What to do in Portofino: 7 dos and 3 don'ts

From #7 to #1, our recommendations on what you can actually see and do in Portofino in order to enjoy the town at its best.

At the end of the article, 3 tips on what you should never do in Portofino will follow.

Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta is actually known to everyone simply as the 'little square of Portofino'.

A very small place indeed, but one that takes the visitor back to memories of the past. For through here have passed the likes of Princess Soraya, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, Ernest Hemingway, Clark Gable. In the heart of the twentieth century, in fact, this place was already the heart of the Italian Dolce Vita so much so that it deserves today's title of 'Historical Place'.

Walking around Piazza Martiri dell'Olivetta, crowned by cafes, bars, gelaterias and restaurants, will be a sort of rendezvous with history and with Old Hollywood.

And if you feel like you've seen it somewhere before, it's really true: the little square has been the location for such films as The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Murder Mystery starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler.

The Church of St. Martin (or Divo Martino) is located in the oldest part of the village of Portofino.

It is itself very old because, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours, it was built in 986 on the site of an ancient chapel. In the very same year it was sold to the monks of the nearby Abbey of San Fruttuoso.

When the relics of the martyred saints Dorothea, Cassian and Vincent were brought in the 16th century it was finally consecrated.

The exterior of the church, and the churchyard itself, show the features of a rather vivid Romanesque style: of particular interest, however, is also a visit to the interior where there are a variety of 18th-century elements.

A not-to-be-missed stop to appreciate even more the ancient history of the village.

Wandering around the surroundings of the small square, you will see a small road that climbs the hill that embraces the village from the south: this is the Salita San Giorgio.

What do we suggest you do if you are visiting Portofino? If you have some time, we suggest you follow this road. You will find at a certain point the small Church of San Giorgio on the right, also in Romanesque style, and then you can continue on a path that gradually climbs among the Mediterranean vegetation and offers wonderful scenery of the sea.

You can decide whether to walk up to Castello Brown, or to observe it from afar. The view is nothing short of breathtaking, and the Castle presents itself to the visitor's eye in all its massive 15th-century bulk. It was once called St. George's Castle and served as a fortress until Sir Montague Yeats Brown turned it into a wealthy aristocratic residence in the 1800s.

Its strategic location made it impregnable for centuries. Consider that even Admiral Andrea Doria, who also managed to subdue much of the Ligurian Riviera, failed to conquer Portofino.

Today the castle, with its many rooms, is owned by the municipality and can be visited. Don't miss the panoramic terrace, a balcony wide open to the blue.

The Portofino Lighthouse stands about 40 meters above sea level and has been active since 1910.

It stands on the headland as a guide for sailors but also as a kind of divider between the Tigullio Gulf and the Paradise Gulf.

The lighthouse cannot be visited inside, but the path winding through the vegetation and the view across the Tyrrhenian Sea will be a priceless reward. With any luck, dolphins and sometimes even whales can be seen from here.

To get here simply continue on the same path that brought you to Castello Brown. The path from St. George's Church to the Lighthouse is about 1 km uphill. It is certainly worth the effort.

If you have the chance to stay in Portofino in the evening as well, we definitely recommend staying in the harbor area.

In fact, the little square comes alive already at aperitif time, one of the favorite moments of the day in Italy. This is also the place to find several bars and restaurants where you can enjoy typical local dishes, such as chickpea farinata, Ligurian-style minestrone, pesto alla Genovese (amazing) and all kinds of fish dishes.

If you are looking for something more lively, such as a disco, we suggest moving to the nearby resort of Paraggi in Santa Margherita Ligure.

By the way, Paraggi is also considered the 'beach of Portofino', as the village does not have a real one. Paraggi's deep blue waters will easily make you forget the mile and a half that separates it from Portofino!

More than 80 km of trails branch off this promontory, which are mainly divided between the municipalities of Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure and Camogli.

Some of these paths are easily practiced independently, while others require the presence of an expert environmental guide.

In this park, nature is lush and explodes in the typical forms of Mediterranean scrub: chestnut, hazel, pine and olive trees. Wildlife is also particularly abundant, with specimens of blackbirds, jays and even birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon.

The park's official website illustrates and classifies all the trails according also to duration and difficulty: all that's left to do is set off!

Having explored the 7 things to prefer on a trip to Portofino, here are the 3 things that would be avoided instead.

Portofino is one of the most precious pearls of the Ligurian Riviera also because its sea and promontory are part of protected natural areas.

When you visit the woods or venture out to sea, don't forget to follow the simple rules that allow you not only to respect your surroundings, but also to enjoy your vacation in total safety!