Genoa Boat Show.

[oldgit]

Just been offered some freebie tickets,so booked a few Ryanair .50P early morning hell flights.Any body ever been.Internet search indicates the town is a bit err "industrial".Anything to look at other than a tour of the gasworks./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Nastro Azzurro.Hoegaarden.Chang.Tiger.

 

[boatone]

I.B.B.P.S.C.......

You seem to be going to an awful lot of trouble to try and distract our attention from your IslandbashingandButtonpushing Social Club Outing. Flying to wherever in an aerofix kit plane, Genoa Boat Show.......where will it end????

Come to think of it, where is Coliholic........heard a scurillous rumour that he and swmbo were off to spend a week on a (shhhhhhhhhh............) narrrow boat....aaarrrgggghhhhhh......Ive said it.......almost as bad as Nick2 pretending to drive a raggie.............

God I'll be glad when this silly season is over..........

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[tcm]

Genoa boat show eh? I've been. Easily the nicest part of the trip is stanstead airport, with nice clean shops, easy parking and food that is probably safe to eat.

Yep, the city is industrial alright, and so is the ghastly old 50's and older complex where they hold the show, much MUCH nastier than Earls Court ever was imho. It is shamelessly pro-italian, so all the others manufactuers can bog off miles away. Genoa is a good place to pay your respects a mafia Don, and buy a humungous italian powerboat, provided that it doesn't rain which it might, and provided that they let you near the boats, which they won't unless you look like mafia, and you don't cos otherwise they would know you.

Nearest nice place is er France to the west and possibly Milan in the other direction. I thinnk you got ripped off at 50p for the air tickets.

Sorry about this. At least you won't have too many expectations eh?

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[Metabarca]

TCM is a wee bit harsh, I think, although I admit that Genoa is not my favourite town (I've only been once, in fact). There's the aquarium which is worth seeing and a number of fine old palaces in the centre. Out of town, go to Portofino and San Fruttuoso (the latter only on foot from Portofino: an old monastery tucked into a tiny bay).
As for eating safe food, let us simply say that continental Europe has much to say about the level of cuisine generally offered in the UK: 'safe' is probably the kindest description that springs to mind. I'm sorry but Genoa will not offer the delights of fried Mars bars or over-boiled veggies etc...
Genoa boat show: Italian bias? Of course, the Italian boat industry is probably the biggest in Europe. Does the show want to keep others out? I doubt it, but foreigners are wary of doing business in Italy 'cos of the bureaucracy.
Mafia: yes it exists but please let's not fall into the usual stereotypical image of Italy. It's about as accurate as the view that London is full of fog and inhabited by strange bowler-hatted gents who do nothing but drink tea at five, get spanked by their nannies and hanker after their dogs!
Genoa a dump? I suppose it is, but let's compare it with its British equivalent... er, no, let's not.

p.s. Columbus was Genoan

all IMHO

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[apollo]

Agree its not Antibes but its not that bad.

Eat at Vittorios on the arches down by the harbour - best reputation around.

The Aquarium is excellent and its also worth the fiver or so for the boat trip around the harbour while you are there.

Cheers

Mike

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[Deleted User YDKXO]

Went last year and it was definitely worth the trip. Much larger than the Southampton show. We hired a car in Cannes and drove - very scenic drive
Yeah, OK, the Italian boatbuilders have the biggest stands and pride of place but its the same for the Brit builders at SIBS/LIBS. Saw loads of boats you'd never see at a UK show and lots of superyachts + superbabes to drool over. I would say that 1 day isnt enough because there are inside halls to do as well. Didnt find a problem getting onto any boats providing you put up with the irritating form filling and waiting for smarmy salesman to pitch up.
Genoa itself is a lot industrial but no more so than Southampton. I'm sure there's an attractive old part somewhere but we didnt find it

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[TomIsitt]

At first glance Genoa might seem a bit of a dump, but look a bit closer and you'll find an interesting city with lots of history and culture, and some truly excellent restaurants. Nearby Portofino is pretty (but a bit full of itself). MBY did Genoa as a 6-page Port of Call in the October 2003 issue...if you PM me your address I'll sort out a copy for you.

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[chris66]

Genoa's great and the MBY special was fairly accurate if that nice Mr Isitt sends you a copy. I've been every year since '95 and one thing to add is it either rains (chucks it down) or (more likely) is extremely hot which makes climbing in and out of boats extremely uncomfortable unless you are in a t-shirt. Do check the forcast.
Portofino as well as the boat show in a day is a little frantic as no trains go directly there. If you want to see quainter places than Genoa then Camogli is nearby, on the rail line and an ex.fishing village. If you want somewhere a little larger, more classy and with a nice pleasure port (but I'm sure you will have seen more than enough boats at the show). Theres always a traffic jam in Genoa so train is the best, the airport is v.near Sampierdarena railway station and the boat show is less than a mile from " Genova Brignole" train station which is less than 15 mins trip from Sampierdarena. You can see all train times etc for this trip and for Santa, Camogli etc on www.trenitalia.it

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[chris66]

Sorry, should have said...if you want somewhere a little more classy boats etc then Santa Margherita is the place.

<hr width=100% size=1>Chris

 

[oldgit]

Thanks for all info.Going for 2 days and staying in B&b located in old ? part of town which is supposed to be not-that -far from fiero de wotsit show site.Tickets cost 50p out and 14.99 back = 15.49 and err a list of Ryanair add ons the length of your arm to arrive at actually pay type amount of 38.00 all in.
One other thing knowing Ryanair as we do,just how far away IS the airport from the town./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Nastro Azzurro.Hoegaarden.Chang.Tiger.

 

[oldgit]

So you reckon give the gasworks a miss then./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Nastro Azzurro.Hoegaarden.Chang.Tiger.

 

[tcm]

I seem to remeber it is right on the coast, jolly good fun landing yeehah! Oh yes, and i was with ljs, who lost his parking ticket on the way out of stansted, so we practised me paying and him zooming out ded quick behind, and it worked!

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[Deleted User YDKXO]

Good news is that the airport is right next to the Show and further good news is that Ryanair actually flies there not some flea bitten ex gliding club 100km away. Dont know if there are shuttle buses but got to be only a short taxi ride

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[oldgit]

Ta for info.NM.

NM.

<hr width=100% size=1>Nastro Azzurro.Hoegaarden.Chang.Tiger.

 

[oldgit]

And we are agoing to SBS.

On the 15th,to remind me what boats with p*lp*ts on the pointy end look like.

<hr width=100% size=1>Nastro Azzurro.Hoegaarden.Chang.Tiger.

 

[chris66]

Distance & Free Tickets

Airport is less than 15 mins by train from centre of town, 20-40 mins by taxi depending on traffic - about 10 miles from memory. Even though you already have fee tickets, please note that any non-Italian gets in free to the show by waving a passport, or even just asking in English at the "Foreign Visitors" desk and filling out a brief form.

<hr width=100% size=1>Chris

 

[CPN]

Ignore the gloom and doom and mafia comments. Genoa old town is fascinating and this year is the Cultural Capital of Europe, so there are plenty of attractions in addition to the boat show.
I've had my boat there for almost two years and still enjoy exploring the old town, especially the many small and good restaurants. The old port, Porto Antico, has been well renovated and is now very attractive - but overpriced in my opinion.
The airport is at the opposite end of the city to the Fiero (probably about 10km). Public transport is good, taxis expensive and exciting if you enjoy Italian style driving. Enjoy your trip
Pete

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[tcm]

Re: Gasworks

i think the whole place looks like a gasworks. Maybe the gasworks is actually "The old town" and i've missed the point...

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[jhr]

Re: Gasworks

Nah, you're completely missing the point. Gasworks are at the cutting edge of current urban chic. For example, the gasworks at King's Cross, which produced cries of outrage when it was proposed that they be demolished, thus proving that, even when you combine a truly ugly structure with a vile, pimp and drug-ridden inner city area, somebody will want to preserve it.

Though this guy has managed to make them look almost attractive.

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[tcm]

Re: Gasworks and Crap Towns

you're right, and the situation in Genoa proves your point. The best thing about Genoa is it's evocative name, conjuring up images of bygone seafaring times, sunny seaside battles with Monaco. All saily boats themselves have the nicest and prettiest sail named after the city of Genoa. Not Altrincham, Bradford, Hastings, or Morecambe but "Genoa".

However, in that sailyboats also have the main bit of the sailyboat named after the UK's officially number 1 Crap Town (Hull) it's very appropriate that Genoa is also very crap. Perhaps even crappier. Hopefully for oldgit, it will be sunnier, but like the surprisingly utter dumpiness that is San Remo (apart from the Marina) the "congenitally criminal" italians (qv Sell up and sail) will even things up.


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