Page 94 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

92  GENO A AREA B Y AREA

q San Siro di w Albaro
Struppa Road Map D3. @
Via di Creto 64. Tel 010 809 000. Albaro was one of the towns
@ 12, 14. Open summer: 8am–8pm annexed to the city in 1926. It
daily; winter: 8am–6:30pm. 7
marks the start of the eastern,
Levante zone of Greater Genoa,
This abbey church sits in an an almost unbroken succession
isolated position among pretty of settlements, rich in both
gardens and rows of vines in artistic and historical interest,
the district of Struppa, the most extending as far as Nervi. The
north-easterly part of Genoa. scenic Corso d’Italia road hugs
Mentioned in 13th-century the coast along the way.
documents, it was built around Since the Middle Ages, Albaro
1000 and named after the has been a popular spot for
bishop of Genoa, San Siro, Polyptych of San Siro (1516), San Siro Genoa’s high nobility to build
who was born here in the 4th di Struppa. their country houses. It remains
century. From the late 16th the city’s residential district par
century onwards, the church aisles. Above is a bell tower, with excellence. Though now rather
was tampered with periodically, three-mullioned windows at over-developed, it boasts a
by the end of the top. series of beautiful suburban
which its early Inside, traces of the original villas. One of these is the
Romanesque fresco decoration are still visible, 16th-century Villa Saluzzo
appearance had and the columns in the nave Bombrini, also known as “il
greatly suffered. feature interesting capitals. On Paradiso”. Its charming
Separate projects to the wall in the right-hand aisle Renaissance garden features
restore the building, is an almost jaunty, heavily in Trattenimento in un Giardino
carried out in the gilded wooden statue of San di Albaro (1735), the famous
1920s and 1960s, Siro, dating from 1640 and painting by Alessandro
have restored San much restored. The high altar Magnasco, now in Palazzo
Siro to its original is modern, but visitors should Bianco (see p75).
form, including the notice that the front part was Villa Saluzzo Mongiardino,
restoration of the architrave of a door from a dating from the early 18th
Wooden statue of the decorative 16th-century palazzo in Genoa. century, played host to the
San Siro, 1640 masonry in grey The splendid Polyptych English poet Lord Byron in
sandstone and of San Siro (depicting the saint 1823. Villa Giustinani Cambiaso
the pavement of black and white enthroned, eight scenes from (1548) is the work of the great
pebbles outside the church. his life and the Virgin and Child) Renaissance architect Galeazzo
The façade, pierced by a rose dates from 1516. It is possibly Alessi, and was highly influential
window, is divided by pilasters the work of Pier Francesco at the time. Set in an elevated
into three sections that Sacchi and hangs in the left- position, surrounded by exten-
correspond to the three interior hand aisle. sive grounds, it now houses

The Casella Train
V Genoa–Casella: Via alla Stazione per Casella
15, Genova. Tel 010 837 321. @ 33.
∑ ferroviagenovacasella.it
First opened in 1929, the Genoa–Casella line
is one of the few narrow-gauge railway tracks
remaining in Italy. It takes around 55 minutes
to make the 24 km (15 mile) journey from
Piazza Manin in Genoa to the Apennine
hinter land. The route passes through forests,
over viaducts and through tunnels, and
reaches its highest point (458 m/1,503 ft) at
Crocetta, the ancient border of the Genoese
The Casella train crossing a viaduct Republic. Casella, at 410 m (1,345 ft), is the
head of the line. The railway follows a steep gradient and is known as the “tre valli”, after three valleys – the
Val Bisagno, Val Polcevera and Valle Scrivia. The stations along the way (Trensasco, Campi, Pino, Torrazza,
Sardorella, Vicomorasso and Sant’Olcese) have trattorias and are starting points for walking and cycle trails
(bicycles can be hired at the stations). The train is currently undergoing renovation and is not in operation.
In the meantime, travellers can take a substitute bus, but should note that it cannot be booked in advance.

For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp180–81 and pp190–91

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