Genoa

Genoa is located 75 mi/120 km south of Milan. It is an industrial port city that's a little rough around the edges in the center of the Italian Riviera,. Before making headlines during the G8 conference in 2001, it was known primarily as the birthplace of Columbus -- you can visit his tall, Gothic home there. The city has numerous piazzas, churches, a medieval inner city, Renaissance buildings, a big aquarium and a large port that serves as the departure point for many of the luxury cruises of the Mediterranean. However, it is a typical poor port town, and the areas near the water are filled with seedy bars and dodgy characters.