Portofino - the prettiest port on the Med!

Living close to Milan we were able to drive there in two hours; however, Genoa is the closest airport and is just under an hour’s drive or even a ferry ride from this wonderful part of the Italian coastline.

We parked in Santa Margherita Ligure and wandered along the esplanade watching the yachts and ferries come and go and soaking up the spring sunshine. After a leisurely stroll, relaxing lunch in one of the many cafes and of course a gelato we headed back to the car and drove along the ridiculously scenic coast road (the only way in by car) to Portofino.

Portofino is very small and picturesque, and its iconic harbour Piazza is lined with colourful houses, bustling restaurants and cafes and of course some rather large yachts! We walked out to the tip of the promontory, passing ‘Castello Brown’ and Church of St George before reaching the delightful Al Faro Bar located on the end of the cliff, 30m above sea level and under the lighthouse.

Mid-afternoon and time to check-in to our B&B – accessible only via 180 steps! The panoramic views from our balcony and the garden terrace were worth the climb!

Back at the Piazza for the evening which is the perfect spot for Aperitivo, watching the many tourists and day trippers leaving by boat and of course the sun going down! We enjoyed a truly wonderful meal in Trattoria Tripoli – the pesto lasagne is not to be missed!

The following morning, after breakfast on the terrace, we took the ferry to San Fruttuoso. Only accessible on foot or by boat, it is a unique spot and home to a Benedictine monastery, a scattering of cafes and the Christ of the Abyss (a bronze statue sunk offshore 15m under the sea and popular with divers). From the pebble beach, it is a steep climb on zig zag paths onto an old mule path and then a wonderful coastal walk offering amazing views of the coastline and turquoise waters way down below – with spring wildflowers along the route and shade from the trees it was a delightful walk and we arrived back in Portofino around 2 hours later. If you don’t fancy the walk back, then of course you can head back by ferry - the boat trip itself is an excursion in itself and you can spend the day hopping on and off at the various resorts along the coast.

It really is a lovely part of the country and one worth returning to – if you like coastal walks and fabulous food you are in the right place!

We hope to spend a few days exploring the Cinque Terre (further down the coast) in the very near future!