Carmine is an ancient borough in the Genoa Old Town a few minutes from via Balbi and via Garibaldi. It has remained almost intact over the centuries. The oldest buildings date back to the 13th century, such as the Chiesa del Carmine located in Piazza del Carmine and the medieval church of San Bartolomeo dell’Olivella with the adjoining convent.
Its narrow alleys that climb the hill, the houses leaning against each other and the tiny squares, are characteristics that make Carmine borough a magical and silent corner in Genoa, a few steps from the city traffic (check out the route).
The names of the alleys are testimonies of the past: vicolo dello Zucchero (sugar’s alley) and vicolo del Cioccolatto (chocolate’s alley) allude to the shops that were based on site and in which the grocers worked and sold cocoa and other spices.
