Portofino

An open treasure trove, Portofino dazzles your mind with its richness. Experiencing the vibrancy of Portofino is as satisfying as investing in a rare diamond; you invest in it once, and cherish it for life.

Missing the ‘Portofino walk’ whilst there, is nearly as blasphemous as visiting London, and giving the London Eye or Buckingham Palace a miss!

You could breeze through the trail of the Portofino walk, or enjoy and soak in the beauty of this Italian retreat at leisure. The quay leads you to splendour that will leave you gawking spell bound.

Winding labyrinths of Portofinian cottages interspersed with shops disappearing into the church of San Giorgio, which was originally built in 1154 and where I am told still rests the relics of St George brought by sailors, who had participated in the Crusades.

A reflection of thousands of autumns gone by, this perched point in Portofino implores you to look down over the harbour, and engraves the panorama in your memory to enjoy over the next couple of autumns. You can capture a thousand frames here, and can be rest assured that no two frames will look the same in this Italian Riviera.

At the risk of sounding trite, I have to admit the next stop on the ‘Portofino walk’ was truly breathtaking. The pulchritude of what was once an Italian fortress, Castello Brown, can be enjoyed for a nominal fee, which I can assure you, is worth every dime.

The fortress, guarding years of history and architectural excellence, was purchased in 1867 by Montague Yeats Brown, a British Consul, who breathed new life into this sanctuary at Portofino. Folklore has it that the two striking pines that have become an inseparable part of the Portofino skyline were planted by the Consul, representing him and his bride, and to celebrate their marriage.

An appropriate climax to the Portofino walk is the lighthouse. The altitude is bound to give you an adrenaline rush for more than one reason! The magic of Portofino

Written for Portofino.com by Nicola