Anita Garibaldi promenade in Nervi

How the promenade began

It started as a path used by fishermen and farmers, already recorded in 1823. Work on the seaside road began in 1862 in two stages. The first ran from the harbour to Torre Gropallo (1862); the second, from the Serra Gropallo road to the Capolungo landing, was built in 1872. The work is credited to Marquis Gaetano Gropallo.

With the promenade the Parchi di Nervi lost their stretch of coast but gained a viewpoint. Today the route runs between the rocks on one side and gardens and villas on the other.

The name

It was named after Anita Garibaldi on 19 June 1945. Before that it was “Principessa di Piemonte”; under the Italian Social Republic, by a resolution of 20 April 1944, it was dedicated to the “Xª Flottiglia MAS”. Why Anita specifically is not documented. It has been pedestrian-only since summer 1959, by an order of 1 July.

The route, stretch by stretch

You start at the harbour, which has a 110 m breakwater and no scheduled ferry stop. The first stretch, up to Torre Gropallo, is the oldest. The tower is roughly halfway, dates to the mid-16th century and is now the Alpini headquarters: you see it from outside.

After the tower the route continues towards Capolungo, with the railway behind you and the sea to the south. The coast here is sunny even in mid-winter. The whole walk is about 2 kilometres; the time depends on how often you stop, and there is no official figure.

Where to swim

There is no proper beach along the promenade: you enter the water from the rocks. The City of Genoa lists seven official bathing areas between Miramare and Capolungo, with numbered public access points. From west to east, the ones along the route are:

• Scogliera Miramare: 419 m, access points 44-46.
• Passeggiata di Nervi: 473 m, access points 47-50.
• Zona Sciolla: 333 m, in front of the station.
• Torre Gropallo: 506 m.
• Passeggiata Anita Garibaldi: 804 m.
• Spiaggia Capolungo: 1,195 m to the Bogliasco border, mostly gravel; access points 58-59.

The harbour stretch has a permanent swimming ban. The official 2026 season runs from 1 May to 30 September.

Rules to know

• The City sign says: bathing is not safe because there is no lifeguard service.
• On the 3 m strip from the waterline only transit is allowed; even beach towels are banned.
• Many steps to the sea are closed for safety. The City does not publish the list of open ones: check what is there on the spot.
• Nervi has no Blue Flag.

Bring water shoes. In rough seas or weather alerts the route may be closed and swimming is not advised.

The bathing establishments

On the promenade there are two establishments listed by spiagge.it: Bagni Medusa (no. 27/A) and Bagni La Scogliera di Nervi (no. 10). Prices and opening dates are not confirmed, so ask them directly.

Getting there and who it suits

By train get off at Genova Nervi, in piazza Sciolla: 9-17 minutes from Brignole. The route starts a few steps away. If you come by car, the FS Park car park in piazza Sciolla has about a hundred spaces.

The main route has no steps and can be done with a pushchair. For wheelchairs there is no official data for the whole route: access from the parks for reduced mobility is to be verified. Rules for dogs are not confirmed.

After the walk, by train you can reach Sori, Recco and Camogli. For what to see nearby, see the full guide to Nervi, with the museums and the parks; to continue east, Bogliasco is the next stop, but there is no continuous promenade: the road along the Aurelia has no continuous pavement.