I’ve imagined myself walking aimlessly through the streets of Portofino a million times… I like its brightly colored homes and lovely views… With a smile that makes you think that this secret dream will come true one day! Yes, Portofino was my dream island paradise that I kept to myself. I kept it to myself, thought about it, waited for it, and… I liked it… Now is the time to show it to you… “The colors of Liguria” starts with the beautiful town of Portofino!

Just how do I get to Portofino?

I wrote a while ago that having your own yacht was the best way to get to Portofino, but I hadn’t been there yet… Now, I made sure it wasn’t easy… It might be hard to find a place to park it… To get to the town by car, there is only one parking lot, and it costs about 5 euros an hour. 

WELL PARKED It’s better to leave the car in Santa Margherita Ligure, where there are more places to park. There is a daily bus service on line 82 that goes from there to Portofino. It runs from 6 am to 1 am during the summer. The exact timetable can be found HERE. The site also has details about tickets. A ticket that lets you go on and off the bus twice costs 6 euros. If you pick it up ahead of time, it costs 5 euros.

A bit more about the village…

Portofino may not be inspired by its glorious past because it is so popular now. Portus Delphini, which means “Port of the Dolphin,” is the name of the small port that was built by the Romans. There aren’t many of them today, but you can still see some in the bay… 

With its beautiful coves and high, steep hills all around, it stands out on the Italian Riviera. Less than 500 people live there full-time! Most of the houses are in the type of Italian coastal towns that are built on terraces. And the bright colors on the outside used to help fishermen keep their eyes on the coast. It’s true that Portofino is called the “Most Beautiful Place in Italy” or the “Liguria Pearl” in many places.

How does it become “The place where the rich and famous go to relax”?

“A Place Where Rich and Famous People Go”… This is another name for Portofino… It got that name when tourism started to change slowly in the 19th century. Before that, fishing was the main business in the small port town. When the British found it, it was already well known. 

By the middle of the 20th century, Portofino had become a popular vacation spot for royalty, actors, diplomats, and other rich people from around the world. Some choose to buy villas, others decide to invest in hotels and restaurants, and still others come on holiday with their fancy cars and yachts… The way people think of Portofino has changed forever, though, and tourism is a big reason for that.

To the Harbor!

It’s where most walks in Portofino begin, since it’s where the only parking lot is located and where bus line 82 stops. From here, we walk down the cobblestone streets, where fashion shops and ladies selling their own lace goods sit next to each other. Portofino used to be famous for its lace, but these days it’s starting to lose its shine. You can’t miss the many gift shops and other fun things to see…

The view from Portofino that could not be beat

How about we go up a little? That’s why I told you to eat some gelato before we go climbing! Just bring something in. In the summer, don’t forget to bring water. We’re ready now! In fact, it’s nothing special. It’s just a nice walk down the alley to the Castello Brown, where you can see beautiful views of the bay. However, it can be hard in the summer…

The church of St. George is in the middle of the road. It was built in the 1200s, but wasn’t fixed up until the middle of the 1900s because it had been attacked so many times. You can take it easy here for a picture shoot…