Home to the iconic Cinque Terre, Italy's Ligurian coast is one of the most picturesque places you can find. At its heart is the capital city of Genoa, an authentic and bustling port city with both pesto and focaccia to its name.

In 2024, I spent two months living in Genoa, learning the language, eating focaccia and gelato like it was my job, and traveling up and down the Ligurian coast to see everything this small but mighty Italian state has to offer.