“When I have made up my mind to go there, I will go to heaven by the Castelletto elevator.”
Giorgio Caproni
Informations
Spianata Castelletto or Belvedere Montaldo, is located in Genoa’s residential neighborhood of Castelletto. It is a vantage point that offers an unmissable view of the city and its harbor.
The view ranges from west to east, you can see the characteristic slate roofs of the historic center, the Carlo Felice Theater, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the harbor with the Ferris wheel..and much more.
On the Esplanade you can find an information board indicating the city’s various attractions.
Getting there
By car – From Circumvallazione monte. It is not a ZTL zone but there are very few parking spaces on the Esplanade so we do not recommend venturing by car but to park in the herringbone parking lots along the street (Corso Paganini/Corso Firenze, for a fee).
By elevator – Surely children will prefer to take the liberty elevator from Piazza Portello to Spianata in a few seconds. The ticket is free. Hours of operation: 6:40 a.m. – midnight.
On foot – In Piazza della Meridiana (Via Garibaldi) you will find a creuze i.e., a typical Genoese brick pedestrian street (Salita San Francesco which then becomes Salita alla Spianata di Castelletto) that goes up among colorful little houses and in about ten minutes (300 m) leads to the Belvedere.
Where to eat in Spianata Castelletto
In Spianata Castelletto there are several places to eat/drink something or enjoy a good ice cream.
There are two ice cream shops in Spianata and they are called Guarino and Bar Don Paolo, the latter typically Sicilian where you can taste a good cannolo or a wonderful granita with cream.
Not far away is the Calice wine bar with its outdoor tables, good for an aperitif accompanied by some snacks.
Finally La Barcaccia if you want to taste a traditional Genoese dish at the restaurant (we never tried it).
When to go in Spianata Castelletto
The view of Genoa and its harbor is exceptional at any time of day but certainly becomes much more impressive at sunset time. If you can stop a little later, the view is also very beautiful in the evening with the city lights on.
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