The seaside village of Portofino is a little slice of paradise. Located along the Ligurian coastline in Northern Italy, it’s only about a 40 minute drive from the major sea port of Genoa. Genoa happened to be the first stop on my cruise around the Med., and since I had already explored the city four years ago, I thought I’d take the chance to explore less-traveled parts around the region. So, off on a cab I went.
Sailing into Genoa’s harbor. Those clouds aren’t a good sign…
The drive from Genoa to Portofino is quite picturesque. Half of it consists of driving through a network of tunnels that have been carved into the mountains, with houses looming above you.
Entering the town of Rapallo. The weather’s lookin’ very gloomy right about now…
During the other half of the drive, you drive through beach-side Italian resort towns, and around seaside cliffs.
Finally, I arrived in town.
My cab driver dropped me off in a parking lot about 200 meters from the town square. I arranged to meet him back at the same spot some time later, and went off to explore.
Portofino is a quiet, quaint little town. The cobblestone streets are lined with outdoor cafes and fashion boutiques, ranging from small local shops to luxurious brands like Gucci, Zegna, and Ferragamo. Fun fact: Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, founders of their eponymous fashion house, actually own a seaside residence here.
Portofino’s central square is also a harbor. My cab driver claimed to have met Sean Connery here.
See that yellow church? I started walking down this pier to search for a way up there.
This was an odd sight.
The town’s northern shoreline.
After a few minute’s climb up some steep concrete stairs, I reached the church.
The church is nestled in a narrow strip of land on Portofino’s southern edge. On one side, is Portofino Harbor. On the other, is the Mediterranean.
Looking out towards the Med.
I followed a peculiar-looking path on the side of the church.
Into a graveyard.
Spending eternity by the sea must be pretty nice.
I love how colorful Portofino’s buildings are. It gives each place some individuality and character. I snapped some shots of the town (the hilltop at the church is great for photos), before I hiked back down to explore the northern part of the harbor. There’s actually a small road that leads straight from the church back down into town. No stairs needed.
There wasn’t a whole lot, aside from restaurants and a wine bar or two. But it was a picturesque stroll.
The weather was partly cloudy. But aside from some intermittent drizzles, it was a beautiful day for exploring.
Facing the harbor.
I would love to spend more time here. Unlike big cities such as Milan and Rome, life seems to move at a slower pace here. Instead of dodging Vespas and Peugeots on a city street, you can have a quiet stroll along a seaside path as the sun rises, before grabbing breakfast at one of the town’s small bakeries.
Unfortunately, I had a boat to catch. I wasn’t about to just skip Genoa altogether either…so I’ll be covering my time there in my next post. As I rendezvoused with my cab driver for the return to Genoa, the sky started pissing down with rain.
I hoped to God I wouldn’t be dropped off in the middle of a torrential downpour.
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