Most of the Galápagos Islands are south of the equator. The remote island of Genovesa is an exception. The namesake for this donut-shaped, 5.4 square mile isle is Genoa, Italy, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. This is El Barranco, one of two locations with hiking trails on the island. It is frequently called Prince Phillip’s Steps for two reasons. First, it honors two visits by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and consort of Queen Elizabeth II. Second, tourists must climb a rugged staircase carved into the 82 foot cliff before reaching the plateau at 250 feet above sea level.
