The city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but that might not even be one of the most interesting things about Genoa! You can't miss the local flavor — this region being the birthplace of pesto, why pass up a chance to try it from the source? Dining and shopping are two great pastimes here, but a house that's said to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus may compete for your attention, while spectacular cathedrals and palaces pack plenty of medieval appeal. But sometimes it's the space between the buildings that counts, and Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street that dates back to the Renaissance, shows up in the works of Charles Dickens, and is home to gardens and at least 42 palaces. Some of these welcomed notable visitors in the 16th and 17th centuries, and many of the palaces today have a home on that UNESCO list.