Genoa

The Righi and the forts: the countryside in the city

Genoa is known as a seafaring city. But there’s more to it than just that. La Superba, as the Italians call it, is also known for its distinctive geography. The city is almost 20 kilometres long, pinned between the sea and the hills above it, and it is this geography that has carved out its extraordinary history. Let’s take a trip back in time. Five or six centuries ago, Genoa was a powerful maritime city with a huge trade capacity, creating and holding enormous wealth. The city was squashed into a small space beside the sea, with the ring of hills behind it, forming a natural protective barrier against large armies.