Promoting Portal of Genoa City Council

Local products

There are also plenty of occasions to discover the local products and the organic offer on the Genoese culinary scene, such as the frequent markets and fairs, where it is possible to find unusual specialities like the so-called corzetti – a type of pasta from the Val Polcevera, which is great served with Pesto from Prà – and the local cheeses and wines.

The chocolate

And then the chocolate! It can safely be said that the Genoese chocolatiers can be incredibly creative with their art. How to resist a .... basil-scented chocolate? Or a cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg-scented one for that matter?
Just like Salzburg, which has dedicated a delicious praline to its native Mozart, Genoa too has chosen to honour its great violin player Niccolò Paganini, by creating a chocolate with his name.

The "pasta di altea" (marshmallow)

Or discover the fragrance of the pasta di altea (marshmallow), the colourful and wonderfully-scented candied flowers and fruit, the ample variety of bonbons and sugar-coated sweets, with their rosolio liqueur, almond, cinnamon, chocolate and aniseed cores.

The "mezzari" (printed cotton spreads)

The so-called mezzari (printed cotton spreads), for example, are a typical product of the Genoese soft furnishing industry and trace their roots to the city’s old relations with the Orient dating back to the first two decades of the 18th century. Since then, the mezzaro has become an integral part of many Genoese homes. Typical designs include the ‘old tree’, ‘the chestnut tree’, ‘the minaret’ and ‘the roses’, with their bold colours.

The slate

The presence of the nearby Val Fontanabuona, with its abounding slate quarries, has fostered the traditional working of this typically dark-grey material. Its wide-spread usage can still be observed when admiring the old Genoese palazzi, although nowadays it is used for many more applications, including design and furniture pieces.

The filigree

The skill of Genoese craftsmen stands out also in other areas, such as the production of filigree, in both gold and silver. Indeed, Genoa and the surrounding territory, especially Campo Ligure, have created a unique way of interpreting jewellery.

www.comune.campo-ligure.ge.it

The rose cordial

Genoa knows well how to tease the taste buds and its confectionery and chocolate-making traditions are indeed age old. To this day, the numerous historic shops – many of which boast centuries-long experience - offer unusual delicacies steeped in the flavour of bygone times. It is especially worth tasting the rose cordial, which was once regarded as a medicinal preparation for cough.

Velvet

Velvet is another textile product worth of note, with earliest evidence dating from the 16th century. The elegance, as well as the quality of both the designs and the silks, make it, to this day, a product of true excellence.

www.dvjgenova.it