Dating from the late 19th century, this neo-Gothic beauty does indeed resemble a castle, and houses an astonishing array of ethnographic artefacts from around the globe. Italian navigator, writer and philanthropist Enrico d'Albertis assembled this collection during his many travels, and the sunny galleries contain everything from pre-Colombian pottery from the Americas, to installations exploring traditional medicines of the Far East. Unfortunately, there's little signage in English. The leafy gardens surrounding the castle offer fine views over the city.
It's a short (700m) but steep climb from Genoa's Piazza Principe train station. You can save your legs by taking the Ascensore Montegalletto on Via Balbi, which travels both horizontally and vertically.