Next stop was Genoa. I have passed through this city many times by car but never actually stopped and so it was clearly meant to be when, during my trip, I unexpectedly received an invitation from the press office of Genoa. The guide sent by the press office was waiting for me in the lobby when I arrived at my hotel, the Bristol Palace, an elegant, refurbished, Art Nouveau icon with the most captivating and beautiful staircase I have ever seen. Coming from France and the Netherlands, where things were a bit more relaxed, I had to adapt quickly to new customs. Everybody in the streets was wearing a full mask and my guide was definitely dressed for the occasion: she was wearing a plexiglass face shield, gloves, etc. for protection even in a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. The next day, my driver showed me the wonderful and authentically historic mariners’ neighbourhood of Boccadasse and we also visited Nervi, formerly a fishing village but now a seaside resort with a chic and rich history. During my stay, I enjoyed great dinners, one at Il Genovese, which has won a major prize for the best pesto dishes in Liguria, and another at I Tre Merli in Porto Antico. Like every big port city, Genoa has a very multi-cultural population and you experience the huge contrasts which make it particularly interesting. Actually, it’s a photographer’s delight with wonderful ancient avenues, palazzos, the Via Garibaldi, etc. as symbols of its rich history but you also see poor neighbourhoods and beautiful buildings in need of maintenance. The next morning, when I left Genoa by car, I took a brief glimpse of the new Ponte San Giorgio Genova bridge designed by Genoa-born star architect Renzo Piano and built in less than two years following the tragic collapse of the Ponte Morandi. They have made the impossible, possible. A beautiful symbol of hope. I can’t wait to make a stop again in this fascinating city.