The Ferrovia Genova–Casella is a narrow-gauge railway that climbs from Genova Piazza Manin through chestnut woods and steep hillsides to Casella, covering 24 km at a maximum speed that feels unhurried by design. The line opened in 1929 and has changed little since — the same wooden interiors, the same stops at tiny villages, the same unhurried pace through a landscape most visitors never see.
The journey takes about an hour each way and is, frankly, the best thing to do in the valley. Trains run several times daily; check current timetables before going, as the service has seen occasional suspensions for maintenance.