To the east of the city centre, you can find two quiet residential area in front of the sea, Quarto and Quinto, crossed by the via Aurelia a mare, built during the Napoleonic era. The cliffs and Priaruggia beach in Quarto but also some nice beaches in Quinto are among the most loved locations for the inhabitants, who want to enjoy a relaxing weekend without leaving the city.

Quarto is renowned to be the departure point of the Expedition of the Thousand, lead by Giuseppe Garibaldi to Marsala on May 5th in 1860. The monument which recalls the important event was realized by the sculptor Eugenio Baroni in 1915.

The ancient Roman via Aurelia was coupled in the Napoleonic time with the current Aurelia a mare on the seafront. In Quarto resides one of the most important pediatric hospitals of all Europe: the Giannina Gaslini Institute. There are also some crowded beaches during the summer and interesting residential villas: Villa Quartara, Villa Carrara, Villa Spinola alla Castagna, designed by the architect Gino Coppedè, who inhabited the residence for some time, and Villa Paganini, which was acquired by Nicolò Paganini’s son.

Quinto lies between the sea and Monte Moro and was born as a traditional fishermen village, which owe its name to its position on the Roman Via Aurelia (ad Quintus Milium – the fifth mile of the city of Genoa). Today this is a residential area crossed by Via Antica Romana di Quinto, which was the main link for business and communications with the city centre in the past.

On the seabed in front of the coast of Quinto you can admire a natural site of Community interest: a peculiar habitat formed by meadows of  posidonia oceanica and hilly formations.