Lerici Castle

San Giorgio Castle overlooks the Gulf of Poets: hours, tickets, the Sant'Anastasia chapel, rooftop terrace, lift and how to get there.

Lerici Castle by the sea with boats

Where: Piazza San Giorgio, in the old town of LericiLa Spezia
Opening hours: 1 October–31 May Tue–Fri 10–13 and 15–17, Sat–Sun 10–13 and 15–18, Monday closed1 June–30 September 10–13 and 15–18, Sat–Sun until 20:00
Ticket: full 6 €, reduced 3 €over 65s and students
Time needed: about an hourour estimate
Lift: from the San Giorgio gallery on Calata Mazzinievery day 8:00 to 1:00
Operator: Sviluppo Turistico Lericitel. +39 0187 964617

Directions Official website

San Giorgio Castle, known to everyone as Lerici Castle, stands on the rocky headland that closes the bay to the south and is the symbol of the Gulf of Poets. A visit takes about an hour: a covered courtyard, a great vaulted hall, the Pisan-Genoese chapel of Sant’Anastasia and a rooftop terrace looking over Lerici, San Terenzo and Portovenere. Entry is 6 €, the castle is closed on Mondays from October to May, and you can also reach the old town by lift from the harbour.

By Italian Riviera editorial team·Updated on 24 October 2026·6 min read

Opening hours and tickets

The last entry is half an hour before each session closes. These are the hours published by the operator:

Period	Days	Hours
1 October–31 May	Tuesday–Friday	10–13 and 15–17
1 October–31 May	Saturday, Sunday	10–13 and 15–18
1 October–31 May	Monday	Closed
1 June–30 September	Monday–Friday	10–13 and 15–18
1 June–30 September	Saturday, Sunday	10–13 and 15–20

Over Christmas and New Year 2026-27 it is closed on 25 December and 1 January, and open in the morning only on 24 and 31 December. There are special openings on 8 December and 6 January; the hours are not yet published, so check before you go. The castle closes when ARPAL issues an orange or red weather alert.

A full ticket costs 6 €, reduced 3 € for over 65s and students of any level. Entry is free for residents of the municipality of Lerici, people with disabilities and their companions, and a few other groups (school-trip escorts, accredited journalists). Up-to-date hours and prices are on the Sviluppo Turistico Lerici website.

A short history

The first core was built by the Pisans after the battle of Giglio in 1241. Genoa took Lerici back in 1256, as a plaque on the chapel portal records, and after the victory at Meloria (1284) the castle stayed a Genoese stronghold; in the second half of the 15th century it came under the Office of St George. The last major reinforcement, with the sloping walls that still surround it, dates to 1555 and is recorded in an inscription above the entrance.

It was a fortress with a castellan and garrison, and also a prison; its prisoners included, briefly, Francis I of France after the battle of Pavia (1525). Inside these walls, in 1528, Andrea Doria switched from the French alliance to Emperor Charles V. After the Second World War the castle was a youth hostel, run from 1947 to 1968 by Maddalena Di Carlo, known as Madì.

What to see inside

You enter by a ramp running alongside the western spur; beside the portal you can still see the grooves of the drawbridge. The route climbs floor by floor.

The courtyard and the vaulted hall

The inner courtyard was the castle’s dry moat: today it is covered and used as an exhibition hall, with a staircase cut into the rock. On the middle floor the great vaulted hall opens onto three small 13th-century rooms, two with a well and one with a flue; their purpose is uncertain, perhaps kitchens or cells.

The chapel of Sant'Anastasia

This is the oldest part of the castle and has survived almost intact since the 13th century. The bands of black stone and white marble are typical of the Pisan-Genoese style. The vaults hold three bas-reliefs: St George slaying the dragon in the vestibule, and two lambs, one with the Genoese flag and one with a cross. There are several explanations for the dedication to Sant’Anastasia; one is Pisan influence.

Kitchens, tower and exhibitions

In the “outcrop”, the wing jutting towards the sea, are the old kitchens with a well-cistern and a brick oven. The tower is a Pisan tower absorbed into a later Genoese pentagonal tower. The castle hosts temporary exhibitions: until 29 November 2026 it shows “Caselli 50”, fifty works by the painter Giuseppe Umberto Caselli. The old Geopalaeontological Museum once housed here is not listed among the activities described by the operator: ask at the ticket office if you are interested.

The panoramic terrace

Past the conference room you step out onto the rooftop terrace. The view takes in the Gulf of Poets: the houses of Lerici, San Terenzo, the headland of Villa Marigola, the Gulf of La Spezia, Portovenere with the islands of Palmaria and Tino, and Maralunga. In low late-afternoon light it is the best place to photograph the gulf.

Tips for your visit

When to go: in summer climb in the late afternoon, when it is cooler and the castle stays open until 20:00 at weekends. From October to May remember the 13–15 break and the Monday closure.
Exhibitions: hours and entry can change during events; the calendar is on the operator’s website.
Self-guided visit and audio guide: the municipal tourist site, lericicoast.it, has a self-guided route; for the audio guide ask at the ticket office or the infopoint (tel. +39 0187 960700).
Accessibility: there is a lift from the harbour up to the old town; inside, the route climbs several floors, so ask at the ticket office how to manage with a wheelchair or pushchair.
Dogs: the operator gives no information. Ask at the ticket office before you go up.
Private events: the rooms can be booked for weddings and conferences, subject to the exhibition calendar (tel. +39 0187 967840).

Getting there

From the harbour you walk up through the lanes and stairways of the old town to Piazza San Giorgio. To avoid the stairs, take the lift that starts from the San Giorgio gallery on Calata Mazzini, on the waterfront.

By car, park outside the centre: from 15 June to 31 August the centres of Lerici and San Terenzo are a restricted traffic zone (ZTL), from 10:00 to 18:30 and from 1:00 to 5:00. The closest car park is the private multi-storey in via Matteotti, open 24 hours, about ten minutes on foot from Piazza Garibaldi; in summer there is also a free shuttle. All car parks, fees and the shuttle are in our guide to parking in Lerici. Without a car: from La Spezia Centrale station, ATC buses L and S reach Lerici in about 30 minutes; from late March to early November Navigazione Golfo dei Poeti boats link the harbour with La Spezia and Portovenere.

What to see nearby

Tellaro with its colourful houses and rocks

From the castle a seafront walk leads to San Terenzo and Villa Marigola. To the south the road reaches Tellaro, a village on the sea; from the harbour you can sail to Portovenere. For beaches read the beaches of Lerici, for the forecast the weather in Lerici, and for the wider area the guide to the Gulf of Poets.

Where it is

Lerici Castle is in Lerici (Riviera di Levante, Golfo dei Poeti).

Boundaries: ISTAT, Natural Earth · Interactive map →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does Lerici Castle cost?

A full ticket costs 6 €, reduced 3 € for over 65s and students. Entry is free for residents of the municipality of Lerici and for people with disabilities and their companions.

What are the opening hours of Lerici Castle?

From October to May it opens Tuesday–Friday 10–13 and 15–17 and Saturday–Sunday 10–13 and 15–18; it is closed on Mondays. From June to September it opens 10–13 and 15–18, with weekends until 20:00. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Is there a lift up to the castle?

Yes, it starts from the San Giorgio gallery on Calata Mazzini and runs every day from 8:00 to 1:00.

Is the Geopalaeontological Museum still open?

The castle’s operator no longer lists it among its activities: the rooms now host temporary exhibitions. To find out whether anything is still on view, ask at the ticket office or write to info@stlerici.it.

How long does a visit take?

Allow about an hour, including time on the terrace; longer if there is an exhibition you want to see.

Is the castle open in rain or during weather alerts?

In rain, yes. With an orange or red ARPAL alert the castle stays closed.

Where can I park near the castle?

The closest is the private multi-storey in via Matteotti, about ten minutes on foot from Piazza Garibaldi. In summer the centre is a ZTL: use the car parks outside the centre and the free shuttle.

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