The Liguria region's main city, Genoa, has a gritty appeal. Its commercial flair was based on maritime trade, and the city is still a key Mediterranean port. It is an excellent destination for a short break, but is also a useful stopping-off point for rail travellers heading deeper into Italy. Some of Liguria’s most celebrated coastal resorts (such as Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure) are close by, and Genoa itself has enough to entertain any visitor for a few days.

An intricate maze of lanes (locally called caruggi) leads up from the waterfront into the Old Town where the showpiece sights are the ducal palace and cathedral. Everywhere you’ll see the red and white flag of Genoa – which England appropriated. St George is also the patron saint of Genoa.

The city was scarred by tragedy in August 2018 when a section of the Morandi Bridge collapsed, severing the A10 motorway and leading to great loss of life. But the community's reaction demonstrated great resilience and Genoa is very much open to visitors in 2019. A new viaduct, a minimalist design by Renzo Piano (who was born in Genoa), will open in 2020.

The gaudy main station is called Genoa Piazza Principe (often abbreviated as Genova Principe). The city is far from the main Italian high-speed network, so journey times are slow. Plan on five hours for the direct train to Rome, two hours to Turin and 90 minutes to Milan. The first Frecciarossa train service to Genoa was launched in March 2018. It's a new daily link from Venice and Verona. With a four-hour journey time, it's hardly high speed, but it is a chance for visitors to Genoa to arrive in style.

Genoa does however have some useful long-distance connections. There is a direct overnight train to Naples and Salerno and very useful direct EuroCity services (run by Thello) to Nice, Monaco and Marseille. A weekly direct train to Minsk and Moscow, leaving each Sunday lunchtime, adds a little spice to the departure boards at Piazza Principe station.

You can reach Genoa easily in a long day’s journey from London. The standard route has been via Paris and Milan. But since Eurostar launched its direct London-Marseille service in 2015, it now makes sense (on those summer days when the London to Marseille train runs) to travel from London to Genoa with just one change of train at Marseille St Charles. The run from Marseille to Genoa is a superb rail-cruise along the Riviera.