Continuing with our boat trip from Genova to Portofino along the Riviera di Levante in the Golfo Paradiso (Gulf of Paradise) …
If you like to join us on this epic road trip from the beginning in Switzerland, click here for the first post of the series.
After our brief stop at Camogli, we continued southeast along the coast and hugging the Portofino promontory (Promontorio di Portofino) which extends 2 miles out to sea and separates Golfo Paradiso and Golfo Tigullio.
Established in 1935 on the promontory, Portofino Regional Nature Park (Parco Naturale Regionale di Portofino) offers numerous hiking trails that wind through a rugged landscape with slopes steeply dropping off onto the deep blue sea.
From the boat, we saw cliffs, thick Mediterranean scrubs, terraces of olive trees, and isolated small coves.
San Fruttuoso
We made a brief stop at San Fruttuoso, a small village with a Benedictine abbey, situated 5 km from Portofino, accessible only by boat or on foot. We saw first a small tower built in the 1500’s to defend against pirates coming from North Africa.
An unusual attraction is the Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue of Jesus that lies underwater at a depth of 17 meters. As the water is so clear, it is a sightseeing spot for scuba divers.
The Abbey of San Fruttuoso (Abbazia di San Fruttuoso), one of the oldest in Italy, was founded by a Benedictine monk from Milan in 1074. Through the centuries, the abbey had been a commenum, a dwelling for farmers and fisherman, and a noble family mausoleum.
In 1983 the Doria Pamphilj family donated to Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI, Italian Environmental Fund) the entire San Fruttuoso site: the abbey complex, the rectory, the Doria tower and a handful of cottages. Between 1985-90, FAI undertook the restoration of the abbey. Today, it is a small museum and a cultural heritage site.
Faro di Portofino
The lighthouse of Portofino was built in 1917 and consists of a white quadrangular tower with balcony and lantern, attached to a 2-storey keeper’s house. It is positioned at 40 metres (130 ft) above sea level and emits one white flash in a 5 seconds period, visible up to a distance of 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi).
Portofino
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Portofino is a picturesque fishing village with a protected harbor on the Italian Riviera. In the 19th century, first British and then other European aristocrats started to visit Portofino. Artists, writers and celebrities of the 20th century (like Elizabeth Taylor, Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Hemingway, and Pablo Picasso) made this enchanting place their summer retreat. By 1950’s, tourism had replaced fishing as the main source of income.
These days, Portofino is famous for pastel facades of the houses lining the harbor, luxury yachts, chic boutiques and beautiful mansions built on the cliffs overlooking the blue Mediterranean. On approaching the harbor, we saw a super yacht that appears too big to enter the harbor. We noticed Loro Piana and Ferragamo stores in the village, that confirm Portofino as a luxury outdoor shopping center for those who live on yachts.
High above the harbor is Castello Brown. The name “Castello Brown” derives from the name of the English consul in Genoa and owner of the building from 1867 to 1905. The site of the castle had been used for military defence since Roman times until about 1600 when it became residential. It is now a popular venue for hosting events and weddings.
Chiesa Divo Martino
Built in the 12th century in Romanesque style, renovated in the 19th. Its ownership mirrors that of the abbey at San Fruttuoso.
The photos above do not show the throngs of tourists clogging the few streets Portofino has but it is a problem. We saw that the village was overcrowded especially near the pier during arrival or departure of the ferries.
To cope with the issue of overcrowding, Portofino has introduced in 2023 new regulations that prohibits tourists from stopping and lingering in two areas. The fine can range from 68–275 euros! The rule, which went into effect over the Easter weekend, will be in place until October 15. The first area is between Piazza Martiri Olivetta, near the Delfino restaurant, and the Umberto I pier. The second area is located between the village square and the public toilets of Umberto I pier.
Well, classy and glamorous Portofino, losing some of its exclusivity, has become a victim of its success.
After Portofino, we continued with our exploration of the Italian Riviera, heading towards Cinque Terre. We will likely come back for a closer look at Portofino and Cinque Terre, and Santa Margherita Ligure is where we would look for a hotel – recommended by guide books and friend.
If you like to follow us on this wonderful Italian road trip, click here for the next post.
For a better sense of the topography of the area, see this image from Google Earth.
