Genoa's beauty lies in the hills bowing around her bay line in amphiteathre, in her vertical cityscape, in her luxurious palaces, in the alleys of the medieval city swarming with life, where past and present meet. Dockwise’s boat transportation services can help you to explore famed Genoa in style. In her sunny gulf and in her rivieras, a land of light and winds, a mimosa yellow, tangerine orange, oleander red, grey-green olive land. In the middle ages her bay became the heart of a great Maritime Republic whose colonies spread from the West to the Far East, from the Pillar of Hercules to the Black Sea.
Everyone in the world, from Byzantium to Bruges knew Genoese merchants. Genoa is the main city of Liguria Region. A deep, clean sea at the foot of cliffs, villages and beaches: this is the celebrated Ligurian coastline. From Ventimiglia to Bocca di Magra lies a succession of unique forms and colours of surprising beauty. The ancient fishing tradition and the delicious flavours of the local fish-based cuisine gradually give way to the hills in the immediate hinterland. Here, castles, stone-built villages, churches and strips of land on which vines and olive trees are grown combine into a mosaic of fragrances, tastes and artistic forms immersed in the peace and quiet of centuries gone by.
A livelier atmosphere and fashions are found in the cities which have grown up around the old ports and in the world-famous towns along the Rivieras. Do you want to visit Portofino, the Cinque Terre, Camogli, or Sanremo? Do you wish to admire Liguria's seascapes and the beauty of its mountain range overlooking the sea? Genoa is the best starting point and boat transportation provided by Dockwise can get your craft there so that you and your loved ones can enjoy it together.
The fame and beauty of the Portofino village have always reached beyond the Liguria region's borders. Words and memories of intellectuals, famous personalities, nobles and artists who have visited it are the best possible publicity which this ancient conglomeration of coloured houses - all lined up - can boast. The reasons behind its popularity lie in its extraordinarily harmonious lines and natural, artistic and worldly values which have ensured the fame of this town around the world. In a deep inlet of the Capodimonte Bay, protected by the reefs of the Portofino mountain, lie the small sea village, once a pirate den, you can discover the ancient San Fruttuoso abbey In the heart of the Cinque Terre, World Heritage patrimony, the two sea villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola are joined by a path, special for its fame, history and shape: the via dell'Amore. A romantic name which expresses charm and a special atmosphere made of suspended walks between the sky and the sea.
Feel free to explore the coastline and you will be surprised! Our boat transportation service can get the ball rolling, or the cork floating!
GENERAL INFORMATION ITALY
Area: 301,338 sq km (116,346 sq miles).
Population: 57,844,017 (official estimate 2001).
Population density: 192 per sq km.
Capital: Rome.
Population capital: 2,655,970 (2001).
Language: Italian is the official language.
Dialects are spoken in different regions.
German and Ladin are spoken in the South Tyrol region (bordering Austria).
French is spoken in all the border areas from the Riviera to the area north of Milan (border with France and Switzerland).
German is spoken around the Austrian border.
English, German and French are also spoken in the biggest cities and in tourism and business circles.
Religion: Roman Catholic with Protestant minorities.
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in September).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Currency: Euro (€) = 100 .
Country Code: + 39 ~
IDD Access Code: 00 ~
