Boccadasse

This former fishing village, now absorbed into the eastern edge of Genoa, clusters around a tiny pebble cove where brightly painted houses crowd down to the water. Small boats are drawn up on the shingle, and the narrow lanes behind the beach keep the character of an old maritime hamlet despite the modern city pressing close. It is a favourite spot for an evening stroll along the seafront that leads here from the city. The pastel houses reflected in the calm water are much photographed.