Recco, 25 minutes by train from Genoa, has celebrated its cheese focaccia since 1955: the consortium's bakers hand out thousands of hot slices in the town centre all day, with a one-kilo eating challenge.
Food festivals in Genoa worth planning a trip around, by month.
Festivals through the year
May 2027 1 festival
June 2027 1 festival
The Porto Antico's bazaar of cultures: a covered souk on Piazza delle Feste with ten cooks serving Senegalese, Syrian-Lebanese, Indian, Mexican, Tunisian and other dishes, plus theatre, music and talks.
September 2027 2 festivals
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
Italy's first official Oktoberfest, running since 2005, pitches its tent on Piazza della Vittoria: Hofbräu beer, canederli, pretzels, schnitzel, pork knuckle and spätzle, with bands nightly and family weekends.
Expected dates, not yet confirmed by the organiser
A weekend devoted to focaccia genovese on Piazza delle Feste at the Porto Antico: bakers from Genoa and Liguria bake live, with tastings, show cooking, workshops and talks on the art of white bread.
Dates to be confirmed
One hundred competitors from around the world pound basil, garlic, pine nuts and Ligurian oil in marble mortars under the frescoes of Palazzo Ducale, from morning heats to an afternoon final.
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