Stretching out along a thin strip of Italian coastline, the city of Genoa is nestled between the sea and mountains and has numerous day-trip options for city breakers who wish to escape into the wilderness.  

With its medieval centre filled with museums and palaces, the city is famous for enticing visitors with its art and culture, historic shops, traditional Genoese gastronomy including pesto and focaccia and even beaches in the suburban neighbourhoods of Boccadasse and Nervi. 

The city also acts as the gateway to the surrounding mountain landscapes. Day trippers can easily reach the hills behind the city using cable cars and the historic railroad Trenino di Casella, allowing them to explore the city's walls and surrounding beauty in the Parco Urbano delle Mura (Urban Park of City Walls).

Parco Urbano delle Mura

The system of city walls and fortifications, built between the 17th and 19th century, form the Parco Urbano delle Mura. Built on the hills behind Genoa, it was one of the largest fortification systems in Europe.

Spanning across 876 hectares and with the forts running for 13km in a horse-shoe shape around the city, the Parco Urbano delle Mura is the largest expanse of parkland in the city. The forts offer panoramic views of the Promontory of Portofino all the way to the Cape of Noli, and from the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia to Monte Antola and the Forts of the Bisagno Valley.

The 17th century walls were built to defend the city and its harbour and various paths are available to explore, taking visitors through pastures, meadows, woods and the remains of the area's sheep-farming past that surround the city.

The park can be reached via the Zecca-Righi Cable Car and the Trenino di Casella railway. Guided tours are available to book at Genoa's Tourist Information Centres with itineraries led by local experts offering insights on the history and wildlife of the area. Itineraries and tours can be found here - www.visitgenoa.it/en/genoas-forts-and-walls-guided-tour.

Zecca-Righi Cable Car

The Zecca-Righi Cable Car allows visitors to travel from the heart of the historic centre to the starting point of many hiking and mountain biking routes along the paths that connect the ancient forts of Genoa. Climbing 278m, the cable car was built between 1895 and 1897 and the journey takes around 12 minutes.

Trenino di Casella

Another way to reach the Parco Urbano delle Mura is to take the Casella train, a narrow-gauge railroad that links Genoa to Casella in the Scrivia Valley. The train takes a scenic 25km route that passes fortresses, broad valleys, woods and offers aerial views of the historic Aqueduct and ancient villages along the way. The train leaves from Piazza Manin to the north of the old town and the journey takes an hour. Visitors could stop off at one of the many trattorias along the way for lunch.

The beautiful railway was built along a Roman road used for transporting salt and many Roman coins were found during construction in the 1920s. On special occasions, a historic train dating from 1924 with the oldest working electric engine in Italy also travels along the railway.

Terme di Genova

To the west of the city lie the thermal baths of Genoa, an oasis of health and wellness located in the ancient village of Acquasanta. The village has been renowned locally for centuries for its healing waters and therapeutic qualities. Tickets for the spa can be booked at Genoa's Tourist Information Centres with buses available from the city centre. Nearby is the stunning Baroque sanctuary of Nostra Signora dell'Acquasanta.  

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For more information, please see here www.visitgenoa.it

For press enquiries contact Jules Ugo or Tim Thackray at Lotus on jules@wearelotus.co.uk / tim@wearelotus.co.uk / 0207 953 7470