The Anello del Benessere of Sampierdarena opens: the Anello Centro-Ovest

Sampierdarena has officially joined the network of the "Anelli del Benessere" with the inauguration of the new Anello Centro-Ovest, which took place on the morning of Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The route is part of the "Anelli del Benessere" project, promoted by the Direzione Marketing Territoriale (Comune di Genova) within the international initiative Cities Changing Diabetes, now Cities for Better Health, with the aim of encouraging active and healthy lifestyles and contributing to the prevention and reduction of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.

The project involves the creation of circular urban trekking routes within the city’s neighbourhoods, developed in collaboration with municipalities, schools, and local associations. The itineraries, geolocated on the Komoot app, are enriched with textual content and podcasts and supported by dedicated signage placed at key points of interest. Historical, artistic, cultural, and technical information allows walkers not only to stay active, but also to discover and experience the city in a sustainable way.

The Anello del Benessere Centro-Oves runs through the Sampierdarena district, highlighting its historical and cultural identity through visits to the historic villas of Via Nicolò Daste and Via Dottesio, as well as its naturalistic dimension thanks to the panoramic views from Via Promontorio over the district and the Crocetta and Tenaglia forts in the Belvedere area.

The inauguration featured a guided walk led by staff from the Direzione Marketing Territoriale long the main route, starting from Villa Scassi park and passing through Via Daste and Via Dottesio. During the walk, students from local schools were told the history and legends behind the loop’s stops, and the new informational signage was presented.

This was followed by an inaugural conference featuring doctors and sports experts, who explored the benefits of walking for physical and mental health, highlighting its importance as a tool for preventing and combating chronic diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy habits. In total, more than 150 people attended the conference, including students, citizens, members of local associations and institutional representatives.

The collaboration of local associations was essential in helping to tell the story of Sampierdarena and its main points of interest, contributing to the texts published on Komoot. Equally important was the involvement of local schools, which participated in different ways: the Istituto Comprensivo Barabino  actively contributed to the creation of audio podcasts, while the Istituto Don Bosco and the Istituto Don Daste provided valuable feedback on the walking experience. The Don Bosco Institute also made available a publication used as a reference for the development of the texts.

Feedback from students highlighted how the experience sparked curiosity and enthusiasm, encouraging the discovery of historical and cultural treasures in the neighbourhood and in the schools themselves, which were once noble villas, hospitals, factories, and barracks. The walk also allowed participants to rediscover Sampierdarena as an ancient fishing village overlooking a long beach, and to appreciate walking together as an opportunity for social interaction and outdoor sharing.

With the opening of the Anello del Benessere Centro-Ovest Wellness, Genoa strengthens its commitment as a city focused on well-being and quality of life, capable of enhancing its urban, environmental and cultural heritage and offering citizens concrete opportunities to experience their neighbourhoods in an active, healthy, and inclusive way.

Edited by Irene Bellotto.