GE_24 The walls and the forts of Genoa

from piazza Acquaverde (in front of the station) walk along via Andrea Doria for 200 m, then take via del Lagaccio to the right as far as the station of the rack railway Principe-Granarolo (www.amt.genova.it). The slow ascent and the wide glasses invite the visitor to admire the vista on the city. At the final stop take Salita Via di Granarolo (trail sign: two parallel and horizontal red lines). At the end of the road there are different intersections, but the trail sign clearly indicates the footpath which rises along the steep and woody slope. You enter the walls surrounding the city, which you follow walking uphill as far as Forte Begato (451 m). From this point the walls descend as far as the Cancello dell'Avvocato (437 m), a pass between Forte Begato and Forte Sperone. Follow a new trail sign (red ring) which leads to the outside fortifications of the walls. After Forte Sperone the flat mule-track goes beside the western and northern bastions of Forte Puin. You start the ascent on very rough but evident terrain. Following the red ring trail sign, you pass several crossroads and after a very panoramic stretch on the Bisagno and Polcevera Valleys you reach the Sella del Diamante pass (555 m). Fifteen hairpin bends divide us from the Forte Diamante (652 m). A footpath within the walls of the fort allows to admire the steep path (trail sign: three red dots) which goes down along the ridge above the village of Trensasco (390 m). Here it is possible to return to the city by the panoramic railway line Genova-Casella, which is currently closed as it is under maintenance (http://www.ferroviagenovacasella.it/geca/). Follow northwards a trail sign constituted by two red and white parallel lines (AQ1 pathway). Reach the top of Monte Bastia Sud (441 m) and thence go down by the ridge passing Monte Trensasco (414 m), Monte Pinasco (312 m) and eventually joining Genoa's historical aqueduct. Walking down Salita Crêuza dei Morchi you reach the bottom of the valley at San Gottardo, an area of Genoa where footpath AQ1 ends. Several public buses take you back to the city centre (www.amt.genova.it).