EXPLORING GENOVA W/ MOUNTAIN MESSENGER CO.

One of my favourite past times of travelling around Europe is taking the train through the countryside. The architecture and lush vegetation is so refreshing - especially in the coastal regions. On our most recent trip, we road the train for a couple of hours up the Italian coast from Milan to Genova. 

Genova [Genoa] is a colourful gem in Italy's Liguria region. The northwestern city is best known for it's maritime trade [it's the largest port city in Italy, and the birth place of Christopher Columbus.  It has a similar vibe to Cinque Terre, which makes sense as it is located only an hour and a half up the coastline. 

The initial feel was a little different than what I had anticipated. The city is much larger and is very laid back.  

We stayed for a few days exploring the twisting maze of a city that we basically had all to ourselves - perks of travelling in low season! As Genova is a wide spread city, we went on daily adventures to different neighbourhoods. That's when our Mountain Messenger Co. bags really came in handy. These beautiful handmade leather bags quickly became the perfect accessory to hold all of our necessities while allowing us to not look like tourists. One of the toughest obstacles  when visiting a city for only 24-28 hours is how to explore as much as possible, venturing off the beaten path while seemingly fitting in with the locals; wandering around during the day and stumbling upon restaurants at night, all without having to head back to the hotel to change. This often has us carrying around an extra acessories in order to be properly equipped for the day. These bags are the perfect size to fit shoes and whatever else we need while looking stylish. 

David's bag [the Harrison] is a briefcase style, so it obviously works great for business travel as well. The extra pockets on the front are excellent for storing the little things - extra SD cards, hand Sani etc. and the adjustable shoulder strap allows for it to be worn as a cross body, shoulder bag and of course as a top handle.

For me, it is essential to have a zippered closure while travelling - there are just too many pick pockets around! That's why I love the Louise. This tote is great for carrying a laptop, workout gear and running errands to name a few. It is the perfect size and the leather is a good weight so you are ready for whatever adventure comes your way.  

Check out more Mountain Messenger Co. bags here and our top five must see's in Genova below:

1 - Boccadasse - Basically a mini Cinque Terre. The views of the water and architecture from all angles is simply stunning. Walk along the beach with some gelato and watch the sunset into the horizon. It's worth the trek from City Centre. 

2 - Old City - The Caruggi District is basically a giant maze. The streets are so narrow, you never know what they will lead you to. Some say it is sketchy in the evening, however, we found it great to walk around and stop in at bars along the way! 

3 - Via Garibaldi - Filled with museums, bookstores and beaches, this area is best explored on foot.

4 - Grand Hotel Savoia - Take a break at the Secret Beach spa in the lower level of the beautiful 5 star hotel and hydro pool on the terrace over looking Old City.  

5 - Franco Albini's Apartment - For the design lover. This famous architect designed a beautifully unique Mid-Century apartment with stunning city views.