Portofino tourist information
Coming from the sea, all of a sudden, Portofino is encountered encircled by a hidden bay. The town appears as a "a small village,…, surrounded by a wood of strong and fresh green…", as Guy de Maupassant wrote when he arrived there in 1889.
Its origins go far back in time. It is still not certain whether Portofino was founded by the Phoenicians, the Greek, the Roman or by earlier inhabitants. This place was a natural shelter against wind and sea, favourable to the settlement of man since ancient times.
Portus Delphini, or better the port of the dolphins, so called by Pliny in the third book of Naturalis Historia, is a simple fishing village, with narrow coloured houses, closely built one to the other, crossed by many roads, that lead to the well-known square of polished pebbles already famous in the whole world. Here, high society and nature blend together: the Portofino shelter for VIPs, crossing of famous people and the Portofino of the Park and of the Natural Protected Area with its paths, the Mediterranean scrub, the deep seabed. The unspoilt nature binds with a very particular maritime village. Here it is possible to go around in the small port just to look at the luxury boats, and maybe meet movie stars; it is possible to choose between a walk up to the lighthouse, walking along the road at the far right of the main square and a visit to the Church of San Giorgio that can be reached through the steep steps of the Umberto wharf that lead to its square. A ferry ride to the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, masterpiece of the medieval architecture, can be preferred to a tour among the aristocratic villas, hidden in the olive groves, where since the '50s the important personalities of newspapers and magazines live. In any case, Portofino is a magical and fascinating place whose visit reveals different aspects, always charming, to discover and admire in all the different shades.
Portofino aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Portofino aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Portofino.
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