Monte Penello
Description
The route begins west of Genoa, in the Pegli district. From there, follow the coastal road past port facilities and industrial areas until you reach Via Ovada. This road is initially paved and runs along the Leira River, then winds its way uphill in wide switchbacks—first on asphalt, later on gravel, and in some places through overgrown terrain—all the way to the Passo del Turchino. At the pass, you’ve already reached a striking vegetation line: Mediterranean flair meets rugged, high-alpine contrasts here—a scenically captivating transition.
Now the ridge crossing begins: at first, it runs within the tree line; later, the terrain opens up, revealing breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The higher you climb, the more often you’ll have to push your bike—for casual cyclists, the ascent is very challenging. E-bikers can still ride through a few additional sections here. Eventually, you reach the Gandolfi Hills, which tower high above Genoa and lie at just under 1,000 meters above sea level. From here, the view stretches to Monte Fasce and the fortifications surrounding Genoa—a true panoramic highlight. After a few more meters, you’ll be standing on Monte Penello, which, together with Monte Piazza and the Monte Penello–Punta Martin connection, marks the highest point of the tour.
A varied descent follows: On the so-called Trail E1 – parte alta, you’ll ride along the ridge at difficulty levels S2 to S3 all the way to the Fossa del Lupo. This section offers consistently fluid yet challenging trail sections at a consistently high level. From Fossa del Lupo onward, the terrain becomes more technical, and the trail combinations grow more varied. South of Bric delle Monache, a relatively moderate section awaits, while above it, more difficult variants are certainly possible. Here, a wide selection of trail options opens up in a southerly direction. The route continues to the Gola del Colombo, where the trail starts off challenging and then settles back into difficulty level S2. Finally, you emerge into urban terrain—and the loop closes again in Pegli.
Conclusion: A demanding but incredibly scenic all-mountain tour that leaves nothing to be desired in terms of both riding technique and scenery.
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Details of the tour
30 km
1035 m
1035 m
2 above sea level
969 above sea level
Genua Pegli
Genua Pegli
3447
well suited
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User comments (1)
About the author: Martin Depauli
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.
Wow, what a beast. Even the ascent is challenging with a fairly long pushing section. The descent is a wild ride from hell. Up to the Fossa del Lupo, not a single meter on the E1 is given to you. Technically and physically very demanding. Only good enduro riders will really have fun here, but then they will really enjoy it. If you're not fit for the rough S3 terrain, you'll be pushing all the way. Accordingly, I see the tour as having four technical points. From Fosso del Lupo, it then becomes smoother again in S2 to S3.