Panoramic Tour With Funicular

Overview

A guide with a small guitar in a black cover waits under the Banco di Sardegna sign, and from there the tour leaves the centre for Genoa's hillsides. Public lifts and funiculars carry the group up to the high city, so the climbing is shared between machines and legs. The walk follows the creuze, the old footpaths that once tied the hillside communities to the sea, pausing at panoramic viewpoints along the way.

The route is not only about the views. Along the way the guide plays original songs on guitar, each one tied to a chapter of the city's history or to the character of its people, which gives the tour a feel closer to a storyteller's walk than a standard guided commentary. Reviewers again and again single out the music and the depth of the history as the reason this tour stands apart.

The descent passes through a medieval district and a leafier quarter with painted houses and gardens before the group returns to the centre. The full circuit runs about three hours. There are steps and slopes throughout, so it suits people happy to walk.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideFind the guide waiting under the Banco di Sardegna sign, carrying a small guitar in a black cover. There is no hotel pickup.
2. Ride up by funicularPublic transport, an elevator and funicular or bus depending on the day, takes the group up toward the high city.
3. Walk the creuzeThe route follows the ancient footpaths between viewpoints, going up and down steps and hills.
4. Songs and storiesThe guide plays original songs on guitar that tell the history of the old maritime republic and the temperament of its people.
5. Medieval districtThe group explores a medieval quarter on the way toward the descent.
6. Descend through gardensThe way down passes an area of colorful houses, gardens, trees and flowers before returning to the centre.

What To Expect From The Tour

This is a walking tour with stairs and slopes, mixed with rides on public lifts and the funicular, so a little preparation goes a long way.

• Footwear and pace. The listing asks for comfortable shoes, and it flags steps and hills throughout the itinerary. The pace is steady rather than punishing, but it is a three hour walk.
• The music. Expect the guide to play self written songs on guitar at points along the route. Multiple reviewers mention this as the highlight, so go in open to something unusual.
• A small snack. The operator mentions a traditional snack, and reviewers confirm a focaccia tasting, with one noting the portion is small. Food and drinks otherwise are not included.
• Photography. Views from the top of the city come up repeatedly in reviews as a reward for the climb. Have the camera ready at the viewpoints.
• Off the usual path. Reviewers say they saw areas they would not have found on their own, away from the usual tourist trails. Expect lanes and residential quarters rather than the main monuments.
• Language. The tour runs in English and Italian, with the guide answering questions along the way, which several reviewers appreciated.

Common issues. The route has steps and hills throughout, which the listing itself flags, so anyone with limited mobility may struggle. One reviewer found the focaccia portion small. Food and drinks are otherwise not included, and there is no hotel pickup. Cancel at least twenty four hours ahead for a full refund.

Common Questions