OUT OF THE BLUE

As you disembark your cruise ship in Santa Margherita Ligure, meet your private guide and driver and enjoy a full-day tour of the Ligurian Riviera’s well-loved trio.

Colourful villages protected by grey stone castles, ivory pebbled beaches caressed by sapphire-blue waters, the deep green foliage of pine forests embracing the hillsides, silvery olive groves and vineyards dramatically clinging onto the slopes – this is the brilliant palette and masterful design of the canvas you are about to traverse.

The first stop on your excursion will bring you to the enchanting seaside resort of Portofino. 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 the 16th century Castello Brown, 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, rejoin your driver and set off for Camogli. 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 much sought-after holiday spot. The town’s history is inextricably linked to the sea. According to a popular, though somewhat fanciful, 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. Ambling along Camogli’s picture-perfect waterfront promenade and up through its narrow alleys, you will certainly notice the exquisite tones of the building’s facades, painted in shades of red, pink, apricot and amber. These pastel-hued houses 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 exteriors. Lifelike inhabitants peer out of the windows, a graceful cat perches perilously on the window sill… and is that washing really fluttering in the breeze?

After some free time for lunch return to Santa Margherita Ligure. This lively town warmly invites you to stroll along its seafront walkway lined with restaurants, cafes, elegant Liberty-style facades and a jumble of multi-coloured buildings decorated with Liguria’s distinctive trompe l’oeil features. Indeed, if you look carefully you will certainly notice that some of those bright green shutters are faux painted decorations. Ruins of a castle built in the mid-16th century as a defence against Moorish incursions, however, are real and still stand as a reminder of the olden days of marauding pirates. A visit to the oratory dedicated to Erasmo, the patron saint of seamen, merchants and maritime activities, will allow you to dip a toe into the seafaring history of this little port. Suspended from the walls of the chapel are ship models left here by yesteryear’s sailors as ex votos for surviving a storm or an enemy attack. Don’t forget to take a peek inside the elaborately decorated Baroque Church of Santa Margherita and admire the gorgeous seascape views from the gardens of Villa Durazzo before returning to your cruise ship.