Via Garibaldi & the Old Caruggi
Behind Camogli's famous waterfront lies a warren of tall, narrow caruggi — the Genoese word for alleyways — where the real daily rhythm of the town plays out. Via Garibaldi is the spine of this old quarter: a lively pedestrian street lined with focaccerie, greengrocers, butchers and bars that cater almost entirely to locals rather than tourists.
Architecture of necessity
Camogli's toweringly tall, narrow houses — some rising eight or nine storeys — were built this way deliberately: the town was historically so prosperous from maritime trade that land was at a premium, and families built upward rather than outward. The trompe-l'oeil painted windows and decorative cornices on many facades are a Ligurian tradition designed to add grandeur without the cost of real stonework.
Wander off Via Garibaldi into the side alleys — Vico Molfino, Vico Castagneto — and you'll find laundry strung between buildings, potted basil on windowsills and the sound of televisions drifting from open shutters. This is not a stage set; people actually live here.
Morning market life
A small daily market sets up near Piazza Colombo most mornings, selling local vegetables, Ligurian olive oil, dried herbs and seasonal produce. On Saturday mornings it expands and is worth timing your visit around.
The alimentari (grocery) shops along Via Garibaldi stock excellent local products: pesto genovese made with Pra basil, jars of taggiasca olives, bottles of Pigato white wine from the western Riviera — all at prices aimed at residents, not souvenir hunters.
Via Garibaldi & the Old Caruggi on video
More of Camogli
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Camogli →
