Happy Easter Monday to all our readers, guests and those who follow us with affection! While the city wakes slowly on this festive morning, we at genovabb.it are already on the move. For those in hospitality, holidays are the most intense days of the year: check-ins to coordinate, fresh sheets to arrange, directions to give to guests arriving today to enjoy Genoa in celebration. And we wouldn’t change a thing about this pace, because every home entrusted to us tells a new story.
From here, from the heart of an operational day that sees us running between our 35 residences in the city center, we take a moment to write this article as a gift. A small contribution for those today who want to discover Genoa on Easter Monday, between maritime traditions and spring outings.
The Genoese Tradition of Easter Monday
In Genoa, Easter Monday has always had a special flavor. Our grandparents called it “a Pasquetta de mâ”, the Monday of the sea, because it was the first real day of the year when you could think about a trip to the coast without the risk of icy north wind. Genoese families organized the first outings of the season: Portofino for the most ambitious, Nervi for a seaside walk, Recco for freshly baked cheese focaccia.
“Pasquetta sensa ‘n gian, l’è comme ‘n brodo sensa sâ”
— Genoese Proverb (Easter Monday without an outing is like broth without salt)
This tradition arose from a practical need: after long winter months shut indoors in the city, between strong north winds and rain, Easter Monday represented liberation. It was the time to rediscover that Genoa is not just the caruggi of the historic center, but also that crown of maritime villages and mountain trails that make it unique in the world.
Families from the historic center boarded the first trains to Nervi, with wicker baskets full of focaccia, hard-boiled eggs and white wine from the hills. Those who could afford it took the boat to Portofino, while the most adventurous took the paths that from Genoa climb towards the Napoleonic forts, among broom beginning to flower and breathtaking views.
Portofino and the Park: The Historic Genoese Outing
The trip to Portofino remains the great classic of Easter Monday for Genoese. Not so much for the village itself, now an international destination, but for the trails of Portofino Park that from Santa Margherita lead to the lighthouse, to the Napoleonic batteries, to the Church of San Giorgio. These paths, often ignored by hurried tourists, represent the true treasure of the day.
The most beloved trail starts from Santa Margherita Ligure and climbs gently through the Mediterranean scrub to the Semaforo Nuovo. From there, the view spans the entire Tigullio Gulf, with Portofino looking like a nativity scene nestled among the rocks. It’s a one-and-a-half-hour walk that rewards you with postcard-like views and clean air that smells of myrtle and wild rosemary.
For those who prefer sea to mountains, the walk from Portofino to San Fruttuoso remains an unforgettable experience. The coastal path, carved into the rock and shaded by pine trees, offers glimpses of the Mediterranean that change with every turn. Upon arrival, the Abbey of San Fruttuoso with its pebble beach offers the perfect spot for a seaside picnic.
Recco and Cheese Focaccia: The Ritual of the Stop
But what Genoese Easter Monday would be complete without a stop in Recco? The small village on the Levante Riviera, squeezed between the highway and the sea, holds a gastronomic treasure that Genoese know well: cheese focaccia. Never call it pizza, please. Recco focaccia is an art passed down through generations, with its dough stretched as thin as a veil and stracchino cheese melting while still steaming.
DinaBenedettoFerrandina, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The historic families of the area – the Manuelina, the Capurro, the Vitturin – have made this simple dish a symbol of excellence. The technique is ancient: the dough is stretched by hand until it becomes transparent, then filled with fresh stracchino and baked on iron plates that make it crispy on the outside and stringy inside.
Custom dictates eating the focaccia fresh from the oven, cut into hot squares, perhaps accompanied by a glass of Vermentino from the Luni Hills. It’s the perfect pause moment in an Easter Monday outing, when families sit in small restaurants overlooking the sea and enjoy this small ritual of Ligurian tradition.
Nervi: The Anita Garibaldi Promenade and Blooming Parks
Those staying close to Genoa will find in Nervi the perfect compromise between city and nature. This eastern district, with its seaside promenade dedicated to Anita Garibaldi, offers one of the most romantic walks in all of Liguria. Two kilometers of walking along cliffs overlooking the sea, dotted with Liberty villas and gardens that explode with color in spring.
The Nervi parks – Grimaldi Fassio, Serra Gropallo and Villa Luxoro – are a natural spectacle this season. The palm trees rising against the blue sky, the rose gardens beginning to bloom, the historic greenhouses with their botanical collections. This is where many Genoese families organize their Easter Monday picnics, lying on the lawns overlooking the sea and letting children run along the paths of Villa Grimaldi.
“In Genoa there’s a sea that looks like a theater”
— Fabrizio De André
Nervi’s railway station makes everything easily accessible from Genoa’s center: twenty minutes by regional train and you find yourself in what seems like another world, where the pace slows down and the horizon expands all the way to the Cinque Terre, which can be glimpsed on clear days.
Easter Monday 2026: Events and Special Openings
This year the city has prepared a special program for Easter Monday. The Lanterna di Genova opens its doors with free workshops for children and an egg hunt that promises to entertain the whole family. A perfect opportunity to climb to the lighthouse symbol of Genoa and enjoy a 360-degree view of the city and sea.
The National Museums of Genoa offer Easter holidays discounts, with the opportunity to visit Palazzo Ducale and the Van Dyck exhibition at reduced prices. For those seeking culture without giving up the festive atmosphere, it’s the right occasion to discover the artistic treasures in the heart of the city.
The Diocese Museum and the Cathedral Towers also offer special openings, allowing you to climb up to the medieval walkways of San Lorenzo and admire Genoa from above. An unusual perspective that offers unique views of the slate roofs and bell towers that dot the historic center.
For the more adventurous, the Rotonda Marconi in Rapallo hosts “Easter Flight 2026”, a helicopter tour over the Tigullio that allows you to see Portofino, Santa Margherita and the entire Gulf of Paradise from above. An unforgettable experience for those who want to give themselves an aerial perspective of one of the most beautiful stretches of Mediterranean coastline.
The Tastes of Easter Monday: From Breakfast to Sunset
The Genoese Easter Monday has its own precise gastronomic rituals. It starts with breakfast at the historic neighborhood bar: frothy cappuccino and warm white focaccia, perhaps sitting at outdoor tables if the sun allows. It’s the moment of planning, when you decide whether to take the train to Portofino or stay in the city for a walk in the Nervi parks.
Mid-morning, the snack break almost always includes farinata: the chickpea flour pancake golden from the oven, served still steaming and seasoned with a drizzle of oil and black pepper. The historic fryers on Via del Campo and Via di Sottoripa know how to prepare it the old way, crispy on the outside and creamy inside.
Lunch is the highlight: if you’ve chosen Recco, the cheese focaccia is a must. If you stay in the city, a trattoria in the caruggi with an Easter Monday menu can hold surprises: from cima ripiena to trenette with pesto, from corzetti with walnut sauce to torta pasqualina with hard-boiled eggs and marjoram.
The afternoon is for digestive walks: along the seafront of Corso Italia if you want to stay on level ground, on the Monte Fasce trails if you’re looking for some exercise, among the gardens of Spianata Castelletto if you prefer the panoramic view of the city from above.
Our Properties: The Perfect Starting Point
From all our properties in the heart of Genoa, every Easter Monday destination is easily accessible. Those staying in the Historic Center can walk towards Porto Antico and from there take the ferry to Portofino. Castelletto guests have the panoramic Spianata within reach for a picnic with a view. The Nervi houses are the ideal starting point for the Anita Garibaldi walk.
This morning, as we prepare the apartments for today’s arrivals, we think about how precious it is to be able to offer not just a comfortable bed, but a real starting point for discovering Genoa. Every house that our owners entrust to us becomes a small gateway to the city, a place where guests can feel at home while exploring everything that La Superba has to offer.
We do this work because we believe that every property tells a story, and that every guest can temporarily become its protagonist. If you are also thinking about entrusting your Genoese property to expert hands, our door is always open for a no-commitment chat.
Happy Easter Monday from all of us at genovabb.it! May it be a day of sunshine, sea, good food and that simple joy that only Genoa knows how to give. We continue to work with a smile, knowing that every check-in today is the beginning of a little Genoese adventure.
