. Simply amazing.

We dined here on our final night in Genoa and everything was outstanding. It was a busy night -…read morejust at the end of the Christmas holiday season, so a lot of restaurants were either closed or full. Luckily we were able to secure a table without a reservation, in a cosy back room. Service was a little slow at first but our server was apologetic, and once we ordered everything went smoothly after that. We asked for a wine recommendation, given this is an enoteca, and were able to enjoy an excellent red variety (Altavia) I never would have known about or chosen otherwise. Smooth yet strong, it went perfectly with the hearty meal to follow. I started with the raw beef with shaved artichoke salad while the sweetie had the fried zucchini. Both were delicious - I especially enjoyed the unique take on a tartare. For a pasta course I had to get the wide noodles in meat ragu - I believe it was wild boar - and it was delicious. Sweetie had the linguine in pesto, which had become his obsession throughout our travels in Genoa. It was another winning dish. Smartly we had only ordered one meat entree to share - the beef steak in a rich gorgonzola sauce. A perfect dish for winter, the beef was perfectly cooked and the pungent cheese sauce was decadent in the best way possible. Somehow we found a little room for a shared dessert of apple cake, espresso and grappa before rolling out the door back to our hotel. I'd definitely recommend this restaurant to other travelers looking to sample and enjoy hearty Genovese cuisine paired with an outstanding wine selection.

During our various travels, Gayle and I usually try to have a bottle of wine (or 2) at the Hotel…read moreRoom. We like coming back to our room, kicking back and enjoying a glass together. During our recent short stay in Genoa, we found Enoteca G. Migone nearby. It's apparently the oldest wine shop in Genoa (1925) and has a very distinct interior. The shop is located in the heart of the city, near Piazza de Ferrari, and just in front of the distinctive church of St. Matthew (San Matteo), founded in 1125. From the store Ristorante San Matteo is close by (see separate review), which specializes in traditional dishes of Genoa and Liguria. The Enoteca has a wide selection of wines and price points. I bought a bottle of local white wine for 5 Euros and it was just what we wanted. Service was friendly and the expertise is there for anyone wanting to make more sophisticated wine choice.

The (Emanuele) Luzzati Museum is located in Porta Siberia, within the Port Antico. The place looks…read morelike a fortress both inside and out, and with a whimsical statue near the entrance that put Gayle and I in the appropriate bemused and intrigued mood. We were here for the "The Dark Side of Luzzati" exhibition and enjoyed it and with other artistic protagonists thrown in as a bonus. This place is especially recommended for creative dreamers and other out-of-the-box types of all ages.