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Castello della Pietra

Castello della Pietra, wedged between two rock towers above Vobbia, reachable only on foot.

  • Genoa
  • Castle
Plan your visit
Where
Genoa
Best for
Castle wedged between rock towers
Allow
1 hr 30 min

Wedged so tightly between two natural rock towers that its walls seem to grow out of the stone itself, Castello della Pietra above Vobbia may date to the 1100s, though the earliest solid records place the della Pietra family in possession from 1252 onward.

Ownership passed through the Spinola, Adorno and other Genoese noble families over the centuries until French troops, suppressing the region's imperial fiefs in 1797, drove out the castle's last occupants and set it ablaze, leaving it a ruin for nearly two centuries. The Beroldo family donated the abandoned castle to Vobbia's municipality in 1979, and restoration allowed full public access from 1994, now managed by the Parco Naturale Regionale dell'Antola. A forest trail is the only way in, on foot, exactly as it always was.

Five things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. The castle between two rock spursPossibly 12th century; documented from 1252

    Its walls seem to grow out of two natural conglomerate towers, which serve as bastions.The castle itself

  2. The central hall

    A square hall with a vaulted ceiling, reached from the top floor of the front building.Inside the castle

  3. The rock-cut cistern

    Rainwater from the roofs was channeled into a cistern carved into the rock, key to the castle’s independence. Channels cut in the stone are still partly visible.At the foot of the great tower spur

  4. The wall-walk and attic

    A restored attic reachable from the central hall and the wall-walk gives a view along the Vobbia valley.Upper levels

  5. The forest path approach

    The castle can only be reached on foot, through woods and up a stair, exactly as it always was.From the provincial road or the Sentiero dei Castellani

Plan your visit

Everything you need before you go.

Booking
No booking needed
Time needed
1 hr 30 min
Best time
A holiday morning in spring or early autumn, when interior visits are open and the trail is cool
Getting there
Reached only on foot via a forest trail from Vobbia or the Sentiero dei Castellani from Torre di Vobbia; there is no vehicle access to the castle itself.
Accessibility
The forest trail approach is not accessible to wheelchairs.

Confirm interior access before setting out, since the castle does not open every day.

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Good to know

How long should you spend at Castello della Pietra?

Allow about an hour and a half. That includes the walk in on the forest path, the guided or self-paced look at the rooms and the views over the valley. Add time if you take the longer Sentiero dei Castellani.

Can you go inside Castello della Pietra?

Yes, but interior visits are offered on set days, mainly holidays in the warm season, and by arrangement with the Antola Regional Park for groups. The outside and the walk in are open at other times. Check ahead before you go.

How do you get to Castello della Pietra?

Only on foot. A forest trail with a stair climbs from the provincial road near Vobbia, and a longer path, the Sentiero dei Castellani, starts from Torre di Vobbia. There is no vehicle access to the castle itself.

More to see nearby

Same city first, then the nearest across the region.

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