Les Escaliers di Santa Maria by Wonderful Italy

Most areas are freely accessible, and volunteers are there to answer questions. The Roman-style church has restrained architectural details, including beautiful faience on the walls, along with medieval frescoes and paintings. There is an impressive marble altar as well as a lovely altar featuring the Annunciation of Mary.

From the unassuming exterior, you'd hardly expect what you find inside this church, tucked among residential buildings just above the old port. The architecture and numerous paintings are impressive, with paintings and sculptures by well-known artists in every alcove. One of the church workers was there and happily shared some of its history. Well worth the visit.

A lovely lady gave us a tour and talked about the fascinating events connected to the church and the city of Genoa. It's a beautiful church with lots of history, and you can also just pop in for a quick look for free.

This tucked-away Romanesque church complex is well worth seeing. Volunteers offer guided tours, and with so few visitors, you will probably get one privately. The Dominicans used to administer the complex. Its cloisters hold many intact pieces of medieval art, including a beautiful Annunciation fresco from 1451, sponsored in large part by the Grimaldi family.