I'm taking an Italian class here, and my teacher asked us if we preferred sandy or rocky beaches. My classmate and I agreed sandy, because the rocks hurt your feet. She replied that she was truly Genovese because she preferred rocky beaches. She said the water was perfectly clear on rocky beaches. In my head, I was like, okay, that's fine, I guess, whatever.... And then I went to Genova Nervi.
Genova Nervi is a super easy day trip from the center of Genova. It's four stops down the train from Genova Brignole, taking about 20 minutes and costing less than two euro! The train stop in Nervi lets off right on the water and steps away from a series of parks called Parchi di Nervi. The parks are a great space to hang out for a lovely afternoon. There was a rose garden, a couple mansions that have been turned into museums, and tons of meandering walking paths. There are ancient stone walls and remnants of structures, and it was all very charming.
There are a lot of places you can cross under the train tracks to get to the coast, and this is the best part of Nervi: there's a boardwalk that, at times, juts out over the sea. There are a bunch of rocky staircases you can take for access to the water, and a lot of people were taking advantage of the beautiful weather and tanning on the rocks. The boardwalk is exploding with thriving plants, and there were cafes, gelaterias, and shops tucked into the rocks or nooks under a bridge.
It continues for miles and provides gorgeous views of the water and, in the distance, the city of Camoglie (center left in the photo below). You can't see from here, but this is the same peninsula that houses the famous Portofino and the less famous but also charming San Fruttuoso. I'll be headed to Portofino shortly, so stay tuned for that!
I walked a couple miles south before turning around and walking a couple miles north to the next train station, Genova Quinto al Mare. At one point, I took a rest on the rocks and just enjoyed the sun.
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On the walk, I unexpectedly came across the most charming marina, Porticciolo di Nervi. This was a great stop - lots of cafes, good places to sit and have a snack (gelato, obviously).
Whether you are looking for a great place to enjoy a view, go for a stroll, or take a dip in the chilly sea, Genova Nervi has everything. It gets a 10/10 from me, and I hope to make it back before I leave town. The water was just so gorgeous, and the boardwalk offered endless stunning views.
