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The tour will start picking you up from the dock or other places you arrive. “A small village, Portofino, stretches crescent-shaped along the edge of this calm bay.” Thus wrote Guy de Maupassant when describing Portofino, tiny sea village on the Italian Riviera circumscribed by the green of the Natural Regional Park and Marine Reserve.
This splendid sea resort with its lux, Mediterranean personality, also boasts an ancient marine culture, and of course is another one of those spots beloved by artists, famous personages and writers that have long sung its praises. The “Piazzetta,” meeting-up point for the international jet-set, is the symbol of Portofino, while the port, with its characteristic, brightly-colored houses, is the icon of this borgo’s maritime traditions, whose inhabitants were called delfini (“dolphins”) by the Greeks and Romans, so apt were they at sea navigation.“
The charm of these places, the fine cuisine of the Ligurian Region, and the innumerable cultural and nature itineraries make this corner of the Gulf of Tigullio an ideal destination any time of year. Nonetheless, tourists most appreciate Portofino during the summer months, when the flora is at its most lush, and the warm seawater transports visitors beyond paradise. One of the most beautiful attraction is the Church of Portofino’s Patron Saint, San Giorgio, a construction from the 12th Century; inside are relics brought back by sailors after the Crusades, as well as a breathtaking panorama from the parvis (churchyard). Nearby, the Brown Castle (Castello Brown) is a fortress smack-dab in the middle of a hanging-garden, and characterized by partitions with lovely bas-reliefs, and architectonic embellishments in marble and slate. The lighthouse is accessible from here, and is situated on Punta del Capo (Punta Portofino), imposing itself over the entire bay.
Equally-interesting is the Gothic Oratory of the Brotherhood of Mary Assumed (Oratorio della Confraternita dell’Assunta), preserving various artworks inside, including a 12th-Century wooden statue of the Assumption of the Virgin. Those curious about the local traditions can stroll the streets of Portofino’s borgo, visiting the artisan workshops where the town’s women sophisticatedly work elegant patterns of bobbin lace. Prefer a little adventure out in the open? Take an excursion up to Monte di Portofino for a slight adrenaline rush, or navigate the Gulf of Tigullio in a boat, for close contact with the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Finally, if you are found of italian food (and it usually is), get ready for some prime sea-based dishes, served in restaurants throughout Portofino. Here the typical recipe is “Lasagna di Portofino,” delectable primo based on, what else, pesto. Before we get back we have some time to spend to visit the stunning Santa Margherita Ligure, just a few miles from Portofino, the coast and surrounded lush vegetation, the nice restaurants, the exclusive shops and the beautiful “marine promenade”. Are the higlights of Santa Margherita. Finally we drive back to your final destination, having some stops to get picture and breathe the iodine-rich air of the beautiful villages of the Ligurian coast.