Discover Italy: Great Travel Tips - Scenic Drives - Motorcycle Tours - Art Cities - Food & Wine

The square-shaped headland where Portofino (pic n°1) is located on the coast of the Ligurian Sea boasts a 13-kilometer-long coastline. It starts from Camogli and ends in Santa Margherita Ligure, and its highest point is Mount of Portofino, 610 meters above sea level. This area is part of Riviera di Levante, one of the two coastlines (the other one is Riviera di Ponente from Genoa to the French border) which the Ligurian coast is divided.

The area that stretches behind Portofino and covers almost half of the headland is a protected area established in 1935 and named The Regional Natural Park of Portofino (pic n°2). It is accessible via the many trails whose total length is over 60 kilometers.

Let's start visiting Portofino, the main town of the whole park. This tiny picturesque village with its famous "Piazzetta" (small square) and multi-colored houses built right on the seashore are considered to be one of the eighth wonders of the world. Originally it was a small fishing port founded by the Romans with the Latin name "Portus Delphini" (port of dolphins). Today, Portofino is an elegant seaside destination with many excellent restaurants and cafes, and a small marina where the Italian and international jet set love to spend some time on their luxury yachts.

Although it can be quite an expensive destination, Portofino is a must-see location, a beautiful gem that you should not miss when in Italy. It offers visitors unforgettable landscapes and spectacular and scenic views over the whole Gulf of Tigullio. You can also visit some beautiful ancient churches, such as the Romanic-Lombard style Church of San Martino that dates back to the 12th century but was rebuilt in the 19th century.

From Portofino you can take a path (pic n°5) choosing from a wide array, varying in terms of length and levels of difficulty. Each of these trails will lead you into different natural environments, and many of them to Portofino Vetta, the highest peak of Monte di Portofino (pic n°3). Here, we would like to suggest you two hiking trails:

1 - The first one is a short one and runs just on the hills above Portofino reaching the lighthouse at the very end of the small peninsula. Hiking this trail, you can also visit the Church of San Giorgio from the twelfth century, built probably on the ruins of a chapel dating back to the Longobard era between the 2nd and 4th century, where the relics of St. George, the saint patron of Portofino is preserved. Nearby you can also visit Castello di San Giorgio or Castel Brown the wonderful fortified castle surrounded by a beautiful garden.