Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale
Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Genoa audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type market
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Genoa Genoa guide
About Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale
The birthplace of pesto, Genoa invented the world's most famous pasta sauce from DOP Genovese basil, Ligurian olive oil, Parmigiano, pecorino, pine nuts, and garlic, pounded in a marble mortar, best experienced at the Mercato Orientale.
Pesto alla Genovese is Genoa's most important contribution to world cuisine, the sauce of fresh basil leaves, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Sardo, pine nuts, garlic, and coarse salt, traditionally prepared by crushing the ingredients in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. The basil used in authentic Genovese pesto must be Basilico Genovese DOP, a specific cultivar grown in the protected soil of the Pra' and Voltri districts of Genoa, whose leaves have an exceptional fragrance and sweetness that distinguishes them from ordinary supermarket basil. The World Pesto Championship is held in Genoa every two years. The best place to taste authentic pesto and buy local ingredients is the Mercato Orientale, Genoa's covered market in Via XX Settembre, a magnificent 19th-century iron-and-glass market hall where the stalls sell fresh pasta, local vegetables, Ligurian olive oil, and handmade pesto.
Did you know? The World Pesto Championship (Campionato Mondiale del Pesto al Mortaio) is held in Genoa every two years, with competitors from dozens of countries competing to make the best pesto using only authentic Genovese ingredients and the traditional marble mortar technique. Contestants are judged on colour, consistency, and flavour, and the winning recipe is declared the official world standard for authentic pesto for the next two years.
How long should you spend at Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale?
Plan about ~60 min at Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale worth visiting?
Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale is one of the 18 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Genoa, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Genoa
Hear the story of Pesto Genovese & Mercato Orientale
Preview the Genoa tour free in the Gingerguide app.