"Christmas Creche of Santa Maria Delle Vigne Named Basilica delle Vigne (or Basilica of the Vines) in honor of the grape vines that the 10th century monks so gracefully tended in the abbey's courtyard, the church today houses extravagant works of art in place of the ancient vines. But at Christmas, the stunning Baroque masterpiece becomes home to a massive, rustic creche handmade by local members of the community - a beautiful welcome to the Christmas season."

"Ice Skate in the Ancient Harbor Lace up your skates and enjoy a spin around the ice in the middle of the ancient harbor. Surrounded by luxury yachts and the occasional shadow of a cruise ship, this is truly a gorgeously positioned outdoor ice skating rink - even though they are oddly committed to playing top-20 American radio! (You can rent skates on site, so you don't have to worry about lugging your own from home!)"

"Ravioli di Carnevale Winter allows for all the delicious pre-Easter treats - including these 'ravioli' for Carnival. Made of almond paste, and stuffed with a dollop of chocolate/hazelnut spread, these raw 'cookies' are topped with a smear of strawberry jam and dusted with shaved almonds - clearly to look like tomato sauce and parmiggiano cheese! But they are super sweet - just one is plenty."

"Listen to the music of all the moving parts If you are in Genoa during the Christmas season (which in Italy runs from about December 8 - January 6), you must stop by Butteghetta Magica to gaze at (and purchase!) their incredible, and often mechanical, creche pieces. With a display that takes up the entire store front, pause for a moment before you enter the store to just listen - the ticking and spinning of the moving pieces is magically haunting."

"Especially lovely on the rainy days For some reason, cappuccino just tastes better on those cool, wet, drizzly mornings. Fortunately, we have quite a lot of those mornings here in Genoa , especially in the winter and early spring. At A Vedova Romanengo, find a corner table tucked behind the gorgeous glass chocolate and candy counter, and sip a cappuccino while watching the city hustle around hidden under massive colorful umbrellas."

"Overpriced (and under-delivered) Although it touts itself as one of the largest aquariums in Europe, personally I find the aquarium to be incredibly overpriced by Genoa standards (at 23 euro for an adult ticket, I was expecting greatness), and more importantly, quite sad. With just a few exhibits and even fewer animals, it doesn't make for any sort of real 'wow' afternoon. But, with small children, and on a really rainy or cold winter day, it can provide a great indoor entertainment option. And starting in May, a new exhibit on beluga whales is set to open - so hopefully that will breathe some new life into the space."

"Genoa's Natural History Museum If you are willing to brave leaving the ancient city, the Museo Storia Naturale (located just a 10 minute walk out of the Porto Soprana gate) is a great indoor winter option. While all the exhibits are quite interesting, the dinosaur/paleontology section is exceptionally fun, especially for little ones. And with tickets only 5 euro, this is an amazing family activity for a rainy, cold winter afternoon (just remember that it is closed on Mondays, so try to plan accordingly)."

"Make sure you go to the "Tempest" exhibit If you love 'experiential learning', the Galata museum is a great winter option for exploring the maritime history of the port of Genoa . With great 'hands-on' exhibits, and a beautiful roof top observation deck, this museum is one of the best in Genoa. And at only 11 euro, it is priced quite effectively. Make sure you don't miss the "Tempest" exhibit -- a 4D experience of surviving a massive storm in a tiny life boat off Cape Horn. You can also pay a supplemental fee to explore the submarine parked in the harbor in front of the museum - but if you suffer from claustrophobia at all, I'd steer clear, as the space inside is incredibly small."