This ‘official’ landmark of Genoa has been the most famous lighthouse in Italy since 1543. One hundred and seventeen (117) metros high, the lighthouse beam searches the city, the harbour and the sea for a distance of up to 33 miles. The tale goes that the architect who built this lighthouse was then thrown off the top so that he could not build any more similar landmarks in harbours elsewhere. The Lighthouse, or Lanterna, can be accessed by way of a 600-metre long promenade that starts off next to the parking lot of the Ferry Terminal (Terminal Traghetti) and crosses part of the trading harbour, allowing those who do not work among ships and containers to get a glimpse at some of the ‘secrets’ behind the city’s economic powerhouse. A set of explanatory panels dot the lighthouse promenade, illustrating the harbour’s development and economy throughout the city’s 26 centuries of history. At the end of the Promenade is the Lighthouse Museum (Museo della Lanterna), where the city is explored and explained through pictures, video-footage, documents, charts, as well as marine signalling equipment and optical instruments. Finally, once you have reached the foot of this austere-looking lighthouse, you can climb up as far at the middle balcony, from where a wonderful view of the harbour and of Genoa can be enjoyed.