The old mariners’ village of Boccadasse, found at the eastern end of Genoa’s main promenade, Corso Italia, was once an isolated village, most easily accessible by sea.
As if frozen for two centuries, the village has preserved and maintained its character and traditions, staunchly protected by the Genoese.
A study conducted by travel expert Florence Tickets and Tours, which analysed TripAdvisor’s “hidden gems” category of over 100 Italian cities and then counting the number of Instagram posts, revealed that Boccadasse was the “most Instagrammable hidden gem”, with 137,595 posts.
It had over 30,000 more posts than the second-place location, Stella del Diavolo.
Colourful houses in pastel colours surround its cobblestone beach on three sides, with boats lining the water’s edge.
According to Hotel Bristol Palace, the village owes its name to the lines that form its inlet, which resemble the shape of a donkey’s mouth – “bocca d’ase” in Genoese dialect.
According to popular tradition, the village was founded around the year 1000 by a group of Spanish fishermen when they sought refuge on the rocky inlet during a violent storm. In reality, Boccadasse started out as a small group of crooked houses of working fishermen, sailors, and small traders.
There are several key “must-sees” in the village. The Church of Sant’Antonio da Padova, known as the “church of seafarers”, is the only building in Genoa dedicated to a saint, and was expanded from a simple chapel to what it is today, with beautiful works of art to admire inside, according to italian-riveria.com
The beach is one of the most photographed places in Genoa, unsurprising given its beauty. Neptune Square, or Piazza Nettuno, is at the heart of the village, surrounded by pastel-coloured buildings home to clubs and restaurants.
Turke Castle is located at the top of Cape Santa Chiara, a building in Art-Nouveau style and designed and built in the early 20th-century. It offers scenic views of the Liguria Riviera and the Portofino promontory.
In the village itself, there are not many accommodations and they are often busy during the popular summer period. There is, however, usually plenty of rooms available in the high season in wider Genoa. Boccadasse can easily be reached via a pleasant walk from the centre of Genoa, or by car or bus from Genova Brignole railway station.
“It is a lovely postcard picturesque village! Beautiful sunny and cool days made it a pleasant visit. You can also stroll along the Anita Garibaldi promenade just next to the church,” said one visitor on Tripadvisor.
“Plenty of photo opportunities here, as what you see on the web and postcards. Worth the trip! Easy to get there…it’s a short trip by bus 42 from Dante 2, near Ferraria fountain.”
Another said: “The town itself is centred around a small picturesque inlet, with brilliant views of the Gulf of Genoa. Although the pebble beach was small and fairly busy, it felt like there was plenty of space to sit on the beach… I would fully recommend a visit here if you are in the Genoa area.”