On a Saturday morning stroll in Lerici, decided to get up to the castle/fortress I thought could work out this by stairs, so making a bit of exercise. Not possible, as work in progress at ground level. So you take the elevator, located inside a WW2 air raid shelter tunnel. Once you are up there is a very nice view all around, you get to the several outer platforms, then the entrance. You are requested to pay 5 Eur. I asked what to see inside, they said rooms empty as that was a fortress not a castle lived in. A bit surprised, but nevertheless fond on looking at the architecture I went in with the visit, paying the entrance fee. The current lay out has changed the internal face of the fortress, new "floors" added where kind of meeting rooms are set. The nicest place was the small gothic chapel with the nice carved vaults. Ascend the stairs and you are into the square, not yet into the fortified tower. Access forbidden due to repair (no one tells you in aforehand)... With interest vanished I asked the personnel at entrance, I was answered that it will take long for maintenance. All in all a hollow fortress, better to keep walking outside along the wall, killing the time with nice photo shooting of Lerici and La Spezia gulfs.

Beautiful castle dominating the port , it was built in 1241 by Pisans during the war against Genoa. It’s over the hill reached by little picturesques streets inside the ancient city