The sanctuary on Monte Figogna: climbing to the Guardia on foot, far from the crowds

Above the hinterland of Genoa, on the summit of Monte Figogna at 804 metres, stands the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia, in the municipality of Ceranesi. The mountain's name recalls its ancient role as a lookout: from here ships and armies approaching the city could be sighted. Today that same vantage point offers one of the widest panoramas in Liguria, suspended between the gulf and the first ridges of the Apennines.

History of the sanctuary

Tradition links the place to the Marian apparition to the shepherd Benedetto Pareto, dated by the sources to 1490. From a first modest chapel came, over the centuries, the present great building: the basilica was constructed between 1868 and 1890 to a design by the architect Luigi Bisi, and in 1915 it received the title of minor basilica. It is a pilgrimage destination deeply felt by the Genoese, yet it remains surprisingly unknown to those who visit the region only for the Cinque Terre or Portofino.

Climbing on foot

The finest way to get there is not by car, but along the trails. The Italian Hiking Federation signposts several marked routes that climb from Pontedecimo, from Praglia, from San Carlo di Cese or from the Val Varenna, with elevation gains and times suited to walkers of moderate ability. Walking along the ridges, among broom shrubs and woods, turns the visit into a small journey: you earn the summit step by step, as the pilgrims of old once did.

Silence at the summit

This very effort is the natural filter against crowding. On weekdays, outside the great Marian feasts, the trails are almost deserted and the sanctuary's forecourt breathes a rare silence. At the top you'll find the Chapel of the Apparition, a refreshment point and the Pilgrim's House for those who wish to stay.

Go in spring or early autumn, when the air is clear and you can see the sea all the way to the horizon. Bring water, proper shoes and respect for a place that is at once a spiritual destination and a natural balcony over a Genoa that few travellers know.

Related guides: Instead of the Cinque Terre: colourful Ligurian villages without the crush.

Getting there

The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia stands on the summit of Monte Figogna, in the municipality of Ceranesi, about twenty kilometres from Genoa and reachable by car as far as the large car parks below the Chapel of the Apparition, from which you cover the final stretch on foot. At certain times the climb is served by a scheduled bus. For those who love to walk, the Italian Alpine Club signposts several pilgrimage trails: one of the best known follows the former cable railway that starts from Gaiazza.

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