genoa genova italy 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)In Italy, the region of Liguria is famous for its long and beautiful seacoast, and for two of the country's best-loved foods. It is also a wonderful place for walking.
There are miles of great footpaths taking you all over the wooded hills of this largely rural region. The views are terrific, and you can spend your day in beautiful countryside while never being far from a village and a little bar or restaurant.
Let's deal with the food first. Liguria is the home of pesto sauce, which is now appreciated all over the world. The capital Genoa, or Genova in Italian, gave its name to the dish 'spaghetti alla Genovese', which is a mix of spaghetti, diced potatoes, and French beans in a pesto sauce topped with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Liguria is also home to the bread called 'focaccia' which you can buy elsewhere in Italy, and even abroad, but which never tastes as good as it does in the region.
