A photo shoot in Genoa can take place in many places. The proximity of the sea, charming narrow streets with small houses and elegant palaces remembering the city’s former glory provide endless opportunities for a photographer.
I took the photos with Maria Rosa on one of my favourite routes in the Old Town. We start on the elegant via Garibaldi from Piazza Fontane Marose. The street is also known as Le Strade Nuove – New Streets. There are Renaissance and Baroque city palaces included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. I especially recommend one of them for photo sessions – Palazzo Doria Tursi. Currently, there is a city hall there, so it is open to everyone and you can easily visit its courtyard and cloisters. This time, however, we did not go inside, taking advantage of the beautiful light on via Garibaldi. The summer sun slowly disappeared behind the roofs of the buildings, casting theatrical shadows on the street facades, creating a perfect scenery for photos.
At the end of via Garibaldi we turn into the narrow street Salita di San Francesco and then continue on Salita alla Spianata di Castelletto. Both streets are located on a slight hill, so you need to be prepared for a small climb. However, it is worth it – colourful tenement houses with green shutters take us to a completely different atmosphere. Additionally, you won’t meet many tourists here, which ensures a calm and intimate atmosphere when taking photos.
After a short climb, we reach the Belvedere Castelletto observation deck. From this place we can see a panorama of the famous grey roofs of Genoa and the most important buildings of the city: the aquarium, the cathedral and the lighthouse. It is also one of the best points (especially in autumn) to see the sunset over the city. After dark, it is worth staying there a little longer and ending the day with a glass of wine. I recommend the Calice bar the most.
If you don’t feel like climbing, you can also get to the observation deck using the elevators: Ascensore Castelletto Ponente and Ascensore Castelletto Levante.
