Italy Polishes a Gem

There's no such thing as a wrong turn in Genoa; one of the great pleasures of the place is getting lost amid the city's serpentine streets and undulating hillside avenues. But some roads should be sought out, notably Via Garibaldi, a majestic stretch of cobblestone flanked by 16th century villas just above the old port. One palace, Palazzo Tursi, has been the site of City Hall since 1848; others (Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco) have been turned into museums. When this city of 700,000 was pickedalong with Lille, Franceto be European Capital of Culture for 2004, the Italian government poured...