Genova: i forti fino alla presa

Described here is a ride through the heights above Genoa, starting from the city center. A modern xc intinerary, because of the last rocky descent that can create some difficulties.

We start in the Foce district, in traffic we pass Brignole station and ride up to Staglieno cemetery where we leave the cars and finally start climbing after 5 km of suffering. Via Paleocapa is a climb that becomes a "crosa" between two dry stone walls until it rejoins the bitumen road leading to Righi. Here we climb to the high square of Peralto, where we find the only drinking fountain, and take the dirt road that leads toward Creto. At the first fork you take the short but double-digit climb to Baracchetta on the left. After this you climb up to take the higher path, the dog path, which takes us with a few pushing sections to the start of the first descent (nice view here), Taxidriver.

Two to three minutes of semi-flow (more flow than this in these parts does not exist) and we rejoin the dirt road that leads first to Campi, and then continuing in up and down (more up..) to the outlet of the old aqueduct below Creto. From here a nice view towards the Bisagno valley. A nice breather and it's back along the same road to the fork where Taxidriver ends and, with a little bike-over-bike, we take the Butterfly Trail (which you won't find anymore unfortunately, they're gone).

An uncomplicated climb but be careful because it is exposed in some sections. We reach the top and descend behind Fort Spur on a nasty rocky descent, pass the lawyer's gate on the left to climb briefly on bitumen to the start of the last descent, Bruco, Bruchino and Bruchetto.

It starts out easy but gradually becomes more and more rocky, very rocky! Eventually you arrive on city bitumen and return to downtown, Aquarium area.

This is one of my training circuits, 40km or so with 900 mt +, a flow descent and a stony one, 2-digit climbs and more human climbs. With some nice views at the top. Not bad thinking you start in the center of a city.

#genova