Portofino, Italy

• More about your oliver guide: Polly Bade
• Trip type: Adult, Group getaway, Beach
• Activity level: moderate
• Ideal length of trip: 3 days

to & from

The nearest airport is Cristoforo Colombo (GOA), 20 Miles. We rented a car in Milan and drove 2 hours. The drive was beautiful.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Hotel Splendido which exceeded our expectations. Perched on a hillside overlooking Portofino Bay, Splendido was carefully positioned by its monastic builders to capture both the views and the sunlight. Its grounds embrace terraced, palm-filled gardens and breezy outdoor spaces. A heated saltwater pool affords dramatic views of the emerald sea and gleaming yachts below. There’s also a tennis court, gym and wellness centre and, for younger guests, a Smile Club. It is pricey but definitely worth it. They have a sister property down at the Marina. Splendido Mare, a Belmond Hotel, enjoys a privileged location on Portofino’s Piazzetta. Reopened in 2021 following a complete reimagination, this harbourside jewel radiates the carefree sophistication of the Italian Riviera. This hotel has a lower price point.

There are other hotels that have lower price point in the neighboring town, Santa Margherita Ligure

Where to Eat and Drink

You must dine at Ristorante La Terrazza at the Hotel Splendido. They have a fabulous piano player that is beyond entertaining. He gets to know everyone’s names and is very interactive.

Caffe Excelsior: The historical bar was recently renovated. Very cool with very high quality wines and drinks.

Trattoria Tripoli: Family style cuisine, don’t miss the ‘Pansoti’ with Walnut sauce and ‘Trenette’ with Pesto

Pizzaria el Portico: This simple restaurant is a perfect place to taste different types of pizza baked in tins like they used to do back in the old days.

Gelateria Bar San Giorgio : This is the popular Gelato spot in town. It was a perfect way to cool off.

What to Do

I would definitely try to rent a boat for the day. It was a great way to the see the area.

• We hiked up to the Lights house and The Brown Castle. The views are beautiful and the history is interesting. It is surrounded by a Mediterranean garden featuring a wealth of flowers, rose-gardens and pergolas
• St George's Church is worth popping into. A memorial stone placed inside the church commemorates the first reconstruction in Romanesque style of 1154. In 1691 the church was completely rebuilt and, on that occasion, also the road coming up from the village was widened. In 1950 the church has already been rebuilt after its former structure, some altars were restored and new furnishings replaced the old ones which had been restored.