Portofino

"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 jewel of the Italian Riviera was the favourite of the rich and famous during its 1950s heyday and today this stunning sea resort with its Mediterranean personality, 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-coloured 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.

Portofino is known for its colourfully painted buildings that line its shores. The town is clustered around its half-moon shaped harbour filled with summer yachts and odd fishing boats plus the seafront is lined with outlets of Gucci, Pucci, Hermès and Louis Vuitton, seafood restaurants, cafes and luxury hotels.

Portofino's crystalline green waters are great for swimming, diving, and boating and the innumerable cultural and nature itineraries make this corner of the Gulf of Tigullio an ideal destination any time of year!