Nowadays it is a wealthy residential neighborhood, where during the last century next to the historic villas apartment buildings have been built, most of them with broad exclusive green spaces.

Another hypothesis (also advanced by Donaver) suggests that it derives from the word for "dawn" (Italian alba), as Albaro hill is located east of the city of Genoa, where the sun rises.

The neighborhood includes the southernmost part of a hill between the rivers Bisagno and Sturla which ends at the sea with high cliffs and small stony beaches, once accessible only through narrow crêuze [it].

[4] From the 16th century Genoese aristocratic families built large villas in the surroundings of the city, and Albaro became one of their preferred places in which to spend the summertime.

New roads suitable for car traffic were opened, and the villas gardens were divided into lots, so creating a stately and exclusive residential neighbourhood for the Genoese upper class.

The hill of Albaro, on account of its proximity to the city, became a favorite place of vacation for the Genoese upper class, who in summer moved there to spend the hot season.

[4] Originally the villas formed the centres of productive agricultural estates, but later they were transformed into stately summer mansions, enriched with works of art and large parks.

Santa Maria del Prato [it], near to San Francesco d'Albaro, was built in Romanesque style in 1172 by Canons Regular of the Holy Cross of Mortara, and since 1935 it has housed the nuns of the Institute of Sisters of the Immaculata.