Narrow stone alleys run between plaster facades near Via Garibaldi, a filming location in the 2008 film Genova.
What Centro Storico looks like
The caruggi are narrow stone alleys, and in the narrowest stretches the buildings rise about ten metres above a passage barely a metre wide. In some stretches direct sunlight reaches the pavement for less than twenty minutes a day, even in July. Seven, eight and sometimes nine floors line the passage, leaving only a strip of sky overhead. From above, the roofs, towers and church domes form a dense mass.
The fronts are plaster in ochre, yellow and red, with green shutters set close together on the upper floors. Some alleys slope over stone paving. Cables cross overhead, and outdoor cafe tables stand in the alleys.
is a paved street lined with palace fronts, open loggias and stone arches. The Palazzo Rosso facade is orange plaster, with a white stone balustraded balcony and a carved coat of arms above the portal.
Some palaces open from plain street fronts onto courtyards, with a shallow pool and statues beside the gates. On , marble stairs give way to worn brick above the second floor.
opens off the alleys, and the church of San Pietro in Banchi sits beside it. The arcades run close by.
Shot in Centro Storico
Genova, released in English as A Summer in Genoa, is a 2008 film shot in the city. Its tour of Genoa begins on Via Garibaldi, a street of palaces.
A Summer in Genoa, 2008
Palazzo Rosso
The family and Barbara head to a party at Palazzo Rosso on Via Garibaldi. The palace now houses an art museum.
What Centro Storico can double for
Quartieri Spagnoli in Naples, Italy
The Quartieri Spagnoli in Naples have narrow alleys with steep staircases and clothes hung out to dry between the buildings, which is the closest street-level match to the caruggi. The quarter was created in the 16th century, so the 1600s to 1800s period fits the same narrow alley fabric. Frame tight on the alleys, since the wider streets do not match the caruggi. Try searching narrow Naples alleys now.
Le Panier keeps narrow alleys near the Old Port, on the north shore of the oldest part of Marseille. The alleys match the caruggi at street level, so the comparison holds for close frames. Keep the Old Port waterfront out of wide shots, since the quarter's urban renovation is still under way. Try searching narrow alleys near the port now.
