Genoa (Italian, Genova) is Italy's sixth largest city and a historical port city in northern Italy, the capital of the Region of Liguria. In ancient times it was the most important harbor of the Mediterranean sea and has a long history as a rich and powerful trade centre. With its multitude of hidden gems behind cozy alleways, rennovated old port - Porto Antico Area, based on Renzo Piano's project, beautiful sights (including one of Europe's biggest aquariums), and its position as the European Capital of Culture in 2004 have made the birthplace of explorer Christopher Columbus an enticing place which is gradually becoming more included in the touristic market. With pastel-coloured terracotta-roofed houses, artistic churches, lovely seaside villas, and also several luxurious boutiques, Genova is a must see if you want to experience the "quintessential" Italy. Genova is known to have Europe’s biggest historical center. This is the heart of the old city. It’s made up of an incredible amount of tiny streets and alleys called Caruggi. The Piazza de Ferrari has become an important part of Genoa and this large public square is bordered by many leading sights and tourism opportunities, such as the 14th-century Palace of the Doges (Palazzo Ducale). Also worthy of investigation is the renovated harbour area itself (Area del Porto Antico), along with the palazzi dei rolli which is present on World Heritage List of UNESCO, easterly Boccadasse neighbourhood and its many fishing boats, next to the Corso Italia. Genova is also reknown for its excellent culinary product "pesto" and other typical and delicious dishes and food (notably fish, seafood, "focaccia", "farinata", "torta pasqualina", "cappon magro", etc.).
Text excerpt from: Wikitravel
Surrounding area
Portofino
Portofino is a small fishing village and a popular yachting destination. What to see? Everything! Truly, the most impressive thing about Portofino is the lifestyle, so running off and "seeing the sights" probably won't be your number one priority when you plan your trip. There are some notable attractions that might be able to lure you from the beaches, but the view from the harbor or any of the surrounding beaches is unforgettable and one could spend the entire day marveling at it.
Castello Brown is a 16th century castle/fort, once used for the area's defense, but now primarily a museum with a fantastic view of the harbor and the Mediterranean Sea.
Cinque terre
Cinque Terre, which means Five Lands, comprise the five small coastal villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. The main attraction of the Cinque Terre is the landscape. Mediterranean herbs and trees grow spontaneously from the top of the hills down to the water level. Well embedded in this magnificent natural scenery, one can admire the intense human activity of the ancestors, when the wine terraces were built. An enormous (and somehow crazy) work of transportation, carrying all the heavy stones on men's shoulders and women's heads. A work through the centuries, in fact it's estimated to have taken about 200 years to build the entire stone-wall network. Its total length has been calculated to be at least equal to the Great Wall of China. Tourists can enjoy the scenery described above, walk through the towns (or between them) or hiking on the paths and enjoying the local atmosphere.
Link: Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre
Text and images from: Wikitravel and Wikipedia