By Catherine Sabino

While Italy has many renowned pasticcerias, some of the country’s most extraordinary and intriguing pastry shops, including a few dating to the 18th century, are found in Genoa. Today you can have a delicious walk through the city, savoring its sweet culinary history, as you visit these spots (designated botteghe storiche), located in or close to the Centro Storico. Here are five “old-world” treasures offering delicious treats made from both historic and new recipes.

PIETRO ROMANENGO FU STEFANO

Consider that when Pietro Romanengo fu Stefano opened for business in 1780, Marie Antoinette was Queen of France, and England and the fledgling United States were slogging it out in the Revolutionary War. The shop, run by the eighth generation of Romanengos, came a few decades later, debuting in 1814, where clients over the years have included Giuseppe Verdi and members of the legendary Doria family. Much of what you see today is the same as when the store opened … continue reading

Catherine Sabino has worked for magazines in Italy and the US, and was editor-in-chief of Forbes Special Interest Publications, Gotham Magazine and Four Seasons Magazine, a travel and lifestyle publication. In addition to living and going to school in Italy, she has written two books on Italian design, published by Crown/Clarkson Potter, and has produced features from many regions in Italy and countries in Europe. Her focus is on travel in Italy and Western Europe.