LIGURIAN TRIO

Soak up the Ligurian Riviera on this full-day excursion over land and sea. Rugged cliffs embraced by dark green forests, picturesque waterfront promenades bordered with vibrantly coloured houses, azure waters lapping ivory pebbled beaches – this is the brilliant palette of the canvas you are about to explore.

Your private guide will meet you at your accommodation in Santa Margherita Ligure and lead you on a discovery trail of this glorious stretch of coastline. Kick off your morning with a pleasant 1-hour 15-minute passeggiata to the seaside resort of Portofino. The walk will take you along a coastal route and across shady hillside vegetation, with stops to drink in splendid vistas of the slopes dropping dramatically seaward.

Formerly a community of fishermen, today Portofino is a fashionable summer hideout, a great favourite of the Italian and international jet set since the late 1800s. Nestled at the foot of a cliff and dominated by a 16th century castle, the half-moon shaped town clusters around a tiny cove rimmed with colour-splashed buildings hosting upscale boutiques, enticing restaurants and luxury hotels. Portofino might owe its name to the words Portus Delphini, Latin for harbour of the dolphins, which supposedly refer to the schools of dolphins that once populated the Tigullian Gulf.

After a leisurely stroll through town, hop aboard a public ferry boat and lap up the matchless scenery of the Riviera from another privileged perspective. Enjoy views of the coastline as you sail towards the hidden – though much sought-after – bay of San Fruttuoso. This inlet, tucked away between the sea and woodland slopes, can only be accessed by boat or by descending a steep trail from the mountain above. As far back as the 700s this isolated corner was chosen as the ideal location for a church. According to legend Saint Fructuosus himself, martyred in the 3rd century, indicated this spot as his final resting place. He is said to have appeared in a dream to 8th century Archbishop of Tarragon Prospero who had fled from Spain and the Moors in search of a site on which to preserve the ashes of the saint. The church was rebuilt by the Benedictine monks in the 11th century and from the 13th century to 1983 the noble Genoese Doria dynasty patronized the abbey, renovating its design and transferring the family’s burial ground here.

After a tour of the abbey catch the ferry boat to the last stop on your tour. In olden times a thriving harbour, boasting a fleet of almost seven hundred ships at the peak of its glory, Camogli is now a charming fishing village and popular summer resort. The town’s history is inextricably linked to the sea. According to a local belief, its etymology derives from the shortened words Casa delle mogli, meaning house of the wives, which is thought to be a reference to the women who guarded the town while their husbands – fishermen, sailors or captains – were away at sea. Rows of houses painted in shades of red, pink, apricot and amber once helped sea workers find their way back to the port and today provide a delightful pastime for visitors who enjoy spotting the illusions that decorate their facades. Lifelike inhabitants peer out of the windows, a graceful cat perches perilously on the window sill… and are those real shutters casting shadows on the wall?

In the afternoon your private chauffeur will pick you up and drive you back to Santa Margherita Ligure.