nervi
 
Genoa's mainly residential suburbs extend east to NERVI (accessible by local train or bus #15 from Piazza Cavour), a neat resort spread around a small harbour with a handful of bars along the seafront. Much of the centre of Nervi is given over to exotic flowers and plants: walking left out of the train station brings you into the Parco di Villa Gropallo , with, alongside, the Parco di Villa Serra , which hosts an open-air cinema during August (information from the Genoa tourist office). The park slopes down to a romantic seafront promenade with a few bars and fish restaurants, while joining it to the east are the lavish rose-gardens of the Parco di Villa Grimaldi . Following the lovely promenade east around the cliffs of the Sant'Ilario headland brings you to the Museo Civile G. Luxoro , holding a small collection of furniture, textiles and clocks (Tues-Sat 9am-1pm; L6000/¬3.10). Semi-suburban though Nervi is, it still feels a long way from city life among the orange trees and the dreamy villa gardens.