A friend staying in Milan came for a visit and and I went to meet her at Brignole station. Since I arrived early and there was still time before the train arrived, I decided to take a little stroll around the little streets around Brignole. To my utter delight I stumbled upon a street market selling antiques on Via Galata, only 5 minutes walk from the station. As soon as my friend arrived, I suggested we go back there to check what is on offer. She agreed and we ended up walking up and down the market for couple of hours inspecting every single bancarella, tables covered with suitably aged goods, such as decorative glass bottles and stoppers, handbags, jewellery, books, posters, dolls and numerous other small items.
I love all kinds of street markets in general and Italy is an especially good country to visit these. Every local area have their own monthly or weekly veggie, fruit and general goods market. A street stall can be as simple as a lorry stopping for some hours in the street near you - here in Nervi there are regular opportunities to sample Sardinian cheese, wine and salami every Monday and Thursday on Via Oberdan and often during the weekend a fruit and vegetable lorry stops there as well. Organic farm produce is sold on Wednesday mornings in the little park near the Commune.
On Tuesday mornings one can have some serious savings and real bargains in Quinto, where at least hundred stalls are selling clothes, shoes, underwear, bags, fur coats (looked real to me), bedlinen and sheets, kitchen utensils, children's clothes and many other things. In these times of financial distress, this type of a general goods market makes a tight household budget a little bit more flexible. Bus number 15 stops right in front of the market.
Sometimes it is tricky to find out when and where the markets are happening. So, when I went back the following week to check if the antique market is on at Via Galata, it wasn't. It happens only once a month, on a Thursday of the second week of the month.
Then there is a big antique market on in and around Palazzo Ducale every first weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of the month (www.genovantiquaria.com). I recently went there and came back with collectable Danish Christmas plates (10 euro a piece), vintagle ear rings, old postcards of Genoa, one vintage compact powder case and an unsual leather handbag from the 1950s (in truth, it is a bit difficult to open, but once you figure out how the little key works, it is possible to use it on special occasions).
The same place in front of Palazzo Ducale (via San Lorenzo side) is transformed into a regional gourmet food market every second Saturday and Sunday of the month. I am now a regular custormer for a nice nutty rye type of bread from South Tyrol. There are also unusual country type cheeses and salamis, olive oil, wine and plenty of other delicacies. However, no bargains on this market. It is a serious meeting of foodies. These farmers/producers are particularly keen for you to sample their product. That one bite should tell you the difference between the product that is for sale here and the one in the supermarket. Italians can definitely taste it.
I was just about to finish this by saying that the City of Genoa could do a bit more to advertise these markets, when I saw a little booklet John had left on my desk: Calendario degli Eventi Fieristici in Liguria 2013. He had picked it up from the tourist office and it has a list of all regular events, festivals and markets in the whole of Liguria. No more detective work needed!
On Tuesday mornings one can have some serious savings and real bargains in Quinto, where at least hundred stalls are selling clothes, shoes, underwear, bags, fur coats (looked real to me), bedlinen and sheets, kitchen utensils, children's clothes and many other things. In these times of financial distress, this type of a general goods market makes a tight household budget a little bit more flexible. Bus number 15 stops right in front of the market.
Sometimes it is tricky to find out when and where the markets are happening. So, when I went back the following week to check if the antique market is on at Via Galata, it wasn't. It happens only once a month, on a Thursday of the second week of the month.
Then there is a big antique market on in and around Palazzo Ducale every first weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of the month (www.genovantiquaria.com). I recently went there and came back with collectable Danish Christmas plates (10 euro a piece), vintagle ear rings, old postcards of Genoa, one vintage compact powder case and an unsual leather handbag from the 1950s (in truth, it is a bit difficult to open, but once you figure out how the little key works, it is possible to use it on special occasions).
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| If you are a foodie, the monthly market in front of Palazzo Ducale is the place to discuss the finer points of Italian delicacies. |
I was just about to finish this by saying that the City of Genoa could do a bit more to advertise these markets, when I saw a little booklet John had left on my desk: Calendario degli Eventi Fieristici in Liguria 2013. He had picked it up from the tourist office and it has a list of all regular events, festivals and markets in the whole of Liguria. No more detective work needed!
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