|
PORTOFINO
35km
(22 miles) SE of Genoa, 171km (106
miles) S of Milan, 485km (301
miles) NW of Rome.
Portofino is the favourite tourist town of the jet set, and
it has been so immortalized in
movies and songs, that its name is
recognizable all over the world as
a romantic paradise. It lies about
6km (3 3/4 miles) south of Santa
Margherita Ligure by the side of
one of the most scenic coastal
roads in all Italy. The resort is
set in a pleasant location on a
harbour, where the water reflects
all the light coloured little
houses running along it, yacht
owners find this harbour the ideal
refuge, while they tour the
interior. In the 1930s, artists
came here in droves and over the
next few decades, the town became
known as a celebrity hideaway.
Many famous people could be seen
arriving by yacht, lounging
poolside at the luxury hotels, and
vacationing in private villas in
the hills, including Rex Harrison
and Elizabeth Taylor. The
Splendido Hotel alone has hosted
such illustrious guests as the
Duke and Duchess of Windsor,
Ernest Hemingway, Greta Garbo,
Ingrid Bergman, Aristotle Onassis,
Clark Gable, and John Wayne. The
number of stars and VIPs visiting
Portofino has come down , but some
rich and powerful people still
occupy those private villas, and
they stay right alongside the
tourists who come by the busloads.
The best way to drink in the beauty and experience the dreamy
ambience of Portofino is to take a
walk just before sunset through
the streets and roads of the town.
There is an old castle, where a
German baron once lived, step
inside to enjoy a lush garden and
the views of the town and harbor
below. It is open daily from 10am
to 4pm and the admission fee is
only 1.75€ ($1.55). Carry on and
you will pass old private villas
with lofty trees on the way to a
lighthouse (faro). When you
return to the main piazza, go to
one of the two little bars, on the
left side of the harbour. Before
going to the lighthouse, climb the
steps from the port and you will
reach a little parish church
called San Giorgio. From
here you'll get a panoramic view
of the port and bay.
If you visit Portofino in the summer take a boat ride around
the coast, visiting the small
villages like San Fruttuoso, that
interrupt the shoreline. Or,
maybe, you could take a long trek
on the paths that cross the Monte
Portofino Promontory to the Abbazia
di San Fruttuoso, it is a two
hour walk and you can get
directions from the tourist
office.
|
