From Genoa

Directions to Colletta from Genoa (Genova) airport

From Genova Airport to the autostrada turn off at Albenga it is about 85 km, and from the Albenga exit to Colletta di Castelbianco it’s about 14 km. Just under 100 km in all, it normally takes just over an hour.

As you emerge through customs, the car hire desks are on your left. You pick up your car across the road from arrivals. Reception will give you a letter and number code for the parking bay (like D23).

You drive back past arrivals (in the leftmost lane), give way to any taxis or buses coming from the right, then shortly merge in with any traffic coming down the ramp from departures on the left. You then meet a roundabout. All this is within the space of a few hundred metres. You will be following the green signs for the A10 autostrada towards Ventimiglia and Francia.

At the roundabout, go straight across and keep in the right lane. A few hundred metres later as you go under a flyover and the road bends sharply to the right take the right fork. You will find yourself in the outer lane as you merge with traffic coming from the right. Soon traffic will merge again from the right and you will be at the toll, where you must take a ticket. Do not go through the Telepass-only channels – these are for prepaid season ticket holders. Go through one of the ones marked Biglietti (take a ticket) – preferably the rightmost one, because absolutely immediately out of the toll you must get over to the right and fork into the tunnel towards Ventimiglia. You go round a sharp bend and descend to the very short and semi blind slip road on to the autostrada.

You will be heading west. When you leave the outskirts of the city you will see the sea on your left.

There are three lanes for a while after the road forks off to Alessandria – at which point you keep left towards Ventimiglia on the A10. But after the service station at Piani d’Invrea, between Arenzano and Varazze, it collapses back again into two lanes without any prominent warning. Most unpleasant!

At Savona there is a connection with the autostrada to Torino. But you continue towards Ventimiglia on the A10.

There are further service stations between Albisola and Savona (S.Cristoforo), and between Pietra Ligure and Albenga (Ceriale). You can get petrol, of course, but also a coffee, snack/meal and some provisions.

It should take about three quarters of an hour from the time you pull away from the airport to arriving at the Albenga turn-off if there are no holdups.

When you are approaching the Albenga turn-off, you will see a large coastal plain and the island of Gallinara as you emerge from the Monte Piccaro tunnel a few kilometres before the Ceriale Nord service station. You will pass under eight small bridges before getting to the turn-off.

When you come off you go round 270 degrees and back under the autostrada to the toll (€7.00).

Now follow the directions from Albenga.