Cathedral of San Lorenzo

**Genoa's old lanes — Europe's largest and densest historic centre — and yes, but knowingly.** ✅ **What they are**: the **caruggi** are very narrow alleys — some **a metre and a half wide** — forming **the largest medieval city centre in Europe** by contiguous area. **The buildings are very tall and the lanes narrow**, ⚠ **so the sun does not reach the bottom for most of the day**. ✅ **What is in them**: **old craftsmen's shops**, **focaccia bakeries** (Genoa's distinctive bread), **fresh pasta and pesto** — **the best and cheapest food in the city** — **and small churches and hidden palaces behind ordinary doors**. ⚠ **What to know**: **some lanes — particularly near the port at night — have a worse reputation than others**; ✅ **and the simple practical rule**: **lively, lit lanes with people and open shops are fine**, ⚠ **empty dark lanes at night are avoided** — which is true in any large city. ✅ **Daytime is an entirely different place** from night here. ⚠ **And you will get lost** — **maps struggle** between the tall buildings; ✅ **which is part of the pleasure**, but pin your hotel.