The most famous piazzetta in the world
At the tip of the promontory that bears its name, on the Riviera di Levante, Portofino is a tiny fishing village that has become a world symbol of elegance and the Italian dolce vita. Its piazzetta, a small square that opens directly onto a sheltered harbour, is surrounded by tall, narrow houses painted in warm colours, ochre, pink, yellow and red, with green shutters and trompe-l'oeil decorations, reflected in the green water of the cove, where fishing boats rest alongside luxury yachts. Since the 1950s, actors, writers, aristocrats and celebrities from all over the world have come here, and the piazzetta is lined with cafés, restaurants and boutiques of famous brands.
From the harbour, a short walk climbs to the church of San Giorgio, with a view over the village and the sea, and continues to Castello Brown, a sixteenth century fortress built by the Genoese to defend the port, later transformed into a residence by the British consul Montague Yeats-Brown, from whom it takes its name, with a garden and splendid views. The path continues through pines and holm oaks to the lighthouse of Punta del Capo, at the tip of the promontory. The village is surrounded by the Portofino Natural Park, with dozens of paths through Mediterranean scrub, and by a protected marine area, one of the most beautiful diving sites in the Mediterranean. Portofino can be reached by a narrow road from Santa Margherita, with very limited and expensive parking, by boat from the nearby towns, or on foot along the coastal path.
Tip: arrive by boat from Santa Margherita or Camogli; have an aperitif in the piazzetta at sunset, when the day-trippers leave.
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