A small square deep in the old city, Piazza delle Erbe is where Genoa's aperitivo and late-night bar scene concentrates. The surrounding buildings date from the medieval period — some of the caruggi feeding into the square are so narrow that two people can barely pass. By early evening the square fills with tables and standing drinkers spilling out from the bars that ring it.
During the day the square is quiet and shadowy. In the evening it becomes one of the most animated spots in the city, drawing a local crowd of university students, young professionals, and the inhabitants of the old city who treat it as their neighbourhood square.