Genoa from above: a guide to the city's best panoramic views

Overlooking the sea, situated between the coast and the Ligurian Apennine foothills, Genoa offers spectacular panoramic views from where the city and its beautiful surroundings can be admired. Let's find out more together.

Spianata Castelletto

This is one of the most popular panoramic points in Genoa because it offers a spectacular view of the historic center, the port and the sea. To reach it, you can take the Castelletto elevator, located in P.za Portello, which will take you straight to the panoramic terrace.

Back in the past, a military fortress occupied the belvedere, but in 1849 it was demolished, "leveled" by the people in revolt, as it was often used by the city's enemies during various military occupations.

Moreover, this site was dear to the poet Giorgio Caproni, who wrote in one of his poems, "When I will decide to go to heaven, I will go there with the Castelletto elevator."

Belvedere Montaldo

This belvedere offers a breathtaking view of the city, the Old Port and the sea. To reach it, you can take the Montaldo elevator, located halfway down the gallery between P.za Portello and P.za della Zecca. It is a very interesting experience, as the elevator is built inside a wrought-iron tower.

Let us underline that Belvedere Montaldo is a part of the Castelletto esplanade viewpoint; a very scenic route to get there is from Meridiana Square, taking the steep climb of San Francesco and then, following that, the climb to the Esplanade. It will be very hard but it will worth it.

Righi

Righi Hill is a great place to admire Genoa from above. You can take the cogwheel train that leaves from Piazza Manin and takes you up the hill. From the top, you will have a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding hills.

It can be reached by walking down Cabella and Carso streets, or by funicular (in 15 minutes) from largo della Zecca. The Righi, located at 302 meters, is a spectacular lookout over historic Genoa, namely the gulf, the Bisagno valley with Staglieno cemetery and the Marassi district, as well as over the forts on the top of the hills.

Belvedere Castle of Albertis

This belvedere is located near the Castello d'Albertis, a historic building that houses the Museum of World Cultures. This unusual museum-dome, housed in a neo-Gothic castle, offers an extraordinary opportunity to enter the home of Captain Enrico Alberto D'Albertis, its creator, who donated it to the city upon his death in 1932. From the castle's terrace, you can enjoy spectacular views of the city and the sea.

The forts of Genoa

The city is surrounded by numerous forts built throughout its history. Some of these offer incredible panoramic views. Forte Sperone and Forte Diamante, to name a few, can be reached with a short hike from Salita Belvedere and Salita Millelire, and also from Sampierdarena via Corso Belvedere.

Park of the city walls

This park is located in the hills of Genoa and is a great option for those who enjoy nature and hiking. It owes its name thanks to the Mura Nuove (New Walls), erected in the seventeenth century to better defend the city and its port basin; these are still well preserved and embrace Genoa. They represent a unique and valuable urban and historical monument, as well as a magnificent meeting place between the city and the nature-sometimes wild and untamed-that surrounds it.

The most beaten path begins at the upper terminus of the funicular (Righi) and continues to the Castellaccio and Sperone Forts, at 450 meters above sea level; already from here the view opens up over the entire city and nature is sovereign. The hike continues to the nineteenth-century Forte Begato overlooking the Polcevera Valley, or inland to reach the small Forte Puin and the magnificent Forte Diamante, located at 660 meters above sea level, the highest and most isolated in the Park. Reaching these panoramic points will make you sweat, but the panoramic views they offer are extraordinary and will give you the opportunity to appreciate the unique beauty and topography of Genoa.